The United States cricket team registered a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in the T20I World Cup on Tuesday, a week before the tournament.
The key to this victory was the contribution of two popular players: New Zealand’s powerful batsman Corey Anderson and former Indian junior player Harmeet Singh.
Anderson, who played 13 Tests and took more than 80 wickets for New Zealand, scored an unbeaten 34 to lead the USA to 153-6 in Bangladesh. The match ended with three balls spent in Prairie View, Texas.
Harmeet Singh, best known for his Indian Under-19 cricket career, partnered Anderson in a 62-run stand. Unbeaten on 33, Singh hit three sixes to clinch his victory.
The win marked the USA’s second win against a top-flight ICC Full Member in T20 cricket, following their first win against Ireland in 2021.
USA, ranked 19th in T20 cricket, faces a tough road in the T20 World Cup co-hosted by West Indies led by captain Monak Patel.
Despite the possibility of advancing from the group stage, this upset against Bangladesh gives hope that the Americans will do respect at home. The USA will begin the T20 World Cup against Canada in Dallas on June 1, followed by matches against cricket giants Pakistan and India and rounding out the group stage with a game against Ireland.