Super Eight Group 2 preview: Three big-hitters await USA in fascinating battle for semi-final spots

wicket June 19, 2024 0Comment

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has reached the Super Eight stage and both of the tournaments host nations compete in a fascinating Group 2, with a pair of semi-final spots up for grabs.

The USA are the surprise package of the tournament, qualifying for this stage ahead of Pakistan, Ireland and Canada, but they’ll have their work cut out in a group that contains three of the most explosive batting sides in the game – defending champions England, co-hosts West Indies, and the highly-fancied South Africa.

Jomboy’s cricket guide for baseball fans watching the T20 World Cup 2024

While the current top two in the ICC T20I Team Rankings, India and Australia, are in the other half of the Super Eight draw, this Group 2 is packed full of quality, with the remainder of the world’s top five joining the Americans in a scrap for the semi-finals.

Let’s take a closer look at each team:

England

The defending Champions only just made it through a highly competitive group as Scotland pushed them close for the second Super Eight spot along with Australia.

But Jos Buttler’s side looked in decent form in the shortened games against Oman and Namibia and will be looking to make a big impact at a stage of the tournament where statement displays can make a defining impression on a campaign.

Brook to the rescue as England overcome Namibia challenge | Match Highlights | T20WC 2024

Plenty of the team’s lengthy batting lineup have clicked, while the reintroduction of Reece Topley has added new-ball firepower alongside the impressive Jofra Archer.

Whether Liam Livingstone is fit is the big question for England going forward, while tactically there will be doubts over the top four’s ability to score heavily against spin given their travails against Australia.

Squad

Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

Fixtures

vs West Indies – Wed, 19 June 2024, Gros Islet, 20:30 PM local time

vs South Africa – Fri, 21 June 2024, Gros Islet, 10:30 AM local time

vs USA – Sun, 23 June 2024, Bridgetown, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Jofra Archer

England have targeted this tournament to bring Jofra Archer back into the international game for some time, letting him have a lengthy and controlled return from his latest injury absence. But they could scarcely have hoped for Archer to look this good, almost like he’s never been away. If the gun fast bowler can continue that level against two of the world’s most destructive batting line-ups in England’s first two Super Eight games then it’ll give them a terrific chance of reaching the semi-finals.

South Africa

South Africa have a dauntingly-strong batting line-up, but have yet to go big in this tournament, partly due to playing on low-scoring grounds throughout their run to the Super Eights.

But any team with a top six as strong as the Proteas have the potential to cause serious damage, and they will have their sights set on three bowling attacks that have vulnerabilities.

Compilation of the best moments for Anrich Nortje in the Group stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The form of Anrich Nortje and Ottneil Baartman is a bonus with the ball, adding to Kagiso Rabada to form a strong pace attack.

Squad

Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Fixtures

vs USA – Wed, 19 June 2024, North Sound, 10:30 AM local time

vs England – Fri, 21 June 2024, Gros Islet, 10:30 AM local time

vs West Indies – Sun, 23 June 2024, North Sound, 20:30 PM local time

A hard-fought 46 from Heinrich Klaasen proved crucial to South Africa’s nail-biting win over Bangladesh.

Key Player – Heinrich Klaasen

He’s been arguably the best T20 batter in the men’s game over the last year, but Heinrich Klaasen showed that he’s more than just an attacking weapon during a group stage where he helped rescue his team on a number of occasions. Klaasen and David Miller will hope for more assistance from the top order, but he will be the wicket that opposition teams will be desperate to take before the damage is done.

USA

The co-hosts were not expected to be featuring in the Caribbean, but here they are and they’re ready to make a big impression.

The USA have shown they can score big runs (in their opener against Canada), that they’re outstanding in the field, and that they have a range of bowling options that can trouble the best.

Emotions run high as USA players celebrate Pakistan triumph | T20WC 2024

They’ve already beaten Pakistan and Canada in this tournament, pushed India close, and will back themselves to pick up at least one more major scalp. Should another shock win come early in their Super Eight campaign then you never know, but a semi-final spot does seem unlikely given they’re in a group of this calibre.

Squad

Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir.

