The United States pulled off a shocking five-wicket win over
Bangladesh
in a Twenty20 international in
Houston
on Tuesday, providing a timely boost ahead of next month's
T20 World Cup
.
The USA will host group stage games in the tournament, co-hosted with the West Indies, and the three-match series with Bangladesh serves as their main warm-up.
ALSO SEE: T20 World Cup Schedule
Despite being ranked 19th in the world T20 rankings, below Nepal and Oman, the Americans outperformed their more experienced opponents, who are ranked ninth.
Bangladesh managed 153 for 6, with Towhid Hridoy top-scoring with 58 from 47 balls, while off-spinner Steven Taylor took two wickets for nine runs from three overs.
The USA reached the target with three balls to spare, thanks to a brilliant 61-run partnership between Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh. At 94-5 with five overs remaining, the pair turned the game around. Former New Zealand international Anderson scored 34 off 25 balls with two sixes, while ex-Indian Under-19 player Singh hit 33 off just 13 deliveries, including three sixes and two fours.
Anderson hit a six off the penultimate ball of the 19th over, leaving nine needed from the last six balls. Anderson then smashed Mahmudullah for another six, followed by a single, before Singh struck the next ball over extra-cover for four to clinch the win.
"It's a great feeling," said Singh. "I was backing myself and the main aspect of the game was to stay in the game till the last. It came down to our best efforts in the last over and I think that was our plan," he said.
"Definitely Corey brings a lot of experience. He himself played a lot of big tournaments, big games. He knows how to finish games and how to stay calm under pressure, finish till the last ball...we all look up to him," he said.
The second game of the series is scheduled for Thursday in Houston.
(With AFP in puts)
English (US) ·