First-timers USA knock out Pakistan, join India in T20 World Cup Super Eight

USA team cleared the group stage of T20 World Cup in its very first attempt after its match against Ireland was called off Lauderhill, Florida, knocking out former champions Pakistan from the tournament.

Partly made up of men moonlighting as cricketers when not doing their primary jobs, the USA team cleared the group stage of T20 World Cup in its very first attempt after its match against Ireland was called off Lauderhill, Florida on Friday, knocking out former champions Pakistan from the tournament.

Thanks to their wins over neighbours Canada and heavyweights Pakistan in their first two outings, the USA joined India in the Super Eight stage of the T20 showpiece after their final group match was washed out.

The washout meant heavyweights Pakistan bowed out of the tournament which they won way back in 2009, even as the USA fuelled the game’s growth in the land of opportunities by advancing to the next stage.

USA ended group league campaign with five points from four games and Pakistan even if they win their last match against Ireland can maximum reach four points.

Pakistan went down to India in New York on Sunday in a close game, failing to chase a target of 120. Before that, in their opening game in Dallas, they suffered a shock Super Over loss to USA.

The back-to-back defeats meant Pakistan’s chances of advancing to the Super Eight were already out of their own hands. It is yet another global tournament where the unpredictable Pakistanis again left it too late.

As part of the ICC’s ambitious plan to promote the sport in this part of the world, the US is co-hosting the tournament along with the West Indies, and if their performance so far in the event is any indication, the home team is making a sincere attempt at getting the NFL, MLB and NBA-loving Americans to consider watching cricket in near future.