Arshdeep Singh’s brilliance and Suryakumar Yadav’s calm combined to help India hold off the USA’s onslaught, winning by seven wickets to secure a Super Eight berth in the T20 World Cup. After Arshdeep’s career-best 4 for 9 restricted the USA to what appeared to be a manageable 110 for 8, India made heavy weather of an easy chase on a slightly tough ground before Suryakumar (50* off 49 balls) reaffirmed his standing as the world’s top T20 batter.

Suryakumar traded his flamboyance for patience alongside Shivam Dube (31 not out off 35 balls), who did not inspire much confidence despite the chase being completed in 18.2 overs. Suryakumar and Dube added 67 runs for an unbroken fourth-wicket stand. Suryakumar finished the match in a jiffy with a flurry of shots.

Earlier, Saurabh Netravalkar (2/18 in 4 overs), an Oracle programmer from Silicon Valley, produced a couple of immaculate scripts to remove an out-of-form Virat Kohli for a golden duck with a delivery that shaped away, followed by a slower one to find the leading edge of former Mumbai senior teammate Rohit Sharma’s willow. Rishabh Pant chipped in with 18 before Ali Khan cleaned him up.

After a couple of heroic batting displays in back-to-back victories, the USA batters found the Indian speed attack to be superior in class and quality. However, after scoring 42 in the first ten overs, the USA added 68 in the back ten, thanks to contributions from Nitish Kumar (27), Steven Taylor (24) and former New Zealand all-rounder Anderson (15). Arshdeep was outstanding at the start and end, bowling an astonishing 17 dot balls. Hardik Pandya (2/14) was once again extremely effective with the ball.