India wins against USA at Nassau County stadium in New York on June 12. / X/@BCCI

India ran through a couple of rough patches against debutants United States before Surya Kumar Yadav and Shivam Dube helped the team secure a seven-wicket win in the T20 World Cup match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 12. It was India’s third consecutive win and the first loss for the USA.

An unbeaten 72-run fourth-wicket partnership between Surya Kumar Yadav (50 not out) and Shivam Dube (31 not out) clinched the game in India's favor with 10 balls to spare. Studded with two sixes and as many fours, it was Surya Kumar’s first half-century in the tournament.

It was a big heartbreak for the home team as it tried to match its much superior opponent in every department of the game. America's star bowler, Indian-origin Saurabh Netravalkar, struck in his first over when he trapped Indian star batsman Virat Kohli for a duck (zero runs). After skipper Rohit Sharma had taken a single off the first ball, Saurabh had Virat Kohli caught behind by Andrias Gaus to make India 1/1, not a good start for the pre-tournament favourites.

With the second ball of his second over, Netravalkar sent back Indian skipper Rohit Sharma caught by Harmeet Singh for three to make India 10/2. The form of Indian star openers must be worrying the team management, as Kohli has not even entered double figures in the three innings he played. Rohit had a slightly better performance than him but least inspiring.

After Netravalkar dismissed both Kohli and Rohit Sharma, it brought Rishabh and Surya Kumar together to pull India out of the woods. Rishabh Pant (18), who survived a close run-out call, went without any addition to his score of 18 to make India 39/3. He was clean bowled by Ali Khan, Pant and Surya had added 29 for the third wicket. On the halfway mark, India was 49 for three.

Indian batsmen struggled as they took the score to 60 for three in 13 overs with Surya Kumar on 23 and Shivam Dube on 13. It was after a considerable wait that Surya Kumar hit India’s third boundary on the last ball of the 14th over to make it 67 for three. Interestingly, when India reached 76 for three at the end of 15 overs, three of its batters—Rishabh (18), Surya Kumar (29) and Shivam Dube (23) had hit a boundary and a six each.

A hit to the maximum and a boundary of successive balls by Surya Kumar in the 17th over helped India cross the 100 mark.

In the first innings, two wickets in the opening over, including a wicket on the first ball of the match, gave India a dream start against the US team. Arshdeep Singh had opener Shayan Jahangir trapped leg before with his first ball and on the last ball of the over sent back Andries Gaus, caught by Hardik Pandya, for two to make it 3 for 2.

It was at this stage that Steven Taylor and Aaron Jones were brought together to put up 22 runs for the third wicket before Hardik Pandya in his second over had Jones caught by Mohammad Siraj for 11. Earlier on, Jones had hit Siraj for the first six of the US innings. Opener Steven Taylor, who tried to hold the US innings together was the fourth man to return to the pavilion after scoring 24 with two hits to the maximum.

Immediately after hitting his second six, he was clean-bowled by Axar Patel to make the score 56 for five. He and Nitish Kumar had added 31 runs for the fourth wicket. Nitish who made 27 was the fifth man to go. His wicket was claimed by Arshdeep Singh, his third of the innings. When Arshdeep got Harmeet Singh caught behind by Rishabh Pant, it was his fourth wicket and he ended his spell with flattering figures of four for nine, perhaps his best in T20 cricket.

Hardik Pandya was another successful Indian bowler claiming two for 14 in 4 overs while Bumrah remained wicketless for 25 runs in 4 overs. Jasdeep Singh was the last US batsman who ran himself out on the last ball of the innings.

“Mini India” vs India

As many as eight players in the USA T20 World Cup squad are either born in India or have grown up there. Two of them – Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh  - have even represented India at the U19 World Cup. Batter Milind Kumar has played over 100 first-class and List-A games for Delhi and Sikkim. The others - left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige and captain Monank Patel, fast bowler Jasdeep Singh, and left-arm spinner Nisarg Patel- have played age-group or club-level cricket in India. Batsman Nitish Kumar, who comes from Punjab, also had his first lessons in cricket back home.

The Indian-Americans have played a huge role in making the USA a side to reckon with. USA has already made heads turn at this T20 World Cup by beating Canada and Pakistan. They need to win their next game against Ireland to enter the next round leaving Pakistan to be eliminated from the tournament.