One may excuse the Americans for self-pinching. Few people anticipated that they would advance to this far in the men’s T20 World Cup. And yet, they are there, one of the eight thrilled teams still in the race, not one of the twelve sad teams that were eliminated following the group stage.
On Friday at Lauderhill, they had a little assistance from a washout versus Ireland. Three of the four games slated to take place in the little Florida city might as well be called Laundryhill.
This is not meant to belittle the advancement of the United States. They defeated Pakistan in a Super Over after crushing Canada in the opening round of the competition. Without a question, they are a resourceful and proud team.
Is it asking for too much to think that, in their Wednesday encounter in North Sound, they might add South Africa to their list of downed giants? Presumably, a lot of Pakistanis believed that prior to their bubble popping.
Furthermore, the South Africa haven’t exactly made a strong case. They have faced challenging batting conditions, but it does not account for their inability to defeat Nepal and the Netherlands. Despite their recent four-game winning streak, none of them have come easily. As a result, their batting lineup may feel vulnerable and exposed, which creates an ideal environment for underdog teams to exploit them.
And the Americans are undoubtedly unfancied. Among his wickets are Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Rizwan in Saurabh Netravalkar’s tournament of dreams. To be a part of a triumph, he will need to be at least as excellent and have strong backing. In a similar vein, Monank Patel, Andries Gouws, and Aaron Jones will need to bat like they’ve earned half-centuries.
Nevertheless, David Miller is the only half-centurion in South Africa. However, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, and Ottneil Baartman have all claimed more wickets than Netravalkar.
Many will be cheering for a shocking outcome, as Americans would say. There may be South Africans among them. According to the notion, Aiden Markram’s club might be jolted out of their peculiar and unsettling batting slump by that. Instead of when it matters most, now.
When: South Africa vs United States, June 19, 2PM GMT, 10.30AM Local, 4.30PM SAST, 8PM IST
Where: Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua
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