Sport

Two South Africans flying the USA flag at T20 World Cup

Ongama Gcwabe|Published

FORMER South African Shadley van Schalkwyk runs in to bowl for the United States against India at the T20 World Cup last week. Photo: IANS

WHO would’ve seen this coming, that the United States of America would secure a Super Eight spot in a home World Cup?

However, the co-hosts were somehow able to sneak into the next phase of the ongoing T20 World Cup with a massive victory over Pakistan the highlight of their tournament thus far.

USA also came close to knocking India over at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York two weeks ago, as they set former world champions 109 runs to win and took the game deep, with India winning by seven wickets with 10 balls remaining.

Their seven-wicket victory over Canada in the tournament’s curtain raiser, coupled by their abandoned match against Ireland, meant the Americans had done just enough to progress to the next phase.

Behind all the success is a group of players from different walks of life, a group that would not have dreamt of playing alongside each other or for the United States.

In that side, there are two South Africa-born cricketers in former Knights all-rounder Shadley van Schalkwyk, who is originally from Cape Town, and batter Andries Gous.

Corey Anderson, the explosive left-handed batter who has represented New Zealand in many World Cups, boosts USA’s top-order and brings experience to the batting line-up.

Two former India Under-19 players, Harmeet Singh and Saurabh Netravalkar, also consistently make up USA’s playing XI at the World Cup and were key to the team’s success throughout.

One of the few US-born players in the squad, Aaron Jones, has been by far the best player in the side as he took the world by storm with a 40-ball 94 against Canada, smashing 10 sixes and four boundaries in his unbeaten knock.

Despite being born in Queens in New York, Jones played almost all his cricket in the Caribbean, and featured alongside Shai Hope and Jason Holder in the Barbados team.

Jones and his teammates take on South Africa at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua in the first match of the Super Eight phase today, and will then take on the West Indies on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, and England at the same venue on Sunday.

The knowledge about the Proteas players that Gous and Van Schalkwyk possess will come in handy as the co-hosts are set to play their first-ever fixture against South Africa.

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