The USA cricket team has surprised everyone by reaching the Super 8s of the ICC T20 World Cup. Few expected them to come this far, but here they are, one of the top eight teams remaining in the tournament.
Their journey wasn’t without challenges. A washout against Ireland in Lauderhill helped their progression, but they also earned their spot by defeating Canada and winning a Super Over against Pakistan.
As they prepare to face South Africa in North Sound, the big question is: Can they add another giant to their list of victories?
South Africa, despite winning four consecutive games, has not been convincing. They struggled against the Netherlands and Nepal, and their batting lineup looks fragile. This might be the perfect time for the USA to strike.
Saurabh Netravalkar has been a standout performer for the USA, taking key wickets including those of Mohammad Rizwan, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma. For the USA to win, Netravalkar, along with Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, and Monank Patel, will need to deliver top performances.
South Africa’s batting has been underwhelming, with only David Miller scoring a half-century. However, their bowlers, like Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, and Keshav Maharaj, have performed well.
Many will be rooting for a surprise win by the USA, which could also help South Africa address their batting issues before the critical stages of the tournament.
Match Details:
- When: South Africa vs United States, June 19, 2 PM GMT, 10:30 AM Local, 4:30 PM SAST, 8 PM IST
- Where: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua
Team Watch:
South Africa: Focus on their batting lineup.
- Probable XI: Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ottneil Baartman, Tabraiz Shamsi
United States: Monank Patel likely to return from injury.
- Probable XI: Monank Patel (c), Steven Taylor, Andries Gous, Aaron Jones, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Jasdeep Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan
Did you know?
- These teams have never played each other in any format.
- A win for South Africa will be their fifth consecutive win in this tournament, a record for them in T20 World Cups.
- The USA has won three out of eight T20Is against ICC full members.
What they said:
- “As a batter you want to go out there and score runs, and then you get the pitches we’ve played on. It can be frustrating, but it seems that’s the nature of the pitches.” – Reeza Hendricks
- “Qualifying for the Super Eights is a big thing not just for us, but also for the fans and the younger generation in America.” – Aaron Jones
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