- The International Cricket Council (ICC) must be delighted with the outcome of the ongoing T20 World Cup in the United States of America and the Caribbean Islands. The very reason for the ICC to consider the USA as a cohost is to spread cricket’s presence in these parts of the world. Mind you, cricket is still restricted to a few countries with several associate members attempting to break into the mainstream reserved for the elite. The efforts seem to have paid handsome results with the eventual outcome. In a historic turn of events, the USA team has qualified for the Super 8s alongside Team India on the back of some outstanding performances. Team USA defeated no less than the mercurial Pakistani side in the super over shocking the cricketing world no end.
PC: English Jagran
- Indeed, but Team USA did also offer a stiff challenge to Team India too when the famed Indian batting mainstays like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were cheaply dismissed during the chase. While Pakistani fans would feel devasted, true cricket lovers and connoisseurs would be delighted with the outcome. As you are aware, Team USA is primarily composed of Indian-origin players some of whom are with H1-B visas to ply their trade. That an ex-Mumbai player like Sourabh Netravalkar has emerged as a star bowler scalping the likes of Rohit and Virat speaks volumes about the efforts being spent by the fledgling USA team. The moot point to ponder over here is whether cricket will succeed in attracting patronage at par with other sports in the USA.
- Now that Team USA has qualified for the Super 8s, will it pose a real challenge to the other established elite teams? Mind you, the pitches that were on offer in the USA were aiding the bowling much against the chagrin of the batters used to hit through the line. Scores below 150 while setting the target indicate how batting proved to be challenging in the USA. That players of the caliber of Virat Kohli struggled to get into the double digits speaks volumes about the challenging conditions on offer in the USA. For a change, the bowlers had a great time nailing down the batters so used to scoring freely by hitting sixers/fours at will. What is in store for the minnows like the USA when they shift base to the Caribbean Islands for the next stage?
PC: InsideSports
- Cricket is a game of momentum and the way the USA has showcased some serious talent in the recent past, it can be safely assumed that the team will pose a challenge or two to the more established teams. At the same time, the USA showing tremendous grit, determination, and resilience must augur well for the stakeholders’ attempts at popularizing the same in the most advanced and the richest country in the world. Indian diaspora’s imposing strength in the USA should be a big plus as also other subcontinental countrymen who would wish to flock whenever cricket is played. Hopefully, cricket will foster sufficient interest among other countries on the back of an impressive performance by Team USA.
