India advanced to the Super 8s stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a convincing victory over the USA in their Group A match on Wednesday in New York. Opting to bowl first, India restricted the co-hosts to 110/8 in 20 overs, thanks to a stellar performance by pacer Arshdeep Singh, who took four wickets. Chasing the target, Rohit Sharma's team reached the goal in 18.2 overs, with Suryakumar Yadav (50*) and Shivam Dube (31*) forming an unbeaten 72-run partnership.
Beyond his match-winning performance, Suryakumar Yadav also garnered praise for his post-match gesture towards USA's stand-in skipper, Aaron Jones. After the match, Jones, who led the team in the absence of regular captain Monank Patel, was visibly disappointed. Surya approached him, offered a consoling hug, and shook hands, a moment that went viral.
Despite the loss, Jones expressed pride in his team's bowling effort, noting they made India work hard for every run. "10-15 runs short. If we got 130, it would have been a tough total. The boys were very disciplined, really proud of the bowling unit," Jones said during the post-match presentation.
Jones emphasized the need to regroup before facing Ireland at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Florida on Friday. "Feels good, this is what we wanted for USA cricket, enjoying it. We will recalibrate now, have a few meetings, and come back strong," he added.
He also mentioned the pitch conditions in New York, describing them as tricky and more favorable for seam bowling. Jones provided an update on Monank Patel, indicating that the captain should be fit for the final game, despite a slight niggle.
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"The wicket was a bit tricky, more suited for seam bowling. That's why no spin. Mostly he (Monank Patel) should be fit for the last game, just got a slight niggle," Jones concluded.