NEW DELHI: USA's Nitish Kumar played a crucial role in securing a victory against Pakistan in a pivotal ICC
T20 World Cup
match. Kumar described them as among the world's elite, reflecting on his decisive boundary in the last ball that led to a
Super Over
against the 2009 T20 World Cup champions.
In a tense Group A encounter, Kumar's 14 runs off 14 balls were instrumental, especially when Pakistan's pace attack seemed to dominate.
His last-ball boundary sent the Dallas crowd into a frenzy, ensuring a Super Over situation.
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The United States, having defeated Pakistan, now face the challenge of competing against India at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Kumar, born in Canada with familial ties to India, expressed admiration for the Indian team, emphasizing the professional commitment both teams share towards the game.
"I was born in Canada and my brother and father have been to India... I love it. I love all the players there i think they all are amazing. They are some of the best players in the world, we look up to them. But we have a job to do, and they have a job to do," Nitish told ANI.
During the match's final moments, needing 15 runs to win, Kumar showcased remarkable composure by hitting a four off the last delivery by Pakistan's
Haris Rauf
, pushing the game into a Super Over.
Reflecting on his performance and the match's outcome, Kumar candidly admitted to initial doubts about his batting but emphasized the importance of focusing on the team's needs over personal performance.
Nitish said, "To be very honest there was no confidence. The first 10 balls I played weren't very good. All that mattered at that moment was that I needed that boundary and had to make it happen... Wasn't impressed with the way I batted. It's all about getting the win. It's about doing whatever our team needs to do."
The USA's participation and hosting of the T20 World Cup mark a significant step in the development of cricket within a nation traditionally focused on other sports.
"It's a very big victory for us as a team. We came out with our goal. We executed well, there were bits of bumps on the way but we finished it off. That's what we wanted. We want to go to the next round, we know that we are good enough," he added.
The match concluded with the USA setting a target of 18 runs in the Super Over, which Pakistan could not surpass, managing only 13 runs.
(Inputs from ANI)
English (US) ·