U.S. shocks cricket heavyweight Pakistan at T20 World Cup in Super Over tiebreaker

Aaron Jones hit the ball out of the park again and the United States edged cricket heavyweight Pakistan in a Super Over tiebreaker for one of the biggest upsets ever at a Twenty20 World Cup.

After a match-winning batting performance in the tournament opener against Canada, Jones was instrumental again Thursday in the dramatic win over 2022 runner-up Pakistan.

Cricket has a long but relatively little-known history in the United States, whereas Pakistan is an international power and a three-time T20 World Cup finalist. 

The star players are household names. Whereas Jones and the U.S. squad have flown in under the radar.

"Playing against Pakistan for the first time in the World Cup and beating them, it was an unbelievable performance," U.S. captain Monank Patel said. "Beating Pakistan, you know, it's a big achievement."

Before this match, very few recognized the U.S.A as a cricket team. Then Pakistan faced a crushing defeat from the USA, and now the world is buzzing about U.S. cricket. That's the highlight of the USA vs Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PakvsUSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PakvsUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/RYRHh83wbV">pic.twitter.com/RYRHh83wbV</a>

Patel said as far as he was concerned, the U.S. team's campaign was going to plan.

"We're not worried about what people are saying. We know what we are worth and what capability we have, and we just focus on, the particular game," he said. "We don't want to keep our emotions too high or low.

"We'll make sure that we whatever ... the win today, we will enjoy it and make sure that we next day, we come fresh."

It was a disastrous start for captain Babar Azam's Pakistan, which is due to meet fierce rival India on Sunday