The United States scored a famous and deserved T20 cricket triumph over Ireland on Wednesday to get the most important series in their history off to the best possible start.
A brilliant 65 from Gajanand Singh helped the hosts reach a competitive 188 for 6 in their 20 overs and some disciplined bowling from Saurabh Netra-valkar and Ali Khan helped keep the Irish at bay to secure an opening victory in the five-game set, the first USA home series ever against a Test playing nation.
The United States, wanting to compete at the very highest level, will need more performances like this to stand them in good stead moving forward.
Ireland had never lost to an American side com-ing into the clash, thrashing them four times in T20 World Cup qualifier tournaments from 2010 to 2015.
But the visitors were distinctly second best in Florida as the US notched their best-ever win against a Test playing nation in the Twenty20 for-mat.
“This is a good start,” spinner Nisarg Patel, who bowled well in taking 2-27, told AFP. “We’ve been playing well for the last year and a half. Winning against bigger teams like Ireland will send out a good message across the country and the world.
“Hopefully we can keep it going.” It was the first of five games — two T20s and three one day internationals — between the sides, with Ireland’s arrival in the United States complicated by some Covid-19 cases in the camp.
Reaching the World Cup in either format, as well as possibly competing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics,remains the US aim while moves are well underway to establish an American professional competition, Major League Cricket, within the next two years.
Young players are also being produced, with 18-year-old Ritwk Behera, born in Rockville, Mary-land, and New Jersey native Yasir Mohammad the only players in the starting XI at the Broward County Stadium who were born in the United States.—AFP
