Key events
India need 111 to win
A decent effort there from the USA after being 18-2 at the end of the power play – Nitish Kumar and Steven Taylor the lynchpins. Arshdeep Singh the pick of the Indian bowlers with four for nine. Time to make a quick cup of tea before India are out for the reply. Should be easy pickings but this pitch can be a capricious one.
WICKET! Jasdeep run-out (Pant/Siraj) 2 USA 110-8 after 20 overs
20th over: USA 110-8 (van Schalkwyk 11) Kudos to van Schalkwyk who successfully tonks Sirah over long on for four. They squeak another three here and there and then Jasdeep is run out off the last ball.
19th over: USA 103-7 (Jaspeep 2, van Schalkwyk 4) Bumrah it is, to the delight of the India-dominated fan base who fill the stadium. A chip here, a swipe there, but they can only milk a watery three from the over. Nevertheless, the stadium announcer declares the score with huge enthusiasm which, I think, they do after every over. If you’re there, and I’m wrong, please correct me!
18th over: USA 100-7 (Jaspeep 1, van Schalkwyk 2) Brilliant from Arshdeep who finishes with four for nine, Pant runs up to pat him on the back. van Schalkwyk pinches a single to take the USA to three figures.
WICKET! Harmeet c Pant b Arshdeep 10 (USA 98-7)
Immacuate by Arshdeep, who currently has four for seven. Harmeet can’t resist the pull, edges, and a somewhat surprised Pant collects like a man who has had a Sunday newspaper suddenly thrust into his hands.
17th over: USA 96-6 (Harmeet Singh 9) Hardik keeping it tight – in fact Rohit reviews the second ball which flies past the swishing bat of Harmeet and is well taken by the leaping Pant. But the replay shows ball missing bat before leaping off the shoulder. Hardik running through his repertoire, and a frustrated Anderson can’t resist going for it with gusto. India putting the breaks on successfully here.
WICKET! Anderson c Pant b Hardik 15 (USA 96-6)
Tied down by Hardik, Anderson swings wildly, sends the ball heavenwards and Pant scampers across, 25 metres, to collect on the run.
16th over: USA 95-5 (Anderson 15, Harmeet Singh 9) If only, think Pakistan, as Bumrah is dismissed for a six and a four as if he was some kind of mortal. Terrific flick for six over fine leg by Harmeet.
15th over: USA 81-5 (Anderson 10, Singh 0) A third wicket for the dangerous Arshdeep and the end of a smart 27 by Ntish at less than a run a ball.
WICKET! Ntish c Siraj b Arshdeep 27 (USA 81-5)
Tip-top swallow by Siraj at deep mid wicket. Ntish sent it soaring with an elegant swivel pull but Siraj took it with both hands on the edge of the precipice, leaping and holding on with his right hand as he fell backwards, losing his hat and his sunglasses yet somehow avoiding the boundary boards.
14th over: USA 80-4 (Ntish 27, Anderson 9) Tall, lanky Axar picked up and sent flying for six by Anderson, down on one knee and ploughing 80 metres into the stands.
13th over: USA 71-4 (Ntish 26, Anderson 1) The run-rate has increased to nearly five and a half as Hardik goes for two boundaries in the over. Ntish flicks him for six into the sightscreen and a dreamy four down the ground.
12th over: USA 59-4 (Ntish 14, Anderson 1) A six, a wicket and a wide.
“I think the US needs to get at least 120 to have any hope of defending their lead,” writes Zach from Texas. “This NYC wicket has been so low scoring that we may have a chance. Would need a couple early wickets, get the crowd out of the game and ramp up the pressure and hope India get in their own heads a bit. Very unlikely, but it’s fun to dream.”
So true! A shame Taylor got out at the wrong moment but let’s not be hasty.
WICKET! Taylor b Axar 24 (USA 56-4)
The ball after flicking Axar for six, Taylor tries to cut him for more but only sends the ball rocking into his own stumps. He drops his head in disbelief and for a second looks as if he’s going to chop down everything in a fury, before marching off. A sweet cameo including two sixes but USA needed more.
11th over: USA 48-3 (Taylor 16, Ntish 13) Rohit brings back Siraj, Ntish picks up a couple with a lofted drive down the ground, well fielded by a diving, rolling, Suryakumar. Another stylish tip-toeing cover drive deserves four, but brings one. Good scrounging brings six from the over.
10th over: USA 42-3 (Taylor 14, Ntish 9) Axar Patel zips through an over, milked for a single or five. They pause for DRINKS with three figures in sight with a bit of judicious hitting and a touch of luck. Just don’t leave it until Bumrah comes back.
9th over: USA 37-3 (Taylor 12, Ntish 6) USA have found their money spinner – Shivam Dube. Ntish edges him through the vacant slip area for four and Taylor finishes the over by pulling him into the stands and into the shoulder of some unsuspecting spectator.
8th over: USA 26-3 (Taylor 6, Ntish 1) Just one from that wicket-taking over, USA are going to have to start scraping some runs from the barrel soon. “I think this performance shows the USA are ready for Test cricket,” writes Beau Dure. “Good solid 3.0 run rate.”
