USA Defeats Bangladesh by 5 Wickets in 1st T20I - Historic Victory for USA
|
| IMAGE - Getty Images |
Houston, USA: In a stunning upset, the USA Cricket team defeated Bangladesh by 5 wickets in the 1st T20I of the three-match series played at Houston on Wednesday. Chasing a modest target of 154 runs, the USA batters rode on a match-winning partnership between Corey Anderson (34* off 25 balls) and Harmeet Singh (33* off 13 balls) to clinch victory with 3 balls to spare.
Earlier, Bangladesh, after electing to bat first, got off to a slow start. Openers Liton Das (14) and Soumya Sarkar (20) failed to capitalize, and the middle order struggled to rotate the strike effectively. The saving grace for Bangladesh was a crucial partnership between Towhid Hridoy (58) and Mahmudullah Riyad (31). Hridoy's well-paced fifty, along with Mahmudullah's cameo, helped Bangladesh reach a respectable total of 153/6. Steven Taylor (2/9) was the pick of the USA bowlers, while others chipped in with wickets at crucial junctures.
Chasing 154, the USA openers provided a solid foundation. However, a mix-up led to the unfortunate run-out of the captain, disrupting the momentum. A 38-run stand between Taylor (23) and Andries Gous (23) steadied the ship again, but wickets started falling at regular intervals thereafter. With the required run rate climbing, the onus fell on the young duo of Anderson and Singh. They played with maturity and aggression, stitching together a match-winning 62-run partnership to take USA home.
This victory is a significant boost for the USA team as they gear up for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Bangladesh, on the other hand, Bangladesh will look to bounce back in the second T20I scheduled for Friday, 23 May.
| USA vs Bangladesh | |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | USA |
| 1st Inning | 2nd Inning |
| 153/6 (20 overs) | 156/5 (19.3 overs) |
| Towhid Hridoy 58 (47) | Corey Anderson 34* (25) |
| Mahmudullah Riyad 31 (22) | Harmeet Singh 33* (13) |
| Steven Taylor 2/9 (3 overs) | Mustafizur Rahman 2/41 (4 overs) |
| Player of the Match - Harmeet Singh (0/27) and 33(13) |
|---|
Our Man of the Match for the first T20i against Bangladesh! 🤩#USAvBAN #WeAreUSACricket 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/75jbgsi9dx
— USA Cricket (@usacricket) May 21, 2024