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By Aranyak Mojumder
The group stage of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 has witnessed some enthralling action including record performances, upsets and nailbiting finishes.
As the teams ready themselves to battle it out in the Super Eight stage from June 19, we take a look at the thrilling encounters that went right down to the wire.
On 3 June, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 witnessed its first Super Over as the thrilling encounter between the two teams from Group C ended on level terms after both innings.
Namibia restricted Oman to just 109 runs, thanks to exceptional spells from their bowlers, with Ruben Trumpelmann (four wickets), David Wiese (three wickets), Gerhard Erasmus (two wickets), and Bernard Scholtz (one wicket) sharing the 10 wickets between them.
Mehran Khan’s incredible spell with the ball in the second innings, where he picked up three wickets in his three overs, helped Oman pull the game till the last over where they restricted Namibia to 109/6. In the final over, Mehran gave only four runs to tie the match.
In the Super Over, Wiese (13 runs in 4 balls) and Erasmus (8 runs in 2 balls) showed their skills with the bat as Namibia scored 21 runs. During Oman's Super Over, Wiese delivered once more with the ball and picked a wicket for 10 runs.
USA stun Pakistan in a dramatic Super Over finale in Dallas at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
In their opening fixture of the Men’s T20 World Cup, on 6 June, Pakistan were stunned by the USA, in the second Super Over thriller of the tournament.
Batting first, the Asian side set a 160-run target for the USA, courtesy of a stable knock from captain Babar Azam (44 runs in 43 balls) and explosive innings from Shadab Khan (40 runs in 25 balls) and Shaheen Afridi (23 runs in 16 balls).
But USA kept fighting with their all till the very end with Monak Patel (50 runs in 38 balls), Aaron Jones (36 runs in 26 balls) and Andries Gous (35 runs in 26 balls) all making valuable contributions to force the game to a Super Over.
In the Super Over, USA scored 18 runs and then Saurabh Netravalkar followed it up with a solid effort as Pakistan fell short by five runs.
India bowlers shine in low-scoring thriller in New York
On 9 June, in the much anticipated between the arch-rivals, India edged past Pakistan in what could be considered as one of the best comebacks in the Men's T20 World Cup history.
Pakistan’s exceptional bowling attack contained the Indian batters to just 119 runs. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf stood out with three wickets each. Rishabh Pant top-scored for India with a stroke-filled 42 from 31 balls.
In reply, Mohammad Rizwan (31 runs in 44 balls) played a steady hand that almost guaranteed Pakistan a win but Usman Khan's dismissal in the 10th over turned the game in India's favour. Jasprit Bumrah played a decisive role with his 3/14, which included a brilliant 19th over wherein he conceded only two runs for a wicket.
With 18 needed off the last over, Naseem Shah managed a couple of lusty blows but the Men in Blue secured a six-run win, leaving Pakistan with a tough qualification scenario.
South Africa booked their spot in the second round from Group D with a tense win over Bangladesh.
The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium witnessed yet another classic nail-biter when South Africa and Bangladesh locked horns on 10 June.
South Africa got 113 runs on the board with Heinrich Klaasen scoring 46 runs in 44 balls. Tanzim Sakib and Taskin Ahmed dominated the South African batters, sharing five wickets between them.
The Proteas did not go down without a fight as they pushed the game to the last over, with Bangladesh requiring 11 runs from the last six balls. Despite Mahmudullah's best attempts, Keshav Maharaj held on for the Proteas. The left-arm spinner picked two wickets including the all-important scalp of Mahmudullah, who fell to a stunning catch from South Africa skipper Markram in the deep as Bangladesh fell short by four runs.
Alongside Maharaj’s three-wicket spell, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje bagged two wickets each.
The Proteas won by one run
South Africa pulled off another thriller when they faced Nepal in their final group match on 15 June.
Batting first, South Africa set a 116-run target for the Asian side as Reeza Hendricks scored 43 runs off 49 balls. In a dominant bowling display for Nepal, Kushal Bhurtel bagged himself a four-wicket haul, followed by Dipendra Airee who picked up three wickets.
Defending a low target, South Africa failed to pick up a wicket in the Powerplay. But with Tabraiz Shamsi coming into action in the 8th over, the tide started to turn as he picked up two wickets in his opening spell while conceding only two runs.
With a total of 4 wickets in his 4 overs for just 19 runs, Shamsi eventually led South Africa to a one-run win. In the final over, Nepal needed 8 runs to register a historic win but Ottneil Baartman held his nerve and gave away only six.
Gulshan Jha was within inches of taking the match to the Super Over but couldn't level the scores as a throw by keeper Quinton de Kock ricocheted off his back into the arms of Heinrich Klaasen who affected a direct run-out.
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