USA Cricket created history on Wednesday as they won the Twenty20 International against Ireland, making it their first win over a full-member ICC team.
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December 22, 2021, will be a red-letter day for USA Cricket as they created history in the first Twenty20 International against Ireland. The USA vs Ireland match at Lauderhill, Florida saw the USA beat Ireland by 26 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. This was the first time that USA Cricket has defeated a Test-playing nation in any format. The win by USA cricket shows the progress that the side has made in the last couple of years. During an ODI against Papua New Guinea, Jaskaran Malhotra hit six sixes in one over to create history.
In this match, USA cricket fought back from a perilous position to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Fifties from Sushant Modani and Gajanand Singh, along with a cameo from Marty Kain helped the USA reach a competitive total. The hosts were backed by good bowling from Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel, and Ali Khan to give them a famous win.
USA chose to bat but they started off on a terrible note. They were reduced to 16/4, with Barry McCarthy picking up three wickets with Simi Singh taking the other. Monank Patel, Ryan Scott, Xavier Marshall, and Ritvik Behera all fell cheaply. It required a partnership of 110 between Sushant Modani and Gajanand Singh.
Read | Jaskaran Malhotra, smashing six sixes in an over and putting USA cricket on the world map
Modani, who was born in Jalna in 1989, did not get many chances in the Indian domestic set-up and he moved to the USA. Modani made his debut in the ODIs against Papua New Guinea but struggled. On his Twenty20 International debut, he showed composure and complimented his partner well. Gajanand Singh, on the other hand, was the aggressor. The 34-year-old, who played Under-19 cricket for Sri Lanka in 2006, hails from Guyana. He too made his debut in the series against Papua New Guinea.
Absolutely stunning performance from #TeamUSA here in Florida, during the 1st T20I match of the Dafabet USA vs. Ireland Series 2021 ❤️??
— USA Cricket (@usacricket) December 22, 2021
After being down 16/4 in the 4th over, our mighty men stepped up to the crease and bashed 172 runs off ONLY 104 balls ?#USAvsIRE??☘️ pic.twitter.com/fMHPeMF31t
Together, with a combined experience of just four matches, Gajanand and Modani recovered in style. Both players got their eye in and made slow progress. By the end of the 11th over, USA had crawled to 56/4 and was not yet out of the woods. From the 12th over, the game changed. Gajanand hit a six off Simi Singh and he followed it up with two more sixes off Curtis Campher. Gajanand got to his fifty with a six and four off Benjamin White. In the space of three overs, USA cricket had hit 48 runs.
Gajanand’s aggression paid off on Modani, who hit a four off Simi Singh. When Gajanand hit his fifth six, momentum had shifted to the USA. But, Benjamin White for the wicket of Gajananad for 65, and Ireland looked to limit the damage. In came New Zealand-born Marty Kain as he stole the show completely.
Kain, who played for eight years in the Central Districts team, tore the Ireland bowling to shreds. Modani laid the foundation with a six off Mark Adair as he neared his fifty. Kain showed his intention with a big six as Modani scored fifty. The final over changed the perspective of the game. Kain hit two fours and two sixes of Adair as USA reached 188/6. The last over assault was going to be crucial in the outcome of the game.
In response, Ireland had a mixed start. They lost Andrew Balbirnie to Ali Khan for 4. But, Paul Stirling showed his class. He hit three fours off Marty Kain and continued the onslaught with a four and six off Saurabh Netravalkar. But, in the quest for quick runs, Stirling fell for 31 but Ireland had started well.
Lorcan Tucker kept Ireland in the hunt with some good hitting. Shane Getkate gave USA some anxious moments with two big sixes. But, when Ireland lost Getkate and Neil Rock in successive overs, the burden fell entirely on Tucker. The asking rate mounted as the USA bowlers bowled with discipline. Lorcan Tucker hit his fifty and Mark Adair ended the game with a six but it was not enough.
USA won by 26 runs and they have ensured they have not lost the series. The next match is on Thursday followed by the three ODIs. The ODIs will all be played in Florida on December 26, 28 and 30.
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