Key events
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.