NEW DELHI: Newcomers USA on Friday scripted history at the T20 World Cup as they advanced to the next round of the cricketing extravaganza at Pakistan's expense.
After their final Group A game against Ireland resulted in a washout in Florida, the tournament co-hosts USA pipped Pakistan to move to the Super 8 stage alongside India from their group.
And one of the biggest reasons for USA's incredible run at the T20 World Cup has been Saurabh Netravalkar. The left-arm pacer played a huge role in the shock Super Over win over Pakistan that helped his side go through the next round.
An AI engineer by profession, Netravalkar loves coding as much as cricket and has been juggling between the two during the World Cup.
After his matches, Netravalkar has been working for his company -- Oracle -- remotely from the hotel rooms.
And when the company shared an appreciation post for their 'star' employee, fans asked the software company to grant him leaves during the tournament and give him a pay hike.
Netravalkar is an alumni of the prestigious Cornell University and a senior techie (coder) at the Oracle.
"I have never felt the pressure. When you love something, it is never a job for you. So when I am out there on the field, I love bowling and trying to out-think a batter. When I am coding, I love doing that and hence it never feels like work," the left-arm seamer, who has suddenly become the talk of the town, couldn't have put it more lucidly," Netravalkar told news agency PTI during a recent interview.
"Actually, we just flew down from Dallas to New York. I will be honest that it has been quite overwhelming. I wish I could personally thank each and everyone for their lovely messages. I feel blessed," he added.
The US team has used home advantage to make a stunning first impression in its first major cricket tournament.
The Super 8 appearance has ensured USA's automatic qualification for the 2026 edition of the T20 World Cup as well.
