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The soaring USA team is poised for a potentially groundbreaking victory as they prepare to clash with Team India in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This pivotal match is set to take place on Wednesday (June 12) at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Having triumphed in their first two matches, the co-hosts stand on the brink of securing a spot in the Super 8s. Their campaign commenced with a remarkable chase of 195 runs against Canada, followed by a stunning victory over Pakistan, which sent shockwaves through the cricketing community and significantly enhanced their Super 8s prospects. With an unblemished record so far, the USA requires just one more point from their remaining two fixtures to progress to the next phase.
Although emerging victorious against Team India may appear improbable, the USA is emboldened by their recent stellar performances. Nonetheless, their mission is compounded by the absence of their influential captain, Monank Patel, which adds an additional layer of challenge to their endeavor.
USA’s lineup undergoes a significant change as Monank Patel, the wicketkeeper-batsman, sits out the crucial clash against India due to a minor injury concern. Stepping into his shoes as captain for the encounter against the Men in Blue is Aaron Jones. Addressing the toss, Jones shed light on Patel’s absence, assuring that his teammate would swiftly return to the fold. Taking Patel’s spot in the playing XI is Shayan Jahangir.
“We would have bowled first as well, there’s some help for the bowlers early. He’s (Monank Patel) having a niggle and should be back quickly. It should be a good game and we’re looking to play well. The camp is very positive, just looking to play some good cricket. Shayan Jahangir replaces Monank and Shadley is in for Nosthush,” said Jones after losing the toss.
The absence of Monank Patel poses a significant setback for the USA team. Patel’s leadership was pivotal in their recent match against Pakistan, where he displayed exemplary batting prowess by notching up a stellar fifty against Pakistan’s formidable bowling attack, setting a strong foundation for his team. Patel, who honed his cricketing skills in India during his formative years, would undoubtedly have cherished the opportunity to participate in this historic encounter. Notably, this match marks the inaugural international fixture between India and USA across various formats.
USA:
Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous(w), Aaron Jones(c), Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Jasdeep Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan
India:
Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj
