Pakistan put on a clinical display of spin bowling to exact revenge on the USA with a dominant 32-run victory in Colombo on Tuesday, registering their second consecutive win and settling a significant score from the 2024 T20 World Cup.
That earlier encounter had proven catastrophic for Pakistan’s tournament aspirations, with the USA’s shock victory leaving the side in dire straits and ultimately costing them a place in the Super 8s. This time, it was Pakistan who turned the tables decisively. What emerged as a complete spin-fest saw Usman Tariq, Shadab Khan, and Abrar Ahmad orchestrate a suffocating bowling performance that left the American batters with no answers.
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The bowling display was so comprehensive that only Shaheen Afridi operated with the new ball, and even the pace spearhead found little success until claiming a solitary wicket in the final over. The remaining 16 overs belonged entirely to Pakistan’s spin contingent, a testament to both their skill and the pitch conditions in Colombo.
PAKISTAN’S EXPLOSIVE START
Pakistan’s innings laid the foundation for their eventual victory, with openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub providing a brisk powerplay platform. Farhan led the charge aggressively, while Ayub looked to be hitting his stride before falling to Shadley van Schalkwyk’s slower delivery. The South African pacer struck twice more in the powerplay closing stages, dismissing Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha with another well-disguised slower ball that caught the batter off guard.
What followed was an outstanding individual performance from Farhan, who single-handedly orchestrated Pakistan’s acceleration, maintaining a strike rate above eight runs per over. His aggression kept the scorecard ticking as the middle order struggled initially to find rhythm.
Babar Azam’s entry came amid scrutiny over his strike rate, and true to expectations, the star batter started cautiously at a run-a-ball pace. However, after playing a few deliveries, he showed signs of finding form, unleashing a six and three boundaries against Harmeet Singh to regain momentum. Rather than relying on brute force, Babar employed the placement game to great effect as he progressed.
The former Pakistan captain’s innings came to an end courtesy of Mohammad Mohsin just as he approached the half-century mark, while Harmeet Singh simultaneously removed the dangerous Farhan at the other end. Despite the middle-order wobble, Pakistan’s foundation was strong enough to build upon.
Shadab Khan’s late cameo proved crucial in the death overs. The all-rounder displayed excellent awareness against the USA’s slower deliveries, launching a fine counter-attack that injected valuable momentum into the latter stages of Pakistan’s innings.
THE SPIN STRANGLEHOLD
If Pakistan’s batting set a competitive total, their bowling performance was nothing short of devastating. The USA’s batters simply had no answers to the relentless spin attack that greeted them.
Usman Tariq’s impact was particularly dramatic despite his late entry to the proceedings. Coming in at the 12th over, the spinner toiled without reward through his opening three-over spell. However, when he returned for what proved to be the decisive phase, Tariq erupted spectacularly with back-to-back wickets in a single over and added another scalp to finish with a match-changing performance that turned the contest decisively in Pakistan’s favour.
Shadab Khan, meanwhile, played the orchestrator’s role to perfection. His bowling kept USA captain Monank Patel under constant pressure, forcing the captain into difficult positions. Khan also claimed the significant wicket of Shayan Jahangir, who had emerged as the primary threat to Pakistan’s dominance throughout the USA innings.
While Shubham Ranjane provided some resistance with a spirited batting display, it proved insufficient to mount any meaningful challenge. USA’s inability to handle the spin barrage meant their hopes of climbing back into contention have faded considerably.
VAN SCHALKWYK’S STAR TURN
Shadley van Schalkwyk continued his impressive tournament with another standout performance. The South African pace bowler, who had delivered against India with a match-winning spell, replicated that form here with a four-wicket haul. His slower deliveries proved the perfect weapon against Pakistan’s batters and proved difficult for the USA to counter later in their chase.
With this victory, Pakistan have momentum heading forward, while USA’s prospects of reaching the Super 8s have dimmed following consecutive defeats. The spin-dominated nature of the contest underscored the importance of handling quality off-break and leg-spin bowling—a lesson the USA paid for dearly in Colombo.
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