Key events
15th over: Pakistan 113–5 (Babar 37, Iftikhar 6) Babar tucks into a long hop from Harmeet. And with five overs left, time for Pakistan to put their foot down.
14th over: Pakistan 107–5 (Babar 32, Iftikhar 6) Singles, then Iftikhar throws the bat at a wide one from Ali Khan and the ball flies past the diving fielder to the rope. Valuable booty.
13th over: Pakistan 99-5 (Babar 29, Iftikhar 0) Kenjige denied a hat-trick by Iftikhar’s firm defence, but damage done just as Pakistan were teeing off. Kenjige cock-a-hoop!
WICKET! Azam Khan lbw Kenjige 0 (Pakistan 98-5)
Ah man, a golden duck for Azam. Pretty straight. He consults Babar and reviews, but starts walking once the replay is shown on the big screen, and sure enough it is umpire’s call. It never rains, etc.
WICKET! Shadab c b Kenjige 40 (Pakistan 98-4)
Brilliant two-handed catch at short fine leg as Shadab, after a few minutes being treated for dehydration, goes round the corner.
12th over: Pakistan 93-3 (Babar 28, Shadab 36) The returning Harmeet is welcomed by a flurry of blows as Babar dances again and disdainfully bursts six , and Shadab proffers a one-kneed club for four. The last ball, a full toss, is greeted with a thrusting pad and flowing bat and the ball flies through the hands/over the fingertips of the leaping Taylor on the rope for six! Pakistan now on the march.
11th over: Pakistan 66-3 (Babar 20, Shadab 25) Babar, replenished, dances down the field, not entirely without risk, and tonks Kenjige back over his head.
10th over: Pakistan 66-3 (Babar 14, Shadab 23) Shadab has had enough , slams Jasdeep Singh’s first ball for six over long leg, pans his second over midwicket for six more. A wide, a handful of singles and the first four of the innings at exactly the half way point as Babar wristily whips to the rope . Drinks all round.
9th over: Pakistan 46-3 (Babar 9, Shadab 9) A few overs of tippy-tappy calm, but Pakistan will need to start squirrelling runs a little more effectively – Babar currently 9 off 23, Shadab 9 off 13. Hamreet Singh reels through another neat over.
8th over: Pakistan 40-3 (Babar 6, Shadab 7) Jasdeep, hair in a wrap, is called into the attack. Tight lines. Babar drives smartly but is thwarted by a fielder at mid-off. Beautiful blue skies and a very full stadium.
7th over: Pakistan 35-3 (Babar 5, Shadab 4) Harmeet Singh, formerly of India U-19, whips through a first over of his left-arm spin. Shadab not entirely at ease.
6th over: Pakistan 30-3 (Babar 4, Shadab 1) A quick single ending in a body dive to get the heart racing. Only three off the over and, at the end of the power play, an electric USA have restricted Pakistan to just five an over.
“Net’ bowling beautifully,” writes Dean Kinsella. “1 wkt for 5 runs off 2 powerplay overs brings a whole new meaning to Net’ run rate.”
5th over: Pakistan 27-3 (Babar 2, Shadab 0) Babar standing watching the wreckage, though could himself have been run-out off a leg bye. A wide is the only bonus for Pakistan.
WICKET! Fakhar Zaman c Taylor b Ali Khan 11 (Pakistan 26-3)
Oh dear, oh dear. Fakhar tries a wobbly scoop and is caught at short fine leg by that man Taylor again.
4th over: Pakistan 22-2 (Babar 1, Fakhar 7) Only one from Netravalkar’s carefully curated over. Babar struggling for oomph.
And an email drops, hello Beau Dure! “I am indeed of the same age — not only do I think of JR and Sue Ellen, but I remember that the Dallas theme song was the piece to learn on clarinet to get instant middle-school band cred.
“If that sounds too geeky, I can attest my interests are now much more diverse — which I why I’m watching this game on TV and gave a shout in the house when the US team took their second wicket.”
Beau, no-one can be too geeky for the OBO. FYI, at my school, the go-to theme song for the flute (I didn’t play) was Memory.
