In a T20 match, the United States defeats Ireland by 26 runs.

LAUDERHILL, Calif. (AFP) — On Wednesday, the United States won a legendary and well-deserved T20 cricket series against Ireland to get the most crucial series in their history started to the greatest possible start.

A brilliant 65 from Gajanand Singh helped the hosts reach a competitive 188 for 6 in their 20 overs, and some disciplined bowling from Saurabh Netravalkar and Ali Khan helped keep the Irish at bay to secure an opening victory in the five-game series, the first ever at home against a Test playing nation.

If the United States wants to compete at the top level, more performances like these will be needed to keep them on track.

Coming into the match, Ireland had never lost against an American team, having thrashed them four times in T20 World Cup qualification matches from 2010 to 2015.

However, the visitors were clearly second best in Florida, as the US recorded their best-ever Twenty20 victory over a Test-playing nation.

“This is a terrific start,” spinner Nisarg Patel, who took 2-27, told AFP.

“We’ve been playing good for a year and a half now. Winning against stronger teams like Ireland will send a positive message throughout the country and beyond the world.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep it continuing.”

It was the first of five games between the sides (two T20s and three one-day internationals), with Ireland’s entrance in the United States hampered by some Covid-19 instances in the camp.

Reaching the World Cup in any format, as well as playing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, remains the US goal, while plans to develop an American professional league, Major League Cricket, within the next two years are well underway.

Young players are also being developed, with 18-year-old Ritwk Behera from Rockville, Maryland, and Yasir Mohammad from New Jersey the only players in the starting XI at Broward County Stadium who were born in the United States.

Skipper Patel’s squad was keen to get off to a solid start and prove to the raucous couple of hundred supporters in attendance, as well as the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s worldwide governing body, that they were worthy of future high-profile series.

Early on, the US squad struggled against a new-look Ireland side looking to rebound from a dismal T20 World Cup performance, falling to 16 for four early, including losing skipper Patel to the second ball of the encounter.

Singh blasted the first six of the match in the 12th over, demonstrating how slowly the US got off to a good start, and went on to hit four more sixes in a superb, vital innings of 65.

Modani added a vital 50 before Marty Kain, one of five debutants for the home side, smashed a quick-fire 39 from just 15 balls to help the hosts reach a very competitive total of 188 for six from their 20 overs.

Ireland’s late-innings bowling was dreadful, and their batting response got off to the worst possible start when skipper Andy Balbirnie was out in the first over.

A breezy 31 from 15 balls from opener Paul Stirling, on the other hand, calmed the ship, and Ireland were 74 for three at the halfway mark, implying a close finish.

The Americans, on the other hand, stuck in there, and because to some tight bowling and superb fielding, the visitors found themselves requiring a daunting 76 from 37 balls, which was much beyond them.

The teams will meet again on Thursday before playing 50-over games on the 26th, 28th, and 30th of December.

188-6, USA (G.Singh 65, S.Modani 50, M.Kain 39; B. McCarthy 4-30). Ireland 162-6 (L. Tucker 57*, P. Stirling 31, S. Getkate 19, S. Netravalkar 2-26).

The United States wins by a score of 26 runs.