Fixtures

vs South Africa – Wed, 19 June 2024, North Sound, 10:30 AM local time

vs West Indies – Fri, 21 June 2024, Bridgetown, 20:30 PM local time

vs England – Sun, 23 June 2024, Bridgetown, 10:30 AM local time

Key Player – Saurabh Netravalkar

What a story Saurabh Netravalkar has been at this tournament so far.

The left-arm pacer was outstanding throughout the USA’s Group A campaign, and produced arguably the moment of the tournament so far when he bowled his team to a famous win over Pakistan in the dramatic Super Over in New York. A software engineer for Oracle away from cricket, the 32-year-old has thanked his employer for extending his leave to allow him to take on the world’s best in the Super Eight stage, and don’t be surprised if he causes some serious problems for the USA’s Group 2 opponents.

Saurabh Netravalkar’s opening spell saw the back of Virat Kohli, for a golden duck, and Rohit Sharma.

West Indies

The West Indies will have hopes of adding a third Men’s T20 World Cup to their trophy cabinet, and have looked a classy side en-route to the Super Eight stage.

Their power game is no secret and was on full display in their run-heavy showing against Afghanistan, but the co-hosts also showed their quality and subtlety with the ball when defending a low total against New Zealand, which will be of great encouragement.

They are the highest ranked team in this group and deservedly too.

Squad

Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd

Fixtures

vs England – Wed, 19 June 2024, Gros Islet, 20:30 PM local time

vs USA– Fri, 21 June 2024, Bridgetown, 20:30 PM local time

vs South Africa – Sun, 23 June 2024, North Sound, 20:30 PM local time

A sensational knock!

Key Player – Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran is delivering on his potential and then some. The West Indies batter is one of the most impactful T20 batters in the game and is delivering at this tournament for the co-hosts. His 98 from 53 balls against Afghanistan in West Indies’ final group game before the Super Eight stage was a phenomenal knock and should serve as a warning to all of his side’s Group 2 opponents.

Sunrisers’ high-risk approach failed in the final, but it was what got them there

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Pat Cummins walking out his team. (Source SRH X)

How should we view the season that Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) had in IPL 2024? Does their trouncing in the final at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) undermine all the good work done before? Or will the batting template that they followed this season gain currency in years to come, and be seen as a watershed?

Facts first. This was SRH’s first foray into the play-offs since 2020. In two of the last three seasons, they had finished rock bottom. Whatever they were doing then, with just 13 wins across three seasons, clearly didn’t work. A radical transformation wasn’t just welcome, it was much needed.

When the dust settled on this campaign, the record books will tell you that this SRH vintage slashed and burned their way to three of the four biggest totals in the IPL’s 17-year history. The 287-3 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium – a total that may not be overhauled any time soon – included a record-breaking 22 sixes. Of the 1260 maximums hit in the league in 2024, as many as 112 came from the bats of Abhishek Sharma (42), Heinrich Klaasen (38) and Travis Head (32).

Any way you look at it, those are astonishing numbers. And they were made possible by a philosophy that encouraged the batters to go for broke without fearing the consequences. In their last league game, Sunrisers chased down 215 in 19.1 overs against Punjab Kings. “Nothing changes when we go into the Playoffs,” said Daniel Vettori in a video the franchise uploaded after the game. “Take the game on, play exactly the same and stay consistent and true to our methods, so, well done boys.”

You don’t need to be a cricket genius to know that tactics laced with so much risk can also fail, and spectacularly at times. It’s like teams playing the high line in modern football. It allows you to press and harry the opposing team, but also leaves you vulnerable to the ball over the top.

For SRH, it just so happened that they were caught cold on the biggest stage of all — the final. It didn’t help that they were up against the most accomplished side in the competition, who also had the most complete attack. Mitchell Starc had rediscovered his mojo, as he so often does on the big stage, and the support cast was magnificent. Once Starc produced a peach that crashed into Abhishek’s off stump and Vaibhav Arora snagged Travis Head first ball, you didn’t need a crystal ball or tea leaves to say which way the game was going.

Exactly a month before the final, at the Eden Gardens, KKR’s best-laid plans had been shredded when Punjab Kings chased down a target of 262 in just 18.4 overs. That night, Harshit Rana, Andre Russell and Varun Chakaravarthy had combined figures of 0-143 from nine overs. In the final, they had 6-52 in 8.3 overs. That’s the nature of cricket, and the T20 format in particular.

