Thursday, June 6, will certainly go down as one of the most memorable day for cricket enthusiasts, barring Pakistan fans. The Babar Azam-led side, who entered the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 with a potent Pakistan side, endured a nightmare start. They must’ve thought to steamroll past USA before the IND vs PAK showdown. However, due to their own inefficiency and underperformance, they succumbed to a Super Over defeat to the co-hosts. On that note, let us look back and skim through the eye-catching stories from Thursday.
SUPERR OVERR DRAMA DRUB PAKISTAN!!!
Match of the Year contender already? Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign got off to a shocking start as they were defeated by the USA in a dramatic Super Over finish. Babar Azam’s men, considered favorites, were restricted to a modest total of 159, failing to put any impetus. The chase seemed comfortable for the USA, with contributions from their skipper Monank Patel and top order. However, late wickets brought Pakistan back into the game. A tense final over by Haris Rauf forced a Super Over, which the USA dominated to secure a historic victory. This win puts them atop Group A, surpassing India.
A ‘not-so-dangerous’ New York pitch now?
Bouncy and ‘unplayable’ pitch at New York’s Nassau County Stadium caused problems for batters in the first two T20 World Cup matches, with both teams dismissed for under 100 runs. ICC acknowledged the issue in a statement, admitting the pitches haven’t performed as expected. They assured fans that the grounds staff is working hard to address the problems and create better surfaces for the remaining matches, including the IND vs PAK clash.
Australia begins well but Oman impress yet again!
While the current ODI and Test World Champions Australia sealed two points, their opening game of the season went somewhat like this – their win over Oman in the T20 World Cup opener wasn’t a cakewalk. They posted a modest 173, thanks largely to Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 67. Oman’s chase started well, but Stoinis shone again with 3 wickets. Early jitters and tight bowling by Mitchell Starc (before cramps forced him off) kept Oman in check. A late flurry couldn’t overcome the deficit, handing Australia a 39-run victory.
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Babar Azam needs to learn from Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma?
Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam faces a high-pressure match against India in the T20 World Cup. Former cricketer Rashid Latif believes Babar can learn from Indian batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli on handling such pressure. Latif feels the India match will be more nerve-wracking for Azam than the entire World Cup. He suggests Azam observe how Rohit and Kohli manage big games, implying they excel under pressure. A defeat to USA didn’t help Babar’s cause certainly!
A domestic cricket overhaul by BCCI
BCCI has revamped the domestic season! The Ranji Trophy, traditionally played continuously, will be split into two halves (Oct & Feb) with white-ball tournaments in between. This comes after player concerns about workload. Additionally, in a first for Indian domestic cricket, the toss has been abolished for U-23 CK Nayudu Trophy matches. The visiting team will now choose to bat or bowl first.
David Warner joins Oman team?
While Stoinis deservingly won the Player of the Match against Oman, veteran David Warner also played a huge role, scoring fifty. However, after his dismissal, did the Australian legend tried to swap his dressing room? After the southpaw was caught by Shoaib Khan, he mistakenly started climbing the stairs to the Oman dressing room! Luckily, he realized his error and rejoined his teammates. Frustration after getting dismissed can get you in trouble for sure!
