PNG vs USA Match Highlights
Papua New Guinea vs United States: Cruising at 108 for 1 in a modest 212-run chase, USA committed hara-kiri, losing 7 wickets to add the next 49 runs. Assad Vala, who had previously stood tall with a courageous 64 on a crumbling track, linked up with Charles Amini and the rest of the PNG bowlers to destroy USA at a time when a PNG triumph appeared improbable. An ordinary pitch, some brilliant bowling from PNG, and some poor shot-making from the USA conspired to give PNG an elusive ODI victory. Here in this article, Let us look at PNG vs USA Match Highlights in detail.
PNG was put into bat by the USA on a surface that deteriorated as the game continued in a low scoring contest a couple of days ago. Lega Siaka found his footing after a shaky start, easily crunching a couple of limits. He introduced Nisarg Patel to the attack by drilling him for the opening six runs of the game.
Siaka and Hiri Hiri raced to a half-century stand in the 10th over, but just as Siaka began to warm up to the USA bowlers, the previous game’s hero, Nosthish Kenjige, trapped him in front to cut his quick innings of 35 short.
After Hiri Hiri fell in the 14th over, Assad Vala took leadership of a deflated PNG innings. Vala once again delivered a masterpiece on a shaky wicket. The USA rotated their army of spinners to keep PNG at bay with timely wickets.
The USA had PNG on the ropes at 146 for 7, but PNG’s tail wagged amid Vala’s calming presence to score 65 in the final ten minutes, giving them something to aspire for in familiar home circumstances at Port Morseby.
Steven Taylor looked in menacing touch, blasting four boundaries in short succession, defying the circumstances. After acclimating to his new surroundings, Taylor was sent back by Semo Kamea on the most harmless of full tosses. Sai Teja Mukkamalla, a teenage batting prodigy, and captain Monank Patel batted with languid ease, accumulating 77 for the second wicket.
Mukkamalla, who was opening the innings for the second time in his brief international career, appeared tenacious in his approach, top scoring with a courageous 46. Monank fell to an unfortunate attempt to flex his power game, holing out at far on, with just over a hundred runs in arrears and nine wickets in hand.
PNG pounced all over the United States following Monank’s firing. In the next over, Norman Vanua cleaned up a set Mukkamalla as USA began to slip on a long banana skin. The USA seemed even more befuddled after Aaron Jones’ departure, going 5 for 8 as Amini went wild with his leg spin. The innocuous rescue attempts of Gajanand Singh and Cameron Stevenson allowed the USA to hobble forward, but Vala finished off the tail with 26 runs to spare.
