USA stunned Bangladesh in their T20i opener. GETTY IMAGES

The United States achieved a significant upset by defeating Bangladesh by five wickets in the first T20 international of their three-match series, just ahead of co-hosting the Men's T20 World Cup next month.

Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh, the former India Under-19 cricketer, led USA to a surprising five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the first match of the three-game T20I series at the Prairie View Cricket Complex on Tuesday. The game was the inaugural international match between the two nations and served as a key preparation for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in the USA and West Indies from 1 June.

The hosts chose to field first and managed to restrict Bangladesh to 153/6, thanks to a brilliant spell by Steven Taylor, who took two wickets for nine runs. Bangladesh found themselves struggling at 68-4 in 11.2 overs, but Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah helped the team recover with a 67-run partnership off 47 balls.

Hridoy was the top scorer with 58 runs off 47 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes, while Mahmudullah contributed 31 runs from 22 balls. In their chase, the USA started cautiously, but Bangladesh’s bowlers kept the pressure on, causing the required run rate to increase. As a result, the home team was 94-5 inside 15 overs.




With 60 runs needed off 31 balls, Anderson and Singh took charge and turned the game in favor of the USA, securing victory from Bangladesh’s grasp. They formed an unbeaten 62-run partnership in just 28 balls, winning the match with three balls remaining.

Anderson scored 34 off 25 balls, hitting two sixes, while Singh contributed 33 runs off 13 balls, including three sixes and two fours. “It’s a great feeling,” Singh said post-match. “I was backing myself and the main aspect of the game was to stay in the game till the last. It came down to our best efforts in the last over and I think that was our plan.”

Speaking about Anderson, Singh added, “Definitely Corey brings a lot of experience. He himself played a lot of big tournaments, big games. He knows how to finish games and how to stay calm under pressure, finish till the last ball, we all look up to him.” 

The second T20I will take place at the same venue, in Houston, on 23 May.