USA (=15th)
Results:
Group Stage: vs Ireland, lost by 7 wickets (with 163 balls remaining)
Group Stage: vs Bangladesh, lost by 121 runs
Group Stage: vs India, lost by 201 runs.
Playoff: vs Afghanistan, lost by 3 wickets (with 1 ball to spare)
Analysis
It was a tough return to the Under-19 World Cup for the USA, after a 14-year absence, losing all four games. But most difficult was a penultimate-ball defeat to Afghanistan in the playoffs. Having scrapped to 148 all out, ten balls shy of the full 50 overs, the USA had responded strongly to reduce the Afghans to 11/3 inside 7 overs. Though Afghanistan rebuilt with a couple of partnerships, USA again took a flurry of wickets to take control at 101/7. An 8th wicket partnership took the game to the final over, where the Afghans needed four to win. And after two dot balls from Khush Bhalala, Afghanistan number 9 Arab Gul hit a six to seal the game, and a harrowing defeat for the USA.
If USA had targeted their opening game against Ireland as a potential victory, they fell well short in a crushing defeat. Bowled out for 105 by a mixed attack, USA struck twice early on through Arya Garg but failed to apply any further pressure, as Ireland completed the chase inside 23 overs, with 7 wickets in hand. Only number-nine Bhalala passed 20 with the bat for the Americans.
The campaign was characterised by timid batting and poor preparations. In their group stage fixtures against Bangladesh and India, the USA made no discernible effort to chase scores of 292 and 327 respectively, choosing instead to bat out time. Scores of 170 all out against Bangladesh, and 125/8 against India point to a team who were not necessarily there to compete.
With only 548 runs scored collectively across the four games, the run charts are slim, with only two batters – Utkarsh Srivastava and Prannav Chettipalayam – scoring 100 or more runs. Arya Garg led the wickets tally with eight.
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