The United States of America, in its maiden appearance at the T20 World Cup, made history by advancing to the Super 8 stage of the tournament after their last Group A match against Ireland at Lauderhill was washed out without a ball being bowled on Friday. Apart from ensuring the USA’s historic qualification to the second round from a tough group, this washout also ended Pakistan’s hopes. The 2009 champions were knocked out of the tournament.
The Babar Azam-led side will play Ireland in their last group-stage match on Sunday at the same venue, but the result of that game is irrelevant to the standings of this group. Pakistan’s only hope of staying alive in the tournament was if Ireland had beaten the USA. Any other result would have knocked them out, and that’s exactly what happened.
The USA ended the group stage with five points from four games, and Pakistan, even if they win their last match against Ireland, can reach four points.
Pakistan went down to India in New York on Sunday in a close game, failing to chase a target of 120. Before that, in their opening game in Dallas, they suffered a shock Super Over loss to USA.
The back-to-back defeats meant Pakistan’s chances of advancing to the Super Eight were already out of their own hands. It is yet another global tournament where the unpredictable Pakistanis again left it too late.
Thanks to their wins over neighbours Canada and heavyweights Pakistan in their first two outings, the USA joined India in the Super Eight stage.
The chances of Friday’s match taking place were always bleak as the state of Florida, where Lauderhill is situated, had been hit by a tropical thunderstorm, leading to incessant rain and flash flooding.But, even if the match had taken place, the USA, buoyed by the two big wins and their spirited effort against India, would have certainly backed themselves to overcome Ireland and progress to the Super Eights.
USA, thus, also qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The top eight teams from here plus the two hosts and top-two ranked teams outside of this on the day of the T20 World Cup final will directly qualify for the next T20 showpiece. In fact, there is a threat that the entire Florida leg of T20 World Cup, to be held at the Central Broward Park here, might be washed out because of the adverse weather conditions, forcing the local authorities to issue a state of emergency.
Just two days ago, the match between Nepal and Sri Lanka here was washed out before toss could take place. USA’s qualification did shatter Pakistan’s hopes but they only have themselves to blame after losing their first two fixtures against the Americans and arch-rivals India in New York.
The Babar Azam-led side needed to win their remaining two games big and defeated Canada by seven wickets, with Ireland waiting in the wings but that match in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia now has become inconsequential.