T20 World Cup: Yadav, Arshdeep star as India beat USA to reach second round

Published June 12, 2024
India’s Suryakumar Yadav celebrates hitting a half-century during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 group A cricket match between the USA and India at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York on June 12, 2024.—AFP
India’s Suryakumar Yadav celebrates hitting a half-century during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 group A cricket match between the USA and India at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in East Meadow, New York on June 12, 2024.—AFP

Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten half-century and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh claimed a career-best 4-9 as India defeated the United States by seven wickets to reach the T20 World Cup second round on Wednesday.

Chasing 111 to win the Group A clash, India were rattled at 15-2 and then 44-3 before Yadav (50) and Shivam Dube (31) put on an undefeated fourth-wicket stand of 67 to secure a third win in three games for Rohit Sharma’s team with 10 balls to spare.

Despite the defeat, the United States are still well-placed to join India in the Super Eights as they have four points while Pakistan and Canada are on two.

India were stunned by Mumbai-born fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar who had superstar batsman Virat Kohli caught behind for nought off the first ball he faced.

Rohit was then caught by Harmeet Singh at mid-off, again off the bowling of the 32-year-old Netravalkar in the third over.

Rishabh Pant’s 18-run cameo was ended when his stumps were uprooted by Ali Khan in the eighth over.

However, Yadav went to his 18th international T20 half-century from 49 balls with two fours and a pair of sixes.

Left-hander Dube’s 31 came off 35 deliveries and featured a boundary and a six on the same notoriously tricky and slow Nassau County International Cricket Stadium pitch where India had made just 119 in a six-run win over Pakistan at the weekend.

Earlier, Arshdeep removed recalled opener Shayan Jahangir lbw off the first ball and had Andries Gous (two) caught in the deep five balls later as the USA found themselves 3-2 after the opening over.

Big-hitting skipper Aaron Jones, who clubbed an undefeated 94 in the hosts’ opening win over Canada in Dallas, made just 11 before he fell to Hardik Pandya.

That left the US on 25-3 before opener Steven Taylor (24) and top-scorer Nitish Kumar (27) put on 31 for the fourth wicket.

Nitish became Arshdeep’s third victim, smartly caught on the boundary by Mohammed Siraj.

Former New Zealand star Corey Anderson (15) was the sixth man out with the score on 96 thanks to a running catch by wicket-keeper Pant off Pandya who completed a wicket-maiden.

With the Americans looking to push the total into three figures, Arshdeep had Harmeet Singh caught behind for 10.

Shadley van Schalkwyk (11) and Jasdeep Singh (two) ensured the United States posted what they hoped would have been a defendable total.

Both teams went into the game with a perfect four points from two wins with the USA having stunned Pakistan in a famous Super Over triumph last time out.

India joined Australia and South Africa as the three teams to have booked their places in the next stage.

Opinion

Editorial

Positive feelers
Updated 27 Jun, 2024

Positive feelers

New Delhi’s negotiators should adopt a less rigid stance if they are at all serious about regional peace.
Polio problem
27 Jun, 2024

Polio problem

SIX cases in six months. The tally for the entire last year equalled in half the time. Pakistan’s efforts towards...
Battle against heat
27 Jun, 2024

Battle against heat

DO the rulers have what it takes to protect citizens from sizzling temperatures? Apathetic and myopic, they have...
Extremist threat
Updated 26 Jun, 2024

Extremist threat

Do those who control the levers of state intend to confront the extremist elements that are fanning the flames of hatred in society?
Crime of torture
26 Jun, 2024

Crime of torture

WHILE the world observes the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Pakistan finds itself among those...
Price of truth
26 Jun, 2024

Price of truth

JULIAN Assange will soon be a free man. The WikiLeaks founder, who had been in the crosshairs of the world’s most...