Cricket world is in shock after the United States, where cricket is a very niche sport, won over giants Pakistan in its first-ever World Cup.
Americans themselves barely noticed – the match was not even broadcast on TV.
British newspaper The Times calls it "one of the biggest upsets in cricket history", while the Australian Daily Telegraph writes that the Americans had "muted the cricket world".
USA's win over Pakistan in the men's cricket World Cup, played in the faster T20 format, was the least expected. Pakistan reached the final of the World Cup in 2022 and won in 2009, while the United States is participating for the first time ever.
But Americans themselves barely noticed the shock. Despite the United States, together with the West Indies, hosting the tournament, cricket is a very niche sport in the country. The match was played on a renovated baseball field in a suburb of Dallas – and it was not even broadcast on American TV.
The shocking win has however started to get attention online, and NPR radio tried to explain the significance to listeners by putting the win into an American context:
"Pakistan losing to the United States is like the Boston Red Sox losing to the Durham Bulls", said the program host and referred to one of the United States' largest baseball teams – and a lesser-known team from North Carolina playing in the lower league.
Cricket-loving Americans now hope that the win will increase interest in the sport in the country.
