Islamabad (National Times) Pakistan crumpled as the United States clinched a final over thriller in their T20 World Cup match in Dallas on Thursday after going to a super over.

The US set a 19-run target after their super over but the Green Shirts could only manage 13.

The teams went to the super over after the home side levelled the score in the last ball of the 20th over.

The US earlier began cautiously against the Green Team as Pakistan got dispirited by the home side’s start.
Naseem Shah dismissed Steven Taylor on the first ball of his second over before Andries Gous’s edge on the next delivery dropped short of Iftikhar Ahmed in slips and went to the covers for four.

Gous smashed Naseem for another boundary and ended the power play at 44 for the loss of one wicket.

Pakistan kept searching for their second wicket as Babar Azam brought on Shadab Khan but Gous and Monank Patel comfortably kept the score ticking for their side.

Earlier, Pakistan were held to a total of 159-7 as the co-hosts eyed an upset win.

The US chased down a target of 195 to beat fellow non-Test nation Canada in their first Group A encounter but were now up against a far superior bowling attack.

Nevertheless, the US could be proud of their efforts in the field against Pakistan given they reduced the 2009 T20 World Cup winners to 26-3 after winning the toss.

Left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, who opened the bowling, took 3-30 — including two wickets in two balls — from his maximum four overs and left-arm paceman Saurabh Netravalkar a miserly 2-18.

Pakistan were in dire straits at 26-3 inside five overs before a partnership of 72 between skipper Babar (44) and Shadab (40).

Shadab and Azam Khan fell in successive balls to Kenjige.

Pakistan, runners-up to England at the last T20 World Cup in Australia two years ago, were faltering again at 98-5 before tailender Shaheen Shah Afridi’s unbeaten 23 boosted the total.

Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan was superbly caught one-handed at slip by Steven Taylor off Netravalkar before Usman Khan holed out off Kenjige to leave Pakistan 14-2.

Teams:

United States: Steven Taylor, Monank Patel (capt/wkt), Andries Gous, Aaron Jones, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan

Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf

Umpires: Allahuddien Paleker (RSA), Michael Gough (ENG)

TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)