Pakistan avoid a repeat of their 2024 defeat.
Pakistan avenged their T20 World Cup defeat of 2024 to the United States as they cruised to a 32-run victory in Colombo on Tuesday.
Beaten by the USA in a Super Over in the group stage in their previous meeting in this competition, Pakistan ensured there was never any danger of a repeat this time around.
Sahibzada Farhan struck 73 off 41 balls in a superb innings that saw him hit six fours and five maximums. Farhan’s third-wicket partnership of 81 with Babar Azam (46 off 32) set the platform for Pakistan to reach 190-9 off their 20 overs after being put in to bat.
Shadab Khan also played a huge role in Pakistan setting what proved an unassailable target with a 12-ball 30.
The legspin of Shadab was key in Pakistan ensuring the USA fell well short of 191. He took 2-26 while Usman Tariq claimed 3-27.
Shayan Jahangir scored 49 for the USA and Shubham Ranjane (51) scored a half-century, with the underdogs in decent position for a late surge in the 16th over at 123-3.
But they managed just 35 runs for the loss five more wickets thereafter, Ranjane running out of partners before he was removed by Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final over with the game already out of reach.
Pakistan have a 100 percent record in Group A, and will have a chance to go through with four wins from four after it was confirmed their game with India will go ahead.
Pakistan-India to go ahead
The Pakistan government had ordered the team to boycott the clash with India in Colombo.
That was a decision was made out of a desire to “support” Bangladesh, whose request for their games to be moved away from India was dismissed. Bangladesh subsequently withdrew from the tournament.
But the stand-off surrounding the game came to an end on Monday, when the Pakistan government reversed course.
A statement that confirmed its desire for Pakistan to face India read: “This decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.”
Pakistan produce clinical performance
Pakistan have not won the T20 World Cup since 2009, though they did reach the final in 2022, losing to England.
Wins over the Netherlands and USA are unlikely to raise hopes of them ending that wait.
But the nature in which they have dispatched two of the three associate nations in Group A will be especially pleasing given their humiliation at the hands of Tuesday’s opponents 20 months ago.
Pakistan’s Salman Agha said: “Clinical performance, we started well with the bat and batted really well in the middle.
“When we come to bowling, we have a world-class attack and scoring 190, we knew we could defend that. I would have batted as well,if we score 160-170, we know we can defend that.
“We are comfortable chasing, but we try to bat first and put up above par, then try to defend. We have a flexible order, first three ready to go and then finishers can go early, or if we lose wickets we have batters who can take the game deeper.
“[There’s] always room for improvement, we’d like to bowl better in the powerplay, be more clinical. These are the things we want to improve.”
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