What hurt Sunrisers most was their gun players running out of ammunition at the most crucial time. Head ended the season with scores of 0, 0, 34 and 0. Abhishek Sharma had 17 runs in his last three innings, while Nitish Kumar Reddy had 27. Klaasen got to 50 just once in his last nine knocks. KKR’s big boys revelled on the grand stage, SRH seemed inhibited.

If they can hang on to Pat Cummins as captain, and retain the six-hitting unit of Head, Abhishek and Klaasen, SRH will again be dangerous and intimidating opponents in 2025. More importantly, the Orange Army fan base can look ahead to that competition with optimism rather than diffidence. Their team aimed for the stars, and were brought back down to Earth only at the very end.

ICC World Twenty20 2007: Cricket’s new kid on the block, with a magic wand

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Team India’s T20 WC Triumph in 2007 (PC: BCCI/X)

The ICC T20 World Cup assumes the adventurer’s role today, journeying to the United States of America in search of a new audience, even if they are primarily expats from cricket-playing nations. But, back in 2007, during the inaugural tournament, few knew what to expect. A product that had started off as fun event to draw crowds to cricket grounds in England was growing into a big business.

I had no idea of what I was setting myself up for when I accepted an offer from Yahoo! and its associates to travel to South Africa for the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. A votary of conventional cricket, there was some scepticism in the back of my mind and I allowed myself to be talked into the assignment. 

A journalist friend of mine from Bangladesh asked me what I would do at a T20. It is for P3 reporters, he taunted. But I had made my commitment to watch the cricket for whatever it was worth and enjoy the opportunity. Perhaps, pegging expectations low helped and I had a feast I have not forgotten to this day.

As I travelled from Delhi to Durban in September 2007, the first thoughts in my mind centred around the lure of the unknown. No team admitted to feeling like explorers venturing into unchartered domain, but they were all excited at being part of a new chapter in cricket history. After all, humankind was replete with examples of instinctive attraction to such adventure.

The ICC World Twenty20 was expected to soothe souls hurting in the aftermath of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, a disaster from a marketing standpoint. India’s early exit after defeats to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka meant that there was no India-Pakistan face-off. Bob Woolmer’s sudden passing and the last few overs of the World Cup final being played in darkness worsened the script.

Yet, only 19 Twenty20 internationals had been played before the inaugural game at the ICC World Twenty20 2007. England boasted the most experience with six games under their belt, while Australia and South Africa had played five matches each. At the other end of the spectrum were India and Zimbabwe, with one match each.

India vs Pakistan, T20 WC Final, 2007 (PC: X)

On September 24, 2007, I was in the press box at The Wanderers, watching the final between India and Pakistan. Had someone told me a fortnight earlier that the sub-continental neigbours would be playing for the $490,000 top prize, I may have laughed it off as wishful thinking. But two amazing weeks changed all that.

I had not even settled down in the press box at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground in Durban for the first time in a Twenty20 match when New Zealand pace bowlers, Shane Bond and Mark Gillespie, claimed four Kenya wickets for one run in the first two overs. The excitement did not stop flowing after that, and I considered myself lucky that I sometimes got a day’s break between matches. 

There were so many wonderful memories collected in South Africa. A tie in the India-Pakistan league game, and then the bowl-out that saw India win 3-0. Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes off England pace bowler Stuart Broad, Australian paceman Brett Lee’s hat-trick, Pakistan leg-spinner Shahid Afridi’s nagging accuracy. Some stunning games tested my nerve too.

I had never imagined that I would be at a T20 final, and one featuring India and Pakistan at that. The Wanderers provided a great atmosphere, with thousands of Asians filling what they call the Bull Ring, waving flags of the two nations and inspiring the DJ on location to play music from the sub-continent.

Long before Misbah-ul-Haq floated a catch off Joginder Sharma for Sreesanth to take, we knew the Cricket World Cup would face a stiff challenge from its young cousin. It had all that young fans could be enticed with. The ICC World Twenty20 came along as the new kid on the block, with a magic wand to boot, and with the intention and ability to be around for a long time.

In the fortnight from September 11, 2007, I learnt that the Twenty20 game is for the smart cricketer, the fan in a hurry and the young journalist who can find new ways to describe the whole range of emotions that players and fans alike go through in the span of three hours at each match.  That is something that has not changed.

Parag’s browsing history in the public interest? You must be joking

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A photograph of Parag in an interview. Source (X)

There are times when journalism can be a noble, even admirable, profession. There are countless media persons who have exposed war crimes, political impropriety and financial scandals. In many cases, they paid a harsh price for that courage. For every Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein – celebrated in print, on screen and in popular culture – there are ten others who have ended up in a ditch with a bullet in the head.

That is proper journalism. Then you have the scummy tabloid variety, of reporters turning up on a young woman’s doorstep to tell her that her husband – playing sport in a country halfway across the world – is a ‘love rat’ who’s been having an affair. Her response is the ‘scoop’, and it’s allegedly in the public interest.

The advent of the Internet and social media, in particular, took yellow journalism to even more deplorable levels. It’s become a frantic race to the bottom of the cesspool, and we have one more exhibit now with the Riyan Parag (non) story. Without going into the gory details, let’s just say that during a livestream, details of Parag’s browsing history became visible to thousands of viewers.

Parag, incidentally, was one of the breakthrough stars of the 2024 IPL. His 567 runs at a strike-rate of 151.60 involved more than one salvage job, and his clean ball-striking would undoubtedly have caught the eye of India’s selectors as they look to rebuild after the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Instead, all that he achieved with the bat in two months has been partly obscured by his YouTube searches. Bear in mind that he wasn’t searching for information on how to build a cluster bomb or how to source some exotic psychedelic stimulant. His search was no different from what you’d find on the devices of millions of young men, and women, across the country. Nothing to see there. Move on.

Instead, Parag, just 22, has been trolled and mocked left and right. Here’s a simple test. How many of us would like our search histories, on YouTube or any other platform, shared with the world at large? So many of those passing judgement and taking potshots need to take a long hard look in the mirror first.

As dangerous as the instant-judgement culture is this absurd notion that ‘celebrities’ somehow belong to the public at large and are not entitled to any sort of privacy. A sportsperson out for a meal with his or her partner is enjoying a moment they rarely get in the midst of insane itineraries. Ask yourself how you’d feel if a random stranger came up, put their hands on your shoulders, or worse, and then asked for a selfie. How many would tolerate such an intrusion?

There are ‘sports’ websites that do little more than publish salacious gossip about players’ partners. How is that in the public interest, or remotely comparable to listening devices in a rival political party’s offices? Some of the stuff written and posted about Yuzvendra Chahal’s wife, to take just one example, is so disgusting that it would defile a gutter. It’s laughable that idiots with minds so perverse are passing judgement on a young woman trying to live her life as she knows best.

What the players do, or don’t, in matches and in practice, matters. As far as their on-field performances go, they’re answerable to the fans and franchises/organisations that ultimately bankroll their lifestyles. But what he or she does at a private party, on YouTube, or in a one-on-one chat is no one else’s business. To even pretend otherwise is just hypocrisy of breathtakingly high order. 

EXCLUSIVE | “My choice would be Virat and Rohit at the top of the order” – Sourav Ganguly

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Sourav Ganguly and Rohit Sharma. Image Source: Instagram

Sourav Ganguly is always interesting to speak to. He understands the sport better than most and, if he is in a good space and not pushed by phone calls and selfies, gives you multiple headlines in the course of a 20-minute conversation. Friday was one such day. As we both sat in the green room of the Goa Fest planning our session, it was time for a detailed T20 World Cup deep dive with Sourav. From who should open, to whether he is worried about Hardik Pandya’s form, Sourav spoke about a host of issues. Excerpts from the conversation:

Boria: For the first time in years, fans aren’t really upbeat about an Indian team going into a World Cup. Do you give Rohit’s team a serious chance? 

Sourav Ganguly: Absolutely, I do. The team has a number of quality players and are going into the tournament on the back of some serious T20 cricket in the form of the IPL. That should help them in New York. What will also go in their favour are the bigger grounds, and it will help our spinners, for example. In a World Cup, you can never rule out India just because of the simple reason there is a lot of quality in the team. 

Boria: Are you worried about Rohit and Hardik’s form, for example? Neither had a very good IPL. And we need both of them to fire in the World Cup if India are to have a realistic chance. 

Ganguly: No, I am not worried. Rohit is a great of the game, and if you see what he did in the 50-over World Cup, I am confident he will do that again. At this level, form is about a couple of games when you have that kind of quality. So, I am not worried about Rohit. He has scored runs across the world, and has played a lot of cricket and will surely do the job expected of him. 

Hardik is different because he doesn’t play that much cricket, and that’s a worry. I want him to consistently play cricket, for only then can he hit a rich vein of form. I would want him to do so, and it can only happen if he plays a lot more cricket. 

Hardik’s form has been a source of concern (PC – BCCI)

Boria: There is a lot of talk about who should open the batting. Should it be Rohit and Virat [Kohli], or should it be [Yashasvi] Jaiswal and Rohit, or Virat and Jaiswal? – what’s your preferred combination? 

Ganguly: I would open with Virat and Rohit. I want Virat to bat the way he did for RCB in the second half of the IPL. He has to bat with freedom. Needless to say, he is a great player, but for India to do well, Virat will have to bat with freedom like he did in the IPL. So my choice would be Virat and Rohit at the top of the order. 

Boria: In 2019, on that fateful day in Manchester when we lost the World Cup semi-final and the entire country was critical of Rishabh Pant, I remember you telling me he is the next big superstar for India. You saw his comeback and mentored him in Delhi. Your thoughts on Pant donning the blue jersey again? 

Ganguly: He is a very special talent. His keeping is good, but his batting really special. He is capable of picking some great angles in the ground, and that’s his USP. Not every player will be able to do that, you see. And that’s what makes Pant very important for India. He has worked very very hard to make this comeback, and is hungry to do well. I am confident he will make a telling difference. 

Rishabh Pant in conversation with Sourav Ganguly. Source: Delhi Capitals

Boria: When I look at the fast-bowling group, I am worried. Except Jasprit [Bumrah], who is the best in the world, others are struggling. [Mohammed] Siraj hasn’t bowled the best, and the same can be said of Arshdeep [Singh] and Hardik. Your thoughts? 

Ganguly: I am not really worried. Again, you have to take into account the nature of pitches in the IPL, the ground dimensions and the conditions on offer for the fast bowlers. The World Cup will be very different, and the conditions in the West Indies will not be anywhere near the IPL. Our bowlers shouldn’t have an issue in the World Cup is my assumption. 

Boria: We keep speaking of pressure. Rather, the inability to handle the big stage. How does India overcome this issue? 

Ganguly: If I can say something to Rahul [Dravid] and, make no mistake, he is a champion cricketer and cricket brain, it will be to relax a little. When I see Rohit’s wife in the stands, it is evident how much pressure she is under. When I see Virat’s wife, I see the kind of pressure she is feeling. We in India make this mistake of pushing too much. I think back to the 2003 [World Cup] final, for example. If anything, we need to relax when we are playing the big games. Just play with freedom. 

In the 2023 World Cup, despite losing the final, I will say India was the best team. We played some fantastic cricket right through the competition. If only we could be a little relaxed for the final. That’s what I want to see. That we play with freedom, but also don’t put too much pressure on ourselves. 

Boria: Final question – you have seen Kuldeep [Yadav] closely for Delhi. He is back at his best, you reckon? 

Ganguly: Yes, he is bowling very well. And he is confident about himself. That’s the key. I am telling you yet again. Whatever you might feel, India has serious quality and will always have a very good chance in the World Cup. Mark my words.

Times Square, The Statue of Liberty and India-Pakistan – T20 World Cup diary

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India beat Pakistan in the high-voltage game. 

Sports journalism is still fairly new to me, as it has only been eight months since I started. RevSportz provided me with an opportunity to join the team in October, and since then, there has been no looking back. The work environment has given me the right space and freedom to grow and become a better sports journalist. After grinding it out for eight months, I was informed that I would be part of the T20 World Cup coverage alongside Debasis Sen, my senior. Like any other cricket follower and admirer, I was thrilled beyond measure.

We landed in New York City on June 2, and the days have flown by. With work around the clock, it has been a fruitful and hardworking period so far. For a massive trip like this, budgets must be fixed to ensure that you can do your work appropriately while also allowing you to spend your time comfortably abroad. Currently situated in New York for the first leg of the World Cup, the experience has been fascinating, to say the least.

