Pakistan beat USA as Farhan, spinners deliver a dominant 7-run victory
Pakistan beat USA as Farhan’s fireworks lift Green Shirts to commanding T20 win
For Pakistan cricket fans, this match brought back confidence and calm—something the team had been missing for a while. At the Sinhalese Sports Club ground, the national side finally delivered a performance that felt sharp, controlled, and reassuring. The headline was simple and satisfying: Pakistan beat USA with a strong all-round show, where both batting and spin bowling came together at the right time.
This victory also held emotional value. Two years ago, USA stunned Pakistan with an upset that fans still remember. But this time, Pakistan beat USA with authority, fixing that painful memory and securing their second straight win in the tournament.
Farhan’s explosive 73 sets the tone
The turning point of the match was the elegant yet destructive batting display by Farhan. The 29-year-old right-hander smashed his way to 73 off just 41 balls. His innings had:
5 sixes
6 fours
Pure attacking intent
His clean hitting made it easier for Pakistan to build momentum.This stand was the real backbone of the total and a key reason why Pakistan beat USA with a strong margin.
Their partnership allowed Pakistan to recover quickly after losing Saim Ayub for 19 and Salman Agha for just 1—both falling in the same over to Shadley van Schalkwyk.
Middle-order collapse but total reaches 190
After scoring freely for most of the innings, Pakistan stumbled in the last two overs—losing five wickets for just 13 runs. Still, thanks to the earlier acceleration, Pakistan ended with 190-9, a total strong enough for their spinners to work with.
Shadab Khan added a quick 30 off 12 balls during the late overs. Without his cameo, Pakistan beat USA might not have been the final storyline of the evening.
USA bowlers show fight
Shadley van Schalkwyk once again impressed. After taking four wickets against India, he repeated his form with 4-25 here too. Harmeet Singh also bowled well and broke the key stand by dismissing Farhan.
USA’s bowling effort was spirited, but the momentum Pakistan built in the first 15 overs proved too strong to contain—and ultimately, Pakistan beat USA because of that long stretch of dominance.
Spin magic: Tariq and Shadab crush USA’s chase
The USA batting lineup started with confidence. At one stage, they were 123-3, but that’s where Pakistan’s spin attack began tightening the screws.
Tariq bowled one of the best spells of his career, taking 3-27, while Shadab Khan followed with 2-26. Their controlled bowling forced USA into defensive mode at exactly the wrong time.
This was another major reason Pakistan beat USA without much pressure in the end.
Shaheen Afridi’s special moment
Shaheen Shah Afridi, playing his 100th T20 international, delivered when needed. He broke the resistance of Shubham Ranjane, who was batting brilliantly. Ranjane’s 30-ball 51 kept USA alive before he fell to Shaheen.
USA opener Shayan Jahangir also impressed with a 34-ball 49 loaded with powerful strokes. Milind Kumar’s 29 pushed the score forward too, but Pakistan spinners slowed the innings so effectively that USA couldn’t keep up.
And that is why, despite early resistance, Pakistan beat USA by restricting them to 158-8 in 20 overs.
Captains react after the match
Pakistan captain Salman Agha called it a “clinical performance.” He praised the team for posting 190 and said they were confident they could defend it. However, he admitted that bowling in the powerplay needs improvement.
USA captain Monank Patel also reflected on missed opportunities. He said his team started well but lost momentum in the middle overs—another moment where Pakistan beat USA through discipline rather than just aggression.
