USA stun Bangladesh by 5 wickets to win first ever T20I

The USA team after the win.

Dhaka, May 22 — The USA cricket team pulled off a stunning upset, defeating Bangladesh by 5 wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Prairie View Cricket Complex on Tuesday.

This marked a historic moment for USA cricket, as it was their first-ever T20I victory against a full member of the ICC. Before this match, the USA had played only 26 T20Is, and never against a full member.

Bangladesh, being put to bat first, posted a moderate 153 for 6. Towhid Hridoy anchored the innings with a well-constructed 58 runs off 47 balls, well-supported by Mahmudullah Riyad's quick 31 off 22.

Steven Taylor was the pick of the USA bowlers, scalping 2 wickets for just 9 runs in his 3 overs.

The USA got off to a strong start, racing to 27 runs inside the fourth over before losing captain Monank Patel to a run-out.

A steady partnership between Andries Gous (23) and Steven Taylor (28) set the platform, but when both fell in quick succession, the match hung in the balance.

Enter Harmeet Singh. His blistering knock of 33 off just 13 balls, including 3 sixes, turned the tide dramatically in the USA's favor. Corey Anderson provided vital support with an unbeaten 34, guiding the team home with 3 balls to spare.

Harmeet Singh's explosive innings earned him the Player of the Match award.

Mustafizur Rahman took two wickets for Bangladesh, while Shoriful Islam and Rishad Hossain took one wicket each.

For Bangladesh, this defeat serves as a wake-up call ahead of the T20 World Cup, starting early next month in the USA. Bangladesh's first match is on June 8th in Dallas, followed by their second match on June 10th in New York. - UNB