ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024: USA vs India

Merely 195 days following the conclusion of the men's 50-over World Cup, the T20 iteration commenced this previous Sunday, evoking a genuine sense of global competition in cricket's World Cup.

This marks the inaugural occasion that the ICC has organised a significant competition in the United States, with the hosting responsibilities shared between the United States and the West Indies.

Exuding confidence following their victory against Pakistan—the 2009 champions and two-time finalists—marks a significant moment for cricket in the USA. However, there are challenging matches ahead, notably against India, which the oddsmakers predict to win this year's tournament.

Crickets American Dream

This competition is radically dissimilar to the arduous journey through India last October.

Both the hosts and the participating teams are competing and showing a strong global interest in the 2024 T20 World Cup. This is a testament to cricket's growing popularity and the value of a worldwide tournament where teams from around the globe are celebrated.

It is unlikely that this event will have the same influence on the United States sporting awareness as the 1994 football World Cup. Nevertheless, it also indicates a palpable and indisputable expansion of the game in the United States.

ICC T20 World Cup Group A

The United States of America has ascended to the top of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 points table following their victory over Pakistan on June 6th at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas. Having accumulated four points from two matches, the USA is on the verge of securing a spot in the second round, known as the super 8s, of the T20 World Cup 2024 with just one more victory.

Team	M	W	L	>NRR	Pts
USA	2	2	0	+0.626	4
India	1	1	0	+3.065	2
Pakistan	1	0	1	+0.000	0
Canada	1	0	1	-1.451	0
Ireland	1	0	1	-3.065	0

T20 World Cup Group A Standings (07/06/2024)

Nevertheless, they still have two games left to play against Ireland and India. Monak Patel's team will face a challenging task in qualifying for the playoffs, as both Ireland and India will regard them with great seriousness following their surprising victory in the first upset of the T20 World Cup 2024.

One of the Biggest Upsets in T20 History

Prior to Thursday's encounter, the co-hosts had not competed against Pakistan in any game format. The USA entered the contest with a lower ranking than the 2009 champions. They were buoyed by their victory over Canada in the tournament's first match. Pakistan participated in the tournament following a defeat in a series against England.

Although the two teams' styles were clearly different, few analysts would have anticipated that a group of recently transitioned professional players would outperform one of cricket's dominant forces.

The USA's team consists of cricketers who had previously played in India, West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand, and Pakistan up until a few years ago. The cricket infrastructure in the country is subpar, and the International Cricket Council itself is hosting the World Cup in the United States.

None of those factors influenced the composed and professional behaviour of the team USA players as they successfully surprised everyone in Dallas, marking the beginning of the largest cricket celebration in the USA.

We only have to look at the sportsbook betting odds to comprehend further how much of a shock upset the US squad just delivered.

Some of the best betting sports apps placed an 8/1 price tag on the USA to defeat Pakistan, yet with sheer determination and will, the Stars and Stripes made their presence known on the biggest stage.

The question now is, can the United States win one of their two remaining games and qualify from a talent-stacked Group A? With a clash versus India awaiting, will they become an underdog story for the ages and triumph over the World’s Cup #1-ranked squad?

India’s Players to Watch vs. The USA

Suryakumar Yadav: None of the eight Indian batsmen that have amassed more than 1,000 runs in all Twenty20 cricket this World Cup cycle have done so at a rate of more than 10 runs per over.

Suryakumar, who plays right-handed, can hit anywhere on the ground because he is a true 360-degree player.

The batting effect score from CricViz contextualises player performance beyond their bare hitting statistics to provide a realistic picture of a player's worth. Nobody in world cricket has a greater average batting effect in this cycle.

Kuldeep Yadav: Resurfacing from a few years in obscurity, Kuldeep Yadav has solidified his position as one of the world's best wrist spinners. The left-armer has 15 wickets in the T20 World Cup since the last one, averaging just 14. He should find the Caribbean's conditions to his taste.

Over this cycle, no Indian bowler who has taken more than ten wickets has an average lower than Kuldeep.

United States Players to Watch vs. India

Steven Taylor: The leading run-scorer in T20I matches for the USA will have a crucial role to play in his team's first-ever participation. When the formidable left-handed batsman consistently achieves a strike rate above 150, he will want to use the batting powerplay.

Taylor holds the record for the best individual score in T20I matches for the USA, with an unbeaten 101 runs. This is the only instance of a century being made in T20I matches by a player representing the USA.

Nisarg Patel: The left-arm spinner from Gujarat primarily bowls during the middle overs in T20 cricket. He has taken 11 wickets in eight matches in the last two years.

Patel holds the record for the highest number of T20 wickets (27) among all bowlers from the USA.