Pakistan take on spirited USA in high-stakes T20 World Cup opener
The Pakistan cricket team will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign on Thursday when they face hosts United States in Dallas. This crucial Group A fixture promises high drama as both sides aim for a winning start in the tournament.
Pakistan will be looking to get their trophy defense off to a good start. However, they come into this match low on form and confidence, having recently lost a T20 series against England. There are question marks over the form of some of their star players as well. Skipper Babar Azam and opener Mohammad Rizwan will be keen to lead by example.
The United States, playing on their home soil, will draw inspiration from their previous match where they pulled off an upset win over Canada. Opening batter Aaron Jones had starred with a brilliant 94 in that contest. He will once again play a key role as USA aim to pull off another surprise result.
Both teams look evenly matched on paper. However, Pakistan have more experience of performing on the big stage. Their bowling attack comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah could pose problems for the USA batters. At the same time, conditions in Dallas are favorable for batting, so chasing a sizable total cannot be ruled out.
With early momentum at stake, fans are assured of an exciting battle in store when these two sides face off on Thursday. Both Pakistan and USA will hope for the best possible start to their World Cup campaigns.
