The USA pulled off a five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I of their three-match series in a thrilling match at Prairie View in Houston on Tuesday.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams in an international match, with the home side creating history by defeating Bangladesh, marking the biggest upset in Twenty20 cricket.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s batters struggled to gain momentum while facing economical bowling from Steven Taylor. Litton Das and Captain Najmul Hossain Shanto fell cheaply. Soumya Sarkar showed some promise with 20 runs off 13 balls. However, he couldn’t build on his strong start. Shakib, the star all-rounder, also departed after scoring just 6 runs.
At 68-4, Bangladesh’s chances looked bleak.
However, Mahmudullah Riyad and Towhid Hridoy staged a remarkable comeback for their side, putting up a 67-run stand in just 47 balls. Maintaining his calm, Towhid Hridoy scored a vital 58 off 47 balls, including a crucial fifty that helped Bangladesh post a respectable 153 on the board.
Starting their batting stint, the USA got off to a solid start. Steven Taylor and Monak Patel contributed 28 and 12 runs respectively. Later, Andries Gous took center stage, scoring 33 off 18 balls.
The USA needed 56 runs in the final four overs when Harmeet Singh and Corey Anderson showcased their incredible talent. Anderson led the way with 34 off 25 balls and Harmeet tore through Bangladeshi bowling with 33 off just 13 balls. The pair contributed a vital 62 runs off 28 balls, helping their team reach the target.
The USA won the match by five wickets, securing their first-ever victory over a full national Test team.
