NEW DELHI: First-timers USA, featuring several players who juggle cricket with their primary occupations, on Friday advanced to the next round of the 2024
T20 World Cup
in the Americas after their last Group A match against Ireland in Lauderhill, Florida got washed out.
The USA vs Ireland washout meant that the 2009 champions Pakistan were eliminated from the tournament.
Riding victories against neighbors Canada and tournament heavyweights Pakistan in their initial matches, the USA secured a spot in the Super Eight stage.
Their final group match's cancellation allowed them to join India in the next round of the cricketing extravaganza.
The USA ended the group stage with five points from four matches.
Now even if Pakistan win their remaining match against Ireland, they can only achieve a maximum of four points.
Pakistan had already faced setbacks prior to the washout. They lost narrowly to India in New York while chasing a target of 120.
As It Happened
Earlier, their opening match in Dallas ended in a surprising Super Over defeat to the USA.
The consecutive losses meant Pakistan's progression to the Super Eight depended on other results.
The tournament is being jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies as part of an ICC initiative aimed at expanding cricket's footprint in the region.
The USA team's performance so far suggests a genuine attempt to entice NFL, MLB, and NBA fans towards cricket.
The USA began their campaign with a decisive victory over Canada, chasing nearly 200 runs. They then pulled off one of the T20 World Cup's biggest upsets by beating Pakistan.
In their match against India, they posed a strong challenge to the title contenders. USA's momentum can be traced back to their morale-boosting T20I series win against Bangladesh ahead of the tournament.
The USA team includes eight players of Indian descent, many of whom hold temporary H1-B visas that allow companies to employ international workers. These players are helping to revive cricket in the USA, a country that hosted the first international cricket match in 1844 between the USA and Canada, predating even the first Test match between England and Australia.
Anticipation that Friday's match might be cancelled was high due to a tropical thunderstorm that struck Florida, causing incessant rain and flash flooding.
Points Table | Schedule
Yet, even if the match had taken place, the USA team, emboldened by their earlier victories and a strong showing against India, would have backed themselves to defeat Ireland and advance to the Super Eights.
English (US) ·