Chennai, Feb 13: Saiteja Young Saiteja Mukkamalla struck a classy half-century, while left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh bowled with heart and precision as the United States defeated the Netherlands by 93 runs to secure their first win after two defeats in the T20 World Cup here on Friday.
Mukkamalla’s blistering 79 off 51 balls, studded with five fours and four sixes, and Shubham Ranjane’s 48-run cameo off just 24 deliveries powered the USA to a formidable 196 for 6. Harmeet then delivered a superb spell of 4 for 21, dismantling the Netherlands’ top and middle order as they were bundled out for 103 in 15.5 overs, after being reduced to 66 for 5 inside eight overs. Spinner Mohammad Mohsin also returned excellent figures of 2 for 19, while South African-born pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk (3/21) also took three wickets. The emphatic victory not only kept the United States’ campaign alive but also injected renewed belief into a side that had struggled for rhythm in its opening outings. With the bat, they showed intent and composure; with the ball, discipline and penetration. More importantly, it was a collective statement. (PTI)
