Cricket

The United States cricket team, making its debut in the T20 World Cup, has made a strong impression with its impressive performances. After securing victories against Ireland and Pakistan, the USA currently holds the second position in Group A. They have a higher chance of qualifying for the Super 8 stage than Pakistan. However, recent events have cast a shadow over the team's success.USA batter Jaskaran Malhotra, who was excluded from the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, engaged in a public dispute with USA pacer Ali Khan on social media. During the team's loss to India, USA batter Shayan Jahangir was dismissed for a golden duck. Malhotra seized the opportunity to mock Jahangir, who had previously expressed his desire to demonstrate his superiority to Virat Kohli. Ali Khan responded by criticizing his former teammate's actions.Malhotra shared a meme on social media featuring an old quote from Jahangir, in which he expressed his ambition to face Virat Kohli and prove his dominance. Malhotra added a caption stating, "And this happened when he played against Virat and his team," along with an image of Jahangir being dismissed for a first-ball zero. Ironically, Kohli was also dismissed for a golden duck during India's run-chase, with former India U19 bowler Saurabh Netravalkar dismissing both him and skipper Rohit Sharma.After being omitted from the USA's T20 World Cup squad, Malhotra, known as "Mr Six Sixes #worldrecordholder," has been engaging in social media conflicts with his former USA teammates.Ali Khan expressed his disappointment, stating, "Never expected this from my ex teammate. Hate towards another player! Very unprofessional of you." Malhotra later deleted his original post and responded to Ali Khan, emphasizing his unwavering support for the USA cricket team.Malhotra's exclusion from the USA squad in favor of Jahangir appears to have caused some resentment, which has manifested in his social media actions.Despite their strong start, the USA team was brought back to reality by Team India, who struggled to secure a victory despite a top-order collapse. Suryakumar Yadav scored his first fifty of the tournament, guiding India to victory in 18.2 overs while chasing 111.The USA's fate remains in their own hands, as they can secure a Super 8 berth with a victory over Ireland on June 14.

Corey Anderson, a former New Zealand international, has been named in the USA squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Anderson, who represented New Zealand in the 2015 ODI World Cup and the 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cups, will now don the USA jersey for the upcoming tournament.The USA squad also includes Ali Khan, who has experience playing in various T20 leagues worldwide, and Shayan Jahangir, who has represented USA in 12 ODIs. Gajanand Singh and Usman Rafiq have been dropped from the squad that recently defeated Canada in a five-match T20I series.Monank Patel and Aaron Jones, who captained and vice-captained the team against Canada, have retained their positions. Patel was USA's leading run-scorer in that series, while Harmeet Singh and Shadley Van Schalkwyk were the top wicket-takers.Anderson, who has played in T20 leagues around the world, will bring valuable experience to the USA team. He has scored over 2,000 runs and taken over 100 wickets in T20 cricket. Khan, despite limited T20I experience, has played in the Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League, and International League T20.Jahangir, who began his career in Pakistan, has played 12 ODIs for USA. His inclusion adds depth to the team's batting lineup.USA will open the T20 World Cup against Canada in Dallas on June 1. The tournament will be co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies.