USA fans celebrate shock T20 Cricket World Cup win over Pakistan in NY

By Alastair Talbot

23:31 06 Jun 2024, updated 00:44 07 Jun 2024

USA cricket fans were seen celebrating their team’s shock T20 win over Pakistan in New York on Thursday, as they rejoiced one of the biggest upsets in sport history.

Footage on X from a fan park at the World Trade Center shows the moment when Shadab Khan was unable to manage the six that would have forced a second Super Over, sending Americans into a frenzy, as Matthew – who travelled to New York from Utah – yelled: ‘America, f*** yeah.’ 

‘U-S-A!’ chants were also heard at the venue, as an American flag was proudly waived among the crowd of a few hundred people.

‘It’s a huge achievement,’ said United States captain Monank Patel, whose 50 was the cornerstone of his side’s 159-3 in their regulation 20 over.

‘For us to beat Pakistan, we are playing them for the first time, I am just so proud of how we played. It was a proper team effort from first ball until the last.’

The US – a non-Test nation- had romped to seven-wicket win over Canada in its opening game, but beating 2022 runner-up Pakistan counts as historic in a country that hardly understands the rules of the game. 

Aaron Jones, who smashed a 40-ball unbeaten 94 against Canada, once again starred for the tournament co-host when he stretched the game into super over with another vital knock of 36 not out off 26.

Jones hit a six off Haris Rauf and then a single before Nitish Kumar’s boundary off the final ball tied the score at 159 at the end of regulation as Pakistan’s experienced fast bowler gave away 14 runs off the final six balls.

Pakistan panicked in the super over when much experienced fast bowler Mohammad Amir, preferred over Shaheen Shah Afridi, gave away 18 runs that included seven runs off wide balls as Jones smashed a boundary against the left-arm seamer.

Left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who earlier bowled brilliantly and grabbed 2-18 off his four overs, conceded only 13 runs in the super over to earn the US its most historic Twenty20 win against Pakistan, the 2009 champion.

Iftikhar Ahmed smashed boundary off the Netravalkar’s second ball, before holing out at long off as the left-arm seamer kept his cool and snatched a famous win for the US.

Both teams next play India in New York, with Pakistan facing their arch-rivals on Sunday before the US are back in action on Wednesday.