Amid all the hard work put into creating content and written material, one must keep a constant eye on expenditure in an expensive city. While we have been provided with an allowance that has allowed us to work enjoyably, it is crucial to understand the importance of living within our means. Debasis and I have kept our expenditure focused on necessities. This understanding of how to manage our money and where to allocate our spending has been helpful as the days go by, enabling us to save up for times when we might need it more.

The entire experience has been nothing short of extraordinary. Covering the T20 World Cup in the United States is a dream come true. Witnessing the India-Pakistan match was an unforgettable moment, and being part of such a historic event felt incredibly special. In addition to creating cricket content, shooting travelogues has made exploring the city much easier. Landmarks like Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, and New York City itself offer an emotional experience that can only be fully appreciated in person. The past 10 days have flown by, and with 20 more days ahead, Debasis and I are determined to make the most of it and create even more memorable experiences.

Australia through to Super 8 with a thumping win over Namibia

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Australia produced a dominant display to ease past a hapless Namibia. (PC: ICC)

In a one-sided affair, Australia outclassed Namibia to win their third successive game in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Australian bowlers set the stage, dismissing Namibia for a meagre 72 runs. The 2021 champions then chased down the target in just 5.4 overs. With this win, Australia became the second team, after South Africa, to advance to the next round, while Namibia’s defeat led to their elimination.

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl first without hesitation. His bowlers proved it was the right decision. Michael van Lingen started positively for Namibia with a couple of crisp shots. However, their innings unravelled in the third over when Josh Hazlewood induced a false shot from Nikolaas Davin, triggering a collapse. The Namibian batters seemed overwhelmed by the occasion and failed to play the ball on its merit, overly concerned with the reputation of the Australian bowlers.

Hazlewood and Pat Cummins quickly dismantled the top order, removing Jan Frylinck and van Lingen in quick succession. Namibian captain Gerhard Erasmus struggled at the crease, unable to score, and pressure mounted. JJ Smit succumbed to pressure, trapped LBW by Nathan Ellis, leaving Namibia reeling at 18/4.

The Australian bowlers didn’t let the Namibian batters off the hook, with Adam Zampa weaving a web around the lower-middle and lower order. Zampa’s stunning spell of leg-spin resulted in four crucial wickets for just 12 runs, effectively stifling any hope of a Namibian recovery.

At 43/8, it seemed Namibia would be bowled out for under 50, but the Namibia skipper managed to add some respectability to the score with a few powerful hits. His knock of 36 took Namibia to 72 runs.

A target of 72 was never going to challenge the 2021 winners. David Warner signalled his intent early, looking to finish the game quickly. After Warner’s dismissal, Travis Head joined in the assault. Marsh also came out all guns blazing. Ruben Trumplemann faced the brunt in the fifth over, conceding three boundaries. Marsh provided the finishing touches with a couple of fours and a six, sealing the win for Australia with 14.2 overs to spare.

From their decision-making at the toss to sealing the game by a huge margin, Australia once again showed what a professional winning machine they are when it comes to the big events.

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The many hats of Monank Patel

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PC – USA Cricket. Monank led from the front versus Pakistan

‘Teriyaki Madness’ — the Chinese restaurant was owned by Monank Patel in South Carolina in the United States of America. That word ‘madness’ could serve as a crux to how he has tackled several challenges right through his cricketing journey. In other words, his insatiable hunger to succeed has a touch of madness associated with it.

A couple of years ago, we saw enough evidence of his grit when he accumulated a gutsy 85 for the USA against Nepal in a CWC League 2 game. The backstory to that effort is he had flopped against the same team during the 2019-20 season. Sandeep Lamichanne, the Nepal mainstay, had troubled Monank with the googly, with the latter choosing to play back to the leg-spinner. 

In that backdrop, it wasn’t a case of rubbing-your-eyes-in-disbelief moment when Monank composed a 38-ball 50 against Pakistan’s four-pronged pace attack of Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Afridi, in a T20 World Cup game.

The flourish with which he lofted Afridi, Pakistan’s spearhead, to complete his fifty in the 13th over, told everything that you want to know about his sheer self-belief. It could be observed that even when Pakistan’s bowlers began to generate some contrast swing, Monank seemed to have an idea as to which way it was moving.  