Very droll. Beau also (thank you!) points out that my email address is wrong at the top of the page. I’ll try to change it but in the mean time the right address is Tanya.Aldred.freelance@theguardian.com
WICKET! Jones c Siraj b Pandiya 11 (USA 25-3)
A frustrated Jones opts for the pull but, as for so many this tournament, it proves his downfall – top edging to Siraj at long leg.
7th over: USA 25-2 (Taylor 6, Jones 11) Rohit inscrutable behind his shades at slip. A pinpoint Bumrah yorker, just wide enough to be untouchable, but just inside the line. Then an uncharacteristically wayward ball flies over a flaying Taylor and then a leaping Pant to crash into the boundary boards.
6th over: USA 18-2 (Taylor 5, Jones 10) Hardik replaces Siraj, tall, lean, gold earrings like tiny buttons studded through his lobes. In the crowd a man is dressed as an 18th century aristocrat complete with wig. Jones has a wild swing at the last ball of the power play but misses. Virat gives everyone the thumbs up.
5th over: USA 17-2 (Taylor 4, Jones 10) Now the US team get to face the destroyer of Pakistan dreams – Jasprit Bumrah. He cuts Jones in half with his fourth ball, they only take a single from the over, but survive.
4th over: USA 16-2 (Taylor 3, Jones 10) Jones hits Siraj nicely down the ground for a couple, the next ball is a beaut that beats pressed bat and screams past the stumps. Jones swings and misses the next two, the last goes flying over fine leg for six!
3rd over: USA 8-2 (Taylor 3, Jones 2) Arshdeep, an untucked shirt kind of guy, black patka, two bracelets on his right arm, dangerous white missile in the left hand. Testing the batters: Taylor has a swish and miss. in the US dugout they sit with folded arms.
2nd over: USA 7-2 (Taylor 3, Jones 1) It’s Siraj with the second over, almost a relief. A misfield by Jadeja hands Taylor two runs. And if you’ve got Wednesday afternoon itus in the office, or are watching in NYC, do drop me a line.
1st over: USA 3-2 (Taylor 0, Jones 0) Not an ideal start from the US. India have that glint in their eye.
WICKET! Gous c Pandya b Arshdeep 2 (USA 3-2)
Oh dear. A top of the water slide rush of blood sees Gous opting for the heave ho but only send the ball straight up, and down again into Pandya’s hands.
WICKET! Jahangir lbw Arshdeep 0 (USA 0-1)
First ball! Arshdeep send down a cracker that nips in, an unmoving Jahangir obliges by letting the ball thump in on the knee roll.
Blue, blue skies as the players line up . The camera zips along the line-up – hands strictly by their sides as they sing along. Arms down for the US too – making Pakistan the only hand on heart during anthem team I’ve seen this WC.
To recap we already have two teams in the Super Eights: Australia and South Africa. One of these two will join them later today. Time for the anthems, with the stands dominated by the blue shirts of Indian supporters.
And this a great read by Andy Bull from NYC:
This is a fascinating little read on the USA’s players of Indian origin: seven of the squad were either born or grew up in India. Two – Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh – played for India in the U19 World Cup. Milind Kumar has played over 100 first-class and List-A games for Delhi and Sikkim while left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, captain Monank Patel, fast bowler Jasdeep Singh and left-arm spinner Nisarg Patel have all played age-group or club-level cricket in India.
USA XI
A couple of changes for the US, captain Monank Patel is out, Shayan Jahangir in, Noshthush Kenjige out, left-arm quick van Schalkwyk in.
USA: Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir, Andries Gous, Nitish Kumar, Aaron Jones (capt), Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Jasdeep Singh, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan
India XI
India are unchanged for the game v Pakistan:
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
India win the toss and will field!
Rohit Sharma looks chill: “The pitch has played better in the last two games. You’ve got to understand what you need to do, assess the conditions quickly. Got to constantly get better and continue doing the good things that we have. The pitch will challenge in different ways.
“It [v Pakistan] was a great game to play, we didn’t have enough runs on the board but the bowlers came to the party. it’s all about responding.”
Aaron Jones “I wanted to bowl first too. I think it is going to be a good game, we are going to play hard cricket, everything is good right now.”
Ravi Shastri is orchestrating the toss – for the last time, he says with a sashay , in New York City.
Preamble
Hello! We’re rolling into week two now – half way through the group stages of the World Cup. This little Group A firecracker – USA v India will guarantee the winner progress into the Super Eights. The other side will probably progress as well – in fact the loser could lose their final game too and still progress on net run rate. But that would depend on other results etc, etc.
USA walk out on the back of their calm, professional super-over victory over Pakistan. India’s progress has also been serene but, although they are much less likely to suffer a Mohammad Amir like super over malfunction, they could still be vulnerable to the hosts on a bad day, with a following wind. This is the first time the two sides have ever met.
Play starts at 3.30 BST in New York City.