USA Upsets Pakistan in Historic T20 World Cup Victory

In a historic upset, the USA cricket team triumphed over Pakistan in a thrilling Super Over victory during their T20 World Cup clash in Dallas. This stunning win by the T20 World Cup debutants against the 2022 finalists and 2009 winners marked the biggest upset in the competition’s history. Despite the significance of the match, it was largely unnoticed in the USA, a country where cricket remains a niche sport.

The game, played in a converted minor-league baseball park in Grand Prairie, Texas, was not broadcast on American television but was available on the cricket-specialist Willow TV subscription channel and streaming service. Nonetheless, the news of the USA’s victory quickly spread online and through social media, capturing the attention of American sports fans. NPR public radio provided context for American listeners by comparing the upset to the Boston Red Sox losing to a minor league baseball team.

The victory is a significant boost for the ICC’s efforts to popularize the T20 format in the USA, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside the West Indies. The group stage games are being held in Texas, Florida, and New York, with the later rounds shifting to the Caribbean. The USA team’s success, including their earlier victory over Canada, is seen as a potential game-changer for cricket in the country. USA captain Monank Patel, whose crucial performance earned him the man-of-the-match award, expressed optimism that the win would open many doors for the sport’s growth in the USA