Monank’s cricketing skills aren’t just restricted to batting. He is turning out to be a fine leader of men, alongside being a wicketkeeper. It has to be remembered that the USA have cricketers from diverse backgrounds — India, Pakistan and the West Indies. Yet, it feels as if they are gelling well under Monank’s captaincy.

That is a summary of Monank’s international career. But there is more to Monank’s tale than just aggregating about 2000 runs in limited overs cricket for the USA. At the age of 11, he took up cricket seriously. A few years later, he was crunching hundreds in Gujarat Cricket Association’s U-15 tournaments. He was playing alongside future Indian greats like Jasprit Bumrah. Unfortunately, Monank couldn’t make it to higher levels of Indian cricket and he emigrated to USA in 2014. 

Even after moving over to the USA, Monank didn’t exactly have his way as his hotel business went into a loss. Monank then returned to New Jersey to be with his mother, who was suffering from cancer. Around that time, cricket once more took prominence in his life. 

On the back of some fine performances in List A cricket, he earned his USA cap, debuting against the United Arab Emirates in March 2019. Although he didn’t make an impression in that game, all those struggles had hardened the cricketer’s mindset. Soon, he registered a ton versus Oman.

Since then, he has gone on to add 13 fifties and another hundred in the abridged versions of the game, which includes a game-breaking half-century versus Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. Perhaps, another game-changing knock is around the corner for the former restaurant owner, when he plays for his adopted nation against his country of birth, India.

Surya Kumar Yadav showcases his slow-and-

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steady version in New York

June 13, 2024

Suryakumar Yadav (Image: BCCI). Suryakumar played with composure v USA

Suryakumar Yadav’s overall strike-rates in the shortest format are as follows – 168.06 in T20Is and 152.05 in T20s. The same explosive batter scored his runs at a strike-rate of just around 100 in India’s seven-wicket win over the USA in the T20 World Cup. The difference here was that Suryakumar’s runs came in some of the toughest conditions you would ever get to see in the shortest format. And they also came in circumstances where India had found themselves in a spot of bother.

Virat Kohli was out for no score. Rohit Sharma finished with just three runs to his name. And Rishabh Pant, one of India’s stalwarts in the win against Pakistan, was done in by a delivery that kept low. The Pant dismissal exemplified the difficulty of batting at the Nassau County Stadium. The bounce wasn’t just uneven but also loopy. Consistent movement off the deck just made batting a little tougher. 

On such a lottery wicket, you need some luck along with courage. Suryakumar got that little rub of the green when he was dropped by Saurabh Netravalkar at short third man. Until then, barring one four, he had mostly dealt in singles. But with the required run-rate steadily climbing upwards, he had to press the accelerator. In the very next over, he stylishly flicked one off Ali Khan. By the time, he nonchalantly lofted Shadley van Schalkwyk inside-out and off the back foot, India had edged ahead.

Suryakumar’s tenacious hand showed that alongside swagger, there is a touch of calm to his game. Perhaps, he would have played differently if India were batting first and trying to set a competitive total on a treacherous pitch. 

Rohit, the India skipper, praised his Mumbai teammate, and said: “He showed he has a different game to him, that’s what you expect from experienced players. Credit to the way he stuck through today to take the game deep and win it for us.”

Suryakumar also stitched an undefeated partnership of 67 with Dube. Dube has gained a reputation for using his big stride to thwack it down the ground, and also target the midwicket region. However, this is a world far away from IPL 2024, which was mostly played on featherbeds. 

On expected lines, Dube struggled to put bat to ball for a while. He manufactured room and skipped down the track but to no avail. There was also a thick edge that scurried away to the fence. Dube, however, hung in there. After a while, he seemed to have gauged the conditions reasonably well as he picked up crucial singles and twos, blended with the occasional big shot. 

Just zoom in a little more on his game and it could be noted that he clipped a few through the on-side. That isn’t exactly a shot Dube is known for on the domestic circuit or in the IPL. So, that should bring cheer to the Indian think-tank.

In normal circumstances, watching Suryakumar’s 360-degree batting requires a sense of disbelief. The kind of astounding shots he plays demands dollops of skill. Yesterday, too, his willow produced a couple of scoops and a sumptuous loft. But his 49-ball 50 would be better remembered for showing another facet of his game: The ability to soak up the pressure and play according to the situation. Maybe, in true Bollywood fashion, Suryakumar’s  long-lost twin brother had taken his place in New York.