Debutants United States reach Super Eight stage in huge boost for region
It just gets better for the fledgling United States cricket team. Only in the Twenty20 World Cup as co-hosts with the West Indies, the US made history on their debut by reaching the Super Eight second round after their last group game against Ireland was washed out.
The Americans qualified for the knockout Super Eight at the expense of Pakistan without bowling a ball after torrential rain washed out their match at Broward County Stadium in Lauderdale, Florida.
The United States have also automatically qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The Americans have used home advantage to make a stunning first impression in their first major cricket tournament.
The 17th-ranked team joined the West Indies, India, Australia, South Africa and Afghanistan in the Super Eight, with two more teams yet to qualify.
While the Americans have progressed alongside unbeaten India from Group A, former champions Pakistan and winless Ireland were eliminated.
The effort by the Americans to reach the Super Eights is a boost for the game in the region, with cricket scheduled to return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
In other matches, South Africa beat Nepal by one run and New Zealand defeated Uganda by nine wickets.
South Africa got a dramatic last-ball victory over Nepal in Kingstown when Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen combined to run out Gulsan Jha off the final ball to win by a run and maintain their unbeaten record.
New Zealand, already eliminated after losing to Afghanistan and the West Indies, took full advantage of favourable bowling conditions to thrash Uganda by nine wickets at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.
The New Zealand bowlers got the ball to swerve, cut and spin throughout to dismiss Uganda for 40, only one more than they scored against West Indies in Georgetown – the joint-lowest score at a T20 World Cup.
New Zealand reached their target from a little more than five overs for the loss of one wicket but it was no consolation for a disappointing tournament.
The Black Caps will now fly home whatever the result of their final group match against Papua New Guinea.