Pakistan Crash Out of T20 World Cup, Debutants USA Join India in Super 8

Lauderhill (Florida): The USA cricket team, a blend of part-time players who juggle other jobs with their cricket passion, advanced to the Super Eight stage of their debut T20 World Cup after their match against Ireland was abandoned due to inclement weather in Lauderhill, Florida, on Friday.

This progression came on the heels of their victories over Canada and Pakistan, knocking out the latter from the tournament.

With wins in their first two matches, including a shocking upset against Pakistan and a competitive showing against India, the USA secured five points from four games in the group stage. This meant that even if Pakistan won their last match against Ireland, they could only reach a maximum of four points, thereby exiting the competition.

The USA’s rise in the tournament marks a significant effort by the team to popularize cricket in a country dominated by NFL, MLB, and NBA. Their journey began with a strong performance in a T20I series against Bangladesh, setting the stage for their impressive display in the World Cup.

Featuring several players of Indian descent on temporary work visas, the team symbolizes the ICC’s efforts to expand cricket’s footprint in the United States. Despite challenges posed by weather conditions in Florida, the USA team’s confidence was high, backed by their recent successes, had the match against Ireland proceeded as planned.