No favourites in T20 World Cup: Stuart Law claims after USA’s series win against Bangladesh
Stuart Law, in his inaugural stint as the head coach of USA, has already guided the team to an unprecedented first T20I series victory against a full-member team.
Following the series triumph, Law asserted that USA had shown a stronger determination to win than Bangladesh in the Texas series.
“Our desire and passion for the game were more evident in the first two matches,” Law commented after the final T20I.
Bangladesh managed to stage a comeback in the final match with a 10-wicket victory, thanks to an exceptional bowling performance by Mustafizur Rahman who recorded his career-best T20I figures of 6/10.
With the series win secured, USA gave their key players – captain Monank Patel, opener Steven Taylor, all-rounder Harmeet Singh and fast bowler Ali Khan – a rest, testing their bench strength ahead of the fast-approaching T20 World Cup.
“We were more eager for the win. Today was a different story. We might have relaxed a bit. Bangladesh played well. They will take this experience in their stride.
“This is excellent preparation. Playing matches is far better than practice in the nets. Anything can happen in one-off games. That’s the nature of the World Cup. No team enters as the ultimate favourites.”
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“We were in a privileged position today with the series in our hands. It was a good opportunity to give other players a chance. We wanted to ensure everyone had a game before the cut-throat World Cup. Every game will be like a final. We have had two very strong performances in the two wins here,” Law added.
Aaron Jones, the stand-in skipper, echoed Law’s sentiment of no favourites, stating that a USA victory over Pakistan or India wouldn’t be considered an ‘upset’.
“We are a formidable team. We proved that against Bangladesh, one of the world’s best teams. I wouldn’t label it an upset if we beat Pakistan or India. I would simply say that we played superior cricket on the day. It’s a game of cricket. Even the bigger teams can lose,” Jones noted.
The tournament co-hosts are placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, Ireland and Canada. Their first match is scheduled on 1 June against Canada in Dallas to kick off the T20 World Cup.
Limited tickets are still available for all matches in New York, including access to the Premium Club and the exclusive Diamond Club, where fans can mingle with cricket legends in the best seats in the stadium. Watch India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, Canada, Ireland and our hosts USA and be a part of history at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Visit tickets.t20worldcup.com to secure your tickets.
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