T20 World Cup 2024, USA vs SA: Left-arm fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar continued to impress in the tournament. In USA’s first Super 8 match against South Africa, he bowled 4 overs, gave just 21 runs and picked 2 wickets.
Saurabh Netravalkar continued to impress in the men’s T20 World Cup as the United States pacer stood out from the rest of the team’s bowlers against South Africa in their Super 8 match in Antigua. Netravalkar picked 2 wickets and conceded just 21 runs, thereby becoming the only USA bowler to concede less than 6 runs per over against the Proteas, who posted 194 on the board.
R Ashwin led the praise for the former India U19 fast bowler as the 32-year-old’s stocks continued to grow in the T20 World Cup.
On a day when South Africa batted with a lot more intent to post the highest total at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua in this tournament, Netravalkar came up with a fine spell of pace-bowling, operating in both the powerplay and at the death.
Saurabh Netravalkar🔥 #T20WorldCup
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) June 19, 2024
Saurabh Netravalkar must be thinking, it's not the only team project where I am doing most of the work.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) June 19, 2024
Bloody brilliant from Saurabh Netravalkar, yet again!
— Behram Qazi 🇵🇰 🇨🇦 (@DeafMango) June 19, 2024
Ends with 2/21 from his quota. His stock continues to rise ⭐
There was plenty of expectations from Saurabh Netravalkar after he shone for the USA in their historic performance in the group stage. In his first match on the big Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup, Netravalkar gave away just 3 runs, keeping Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks quiet after stand-in captain Aaron Jones won the toss and USA opted to bowl.
In his second over, Netravalkar got the big wicket of Reeza Hendricks. It was a well-disguised slower ball as the big-hitting South Africa opener failed to read it and mistimed one in the air, falling for 11 from as many balls. Netravalkar gave away just 7runs in his two-over spell in the powerplay in which South Africa scored 64 runs after Quinton de Kock went berserk.
Netravalkar returned to the attack in the 15th over and dismissed the South African captain, who was looking to go big. Aiden Markram fell for 46 off 32 after slicing a deliberately-bowled wider delivery into third man Ali Khan’s hands.
Netravalkar impressed in the 19th over, keeping the dangerous Tristan Stubbs quiet. The left-arm stuck to his plan, bowling wide deliveries and keeping the ball away from Stubbs’s hitting arc. The 32-year-old gave away just 6 runs in the 19th over to complete a remarkable spell.
Saurabh Netravalkar played a big role in USA’s progression to the Super 8. He picked 2 wickets against Pakistan in USA’s famous win and also delivered the goods in the Super Over in that game. Saurabh also picked 2 wickets against India, dismissing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the powerplay.
