'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
USA will co-host the 2024 T20 World Cup, starting on June 1. This will be the first time the United States will host and participate in a major ICC tournament.
Ahead of the grand event, the USA team decided to host Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series in Texas. Since Bangladesh have been a part of all the T20 World Cups played so far, the fans expected them to record an easy series win before the 2024 T20 World Cup.
However, much to everyone's surprise, USA have gained an unassailable 2-0 lead after the first two games of the series. All-rounder Harmeet Singh's brilliance helped the United States win the first T20I by five wickets, and yesterday, Ali Khan's three-wicket haul helped the home team defend a 145-run target against their experienced rivals.
USA are in Group A of the 2024 T20 World Cup along with India, Pakistan, Canada and Ireland, and here are three reasons why the United States will be the team to watch out for at the grand stage.
#1 USA have many rejected talents who will be hungry to perform at the 2024 T20 World Cup
Quite a few players of the American cricket team hail from Test-playing nations like India, Pakistan and New Zealand. They desired to represent their birth country at the grand stage, but luck did not favor them.
Still, the players did not give up and moved to the USA to restart their careers. Players like Harmeet Singh, Corey Anderson and Saurabh Netravalkar, who played a major role in USA's series win against Bangladesh, represented another nation at the international level before.
These players have been waiting for a big opportunity for a long time, and now that they have received one, they will try to make the most out of it.
#2 USA have the home advantage in 2024 T20 World Cup
The ICC allotted the hosting rights of the T20 World Cup to USA in November 2021. The American team's players have a clear idea about the conditions in Dallas, Florida and New York, the venues which will host USA's group-stage matches.
Meanwhile, teams like Canada, Pakistan, India, and Ireland do not have much experience of playing in these conditions. Hence, the home support and better knowledge about pitches can help the United States produce an extraordinary performance at the grand stage.
#3 USA have beaten Ireland and Canada before
The recent T20I series win against Bangladesh would have immensely boosted USA's confidence. Apart from that, USA would also remember that they have beaten Ireland and Canada in T20Is before. In fact, USA's win against Ireland came at the Central Broward Regional Park, the venue which will host the group-stage match between the two nations on June 14.
Even if USA finish third in Group A, it will be a massive achievement for the debutants. It will be interesting to see how the American team performs in its first ever T20 World Cup. Their first match is against Canada on June 1.
