The Battle of Co-hosts: Can the fearless USA upset a nervy West Indies?
The USA and West Indies will compete to secure their first points in the Super Eight campaign. Will the Caribbean team emerge victorious, or will the American underdogs keep exceeding expectations? Today, we strive to answer this very question itself.
Each of the co-hosts has experienced a loss in their initial Super 8 matches. The USA was defeated by the undefeated South Africa, a dominant force in the competition. Similarly, defending champions England brought an end to West Indies’ undefeated streak. Therefore, the paths of these teams in the tournament are not without challenges, and it is clear that another defeat could bring them to the brink of elimination. To predict who will witness this elimination is difficult as there are no T20 head-to-head records between these teams.
Thus, we can only take their previous performances in the T20 World Cup 2024 into account. After getting off to a great start against England, the West Indies batting unit suffered a late collapse, as they managed to put up 180 runs on the board. Philip Salt’s unbeaten knock of 87 runs off 47 balls made sure that England started off their Super Eight campaign with a victory.
On the other hand, USA went down fighting against the mighty Proteas, chasing a total of 195 runs. Andries Gous scored an unbeaten knock of 80 runs which kept the co-hosts in hunt, however, it was Kagiso Rabada’s spell which helped South Africa claim the victory.
West Indies bowlers need to step up against a resilient USA batting unit
West Indies’ batting department put on a mediocre effort with Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran scoring almost run a ball against England. To add to their woes Brandon King got injured and his participation is in doubt. In the bowling department, the pacers are expected to step up on Friday evening.
Romario Shepherd and Alzarri Joseph were taken to the cleaners by England batters, whereas, the spin department did considerably well. Thus, if the Caribbean batters manage to convert their knocks like in their earlier games, and if the pacers get rid of their woes it will be the Indies team that will win the encounter.
For the United States, both Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh impressed with their economical bowling efforts. If Aaron Jones and Andries Gous continue to perform like in their earlier matches, and if the bowling department sees a collective effort, then the young USA team may just manage to topple the West Indies in this encounter. Moreover, the American batting department may also see a boost with the return of their skipper Monank Patel adding to the probability of them winning.
Thus, whether the USA can leverage their fearless spirit to upset the mighty West Indies remains to be seen, but one thing this battle of co-hosts promises to do is to put on a thrilling spectacle for us cricket viewers.
Also Read: 2024 ICC T20 World Cup: Super Eight Group Two Predictions
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