USA upset Bangladesh by 6 runs to win the second T20I and in process claiming a shocking 2-0 series win. The final game of the series will take place on Saturday, May 25.
Bangladesh won the toss and put USA to bat. Opener and captain Monank Patel scored 42 runs alongside his partner who added 31. Taylor fell first for with the score 44 in the seventh over. Bangladesh bowlers maintained control in the match but Aaron Jones’ 35 and some tenacity shown by the tail got USA to 144/6 in 20 overs.
Chasing a gettable score of 145, Bangladesh made a shaky start with Saumya Sarkar on a duck in the first over to Saurab Netravalkar. Opener Tanzid Hasan was the next to go leaving his team at 30/2 in 4.2 overs.
But captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and Towhid Hidroy stitched a 48-run stand to get their side back in the match. USA’s bowlers Ali Khan, Saurabh, and van Schalkwyk created tension with dot deliveries and Bangladesh batters fell in the space of 14 runs as USA nou
Shakib Al Hasan held one end scoring a battling 30, but wickets tumbled at the other end. Mahmudullah, Jaker, Hossain, and Tanzim Hasan were dismissed in single-digit scores as Shakib also fell in the 18th over.
With screen display of 12 runs needed off 6 balls, Rishad Hossain struck boundary off the second ball. Keeping his composure Ali Khan foiled his plans restricting Bangladesh to a score of 138.
Captain Najmul Shanto talked about their loss, “Very disappointing for us. We lost wickets in the middle overs, that was the reason why we lost. We didn’t play well, but we have an opportunity to come up with a good plan in the next match. We should change our mindset, it’s not about our skills.”
This historic series win just ahead of the World Cup in their own backyard will have USA fans hoping for an upset in the global event.
With a lead of 2-0, USA shows their readiness for the upcoming World Cup. The victory is historic and seminal which is ensured not only by throwing out the fierce-nation squad but also highlighting the preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024 on a high.
Tabinda Mir is a writer from Kashmir. She is an English Honours graduate and her interests primarily dwell in poetry and sports writing. She likes to cover Cricket as an avid fan. Apart from sports, her other publications include articles, poems and a letter to summer in the book titled, “Under The Summer Skies”.
Also, her leisure time activities include reading novels, poetry, non literary works, philosophies and writing poetry, short stories, articles on diverse themes.