3rd over: Pakistan 21-2 (Babar 1, Fakhar 7) I hope this isn’t going to turn into one of those occasions when the wheels falls off project Pakistan, shortly followed by the windscreen wipers, the boot and the doors. Fakhar Zaman belts six from his first ball to settle nerves.
WICKET! Usman c Kumar b Kenjige (Pakistan 14-2)
Usman has an attack of the wham-bams and picks out one of only two players outside the circle, Kumar at long off, who watches the catch drop into his hands.
2nd over: Pakistan 13-1 (Babar 1, Usman 3) A Roger Harper-esque effort by Taylor, leaves Pakistan fans in the crowd in open-mouthed dismay. Super bowling by Netravalkar.
WICKET! Rizwan c Taylor b Netravalkar 9 (Pakistan 9-1)
Unbelievable catch! At slip Taylor swallow dives to his right to pluck from the air a squared-up Rizwan. A chunky edge and a plunge at full stretch, long sleeved arm hyperextended out and behind.
1st over: Pakistan 9-0 (Rizwan 9, Babar 0) Nosthush Kenjige is going to open with his slow left arm. Rizwan makes the most of the smallest 63m boundary and gets things rolling with a slog-sweep for six off the third ball .
Here come the anthems – accompanied by huge flags. Pakistan first, hands on heart from the players and the crowd. A jaunty number. America’s a rather heart-wrung unaccompanied version of the Star Spangled banner.
The players are on the pitch and raring to go – will we get a first score over 200 today?
Pakistan XI
Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (c), Muhammad Rizwan (wk), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf.
Looks like Rizwan will take the gloves, and Azam Khan plays as a specialist batter. Poor kid has so much abuse that he ended up disabling his instagram and deleting all his photos.
USA XI
One change: slow left armer Nostush Kenjige comes in
USA XI: Monank Patel (c, wk), Steven Taylor, Andries Gous, Aaron Jones, Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Ali Khan.
USA win the toss and will bowl!
Monank Patel makes the most of Babar Azam calling wrongly and USA will field first on a day of hot sunchine and blue skies.
“Chasing here is easier,” he says. “The way we chased down total was entertaining. Have momentum, want to continue that. I’m excited for this challenge.”
Babar would have done the same.
And while we wait for the toss, happy birthday Pakistan umpiring legend Aleem Dar!
🏆 Won the David Shepherd Trophy for ICC umpire of the year from 2009-2011
🥇 Most matches as an umpire in men’s ODIs and Tests
🥇 Officiated in 453 international matches
⭐ Former member of the ICC Elite Panel of UmpiresHappy birthday, Aleem Dar! 🎂 pic.twitter.com/iiOP5MCazU
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 6, 2024
Weather watch
According to the forecasters, it is currently 27 degrees C down in Dallas, rising to 34 degrees by mid-afternoon. A light breeze to kiss your neck. I wonder what are they serving for snacks in the stadium – if you are there, please settle my curiosity: [email protected]
Here is Andy Bull’s take on the opening game at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
Preamble
Hello! If Dallas to you spells JR and Sue Ellen, congratulations. Pin the tail on the donkey and pass the Tizer – you’re as old as me. Today, however., it spells cricket: hosting the third of four World Cup games in the city, between USA and Pakistan in the tantalising group A.
Unlike in New York, the pitch at the Grand Prairie cricket stadium has been decent – offering runs to the batters and carry and bounce to the bowlers. Pakistan, who play their first game of the competition, have had their warm-up troubles – rain in England, rain in Dallas, injury to Imad Wasim and controversy over the wicketkeeping position. In trying to bring runs to the late-middle order they slotted PSL Imtiaz Ahmed award winner Azam Khan into the gloves, with fairly hapless results in final ODI at The Oval. It remains to be see whether Mohammad Rizwan, a far neater, more acrobatic keeper, takes them back.
USA are buzzing on the back of their thrashing of Canada in the opening game of the tournament, thanks largely to Aaron Jones 94 not out off 40 balls. The US (four wins out of five) actually have a better recent record than Pakistan (two wins out of five) so despite Pakistan being the odds-on-favourite, this is the kind of seaweed they sometimes slip up on.
Play starts at 4.30pm BST. See you here.