In a confidence-boosting display, the United States secured a remarkable five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a T20I World Cup warmup match. Led by a burly batsman from New Zealand and a former India junior, the USA achieved the win just over a week before co-hosting the tournament.
Batting all-rounder Corey Anderson, renowned for his exploits in New Zealand cricket, played a crucial role with an unbeaten 34 runs to guide the US to victory.
Anderson, who boasts experience from 13 Tests and over 80 white-ball matches, contributed significantly as the US successfully chased down Bangladesh’s total of 153/6 with three balls to spare at Prairie View, Texas.
Partnering with Anderson in a match-winning 62-run partnership was Harmeet Singh, a former India Under-19 cricketer. Singh’s stellar performance saw him finish unbeaten on 33 runs, including three impressive sixes, sealing the victory for the United States.
This win marks only the US’s second triumph over a top-tier ICC Full Member nation in T20 cricket, coming after their first victory against Ireland in 2021.
Ranked 19th in T20 cricket, the US team, captained by Monank Patel, faces a challenging task in advancing beyond the group stage at the 20-nation World Cup co-hosted with the West Indies.
Despite the odds, the upset victory over Bangladesh in the series-opener raises hopes for the American team, suggesting they may not face embarrassment in front of their home fans. The US begins their T20 World Cup campaign against fellow cricketing minnows Canada in Dallas on June 1.
Subsequent matches against cricketing giants Pakistan and India will test their mettle before facing Ireland in the final match of the group phase.
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