16th over: USA 126-3 ( Nitish 2, Jones 17) Target 160 The last over of spin, from Shadab. Jones slog-sweeps for two, then, like he did against Canada, hugely for six. Watchful tension in the crowd. 34 needed off four overs.

15th over: USA 115-3 ( Nitish 1, Jones 4) Target 160 Suddenly the switch. Two new batters at the crease. Just four from the over. 45 needed.

Monank goes for the dollar shot but gets an edge, gratefully received by Rizwan on the dive.

14th over: USA 111-2 ( Monank 50, Jones 4) Target 160 But as Gous goes, Pakistan must now face Jones who powered that magnificent innings against Canada. He’s off the mark with a lucky inside edge for four through fine leg, three wides as well in the over.

Feet in iron boots, Gous can’t get this one away and loses the trimmings of his stumps.

13th over: USA 104-1 ( Monank 50, Gous 35) Target 160 Afridi speeds in, long legs, approaching gloom. Monanck plays and misses at the first ball, sends the second tumbling through mid-off for four and reaches his half century with a six over Afridi’s head. Huge applause as he blows a kiss to the sky. Brilliant innings. Easy pickings.

12th over: USA 94-1 ( Monank 40, Gous 35) Whatever the question was, Iftikhar isn’t the answer. Monanck picks up two consecutive fours, swinging him over cover. Pakistan get into a green huddle and ask for a new ball. The umpire agrees and the new-old ball is handed to Shaheen Shah Afridi. USA need 66 off 48.

11th over: USA 84-1 ( Monank 34, Gous 31) Gous showing just why he’s so highly rated, pulling Naseem for four over deep midwicket. Lots of Pakistan hands on hips in the field. A slow bouncer over Monank’s head is called wide, Naseem keeping it tighter than most though.

10th over: USA 76-1 ( Monank 30, Gous 28) Shadab gives a ball plenty of air, Gous sniffs and and fames it over the sightscreen for six. Drinks, with USA well ahead, needing 84 from the last ten.

9th over: USA 65-1 ( Monank 28, Gous 20) USA making quick singles look easy where Pakistan made it look like plucking petals off daisies in wicketkeeping gloves . USA bowled 47 dot balls to Pakistan, not sure Pakistan are going to reach those heady heights. One dot from Haris Rauf’s over but a drive through backward point brings a boundary from the last ball.

8th over: USA 56-1 ( Monank 24, Gous 15) Now Shadab – can he make the breakthrough? No, but he does slows the scoring. Win predictor give USA a 62 per cent chance of victory and Pakistan need wickets fast. USA could start to cramp as the reality of possible victory starts to sink in, but showing no signs of it here.

7th over: USA 51-1 ( Monank 20, Gous 14) USA jauntily placed after the power play. Haris Rauf, who was the best bowler on display at The Oval in Pakistan’s last match, gets his turn. Gous tucks into a full toss and dispatches it elegantly for four – the camera picks up Babar throwing out his arms in dismay.

A nice read from Ali on Jofra Archer:

6th over: USA 44-1 ( Monank 19, Gous 8) Naseem nearly gets a second immediately as Gous edges just short of Iftikhar at slip, and it squeaks through the fingers and down to the rope. Gous picks up a second four with a short armed pull.

That’s more like it. Length perfection and an outside edge into the gloves of Rizwan.

5th over: USA 36-0 (Taylor 12, Monank 19) Amir back from the other end. Keeps his radar this time but still eight from the over, including a short one pulled for four by Monank.

4th over: USA 28-0 (Taylor 9, Monank 14) Mohammad Amir doesn’t get a second over, as Babar throws the ball to Naseem. He manages to stem the flow, with just four from the over. Stars and stripes being waved in the crowd as spectators crouch from the blazing sun under umbrellas.

3rd over: USA 24-0 (Taylor 7, Monank 12) Afridi starts with two dots, a single follows and another leg-side wide. A very unhappy Afridi then has to watch Monack get a thick edge and the ball fly past an unmoving Iftikhar at slip. The next ball is a dodgy full toss driven for four with aplomb. A huge appeal to the final ball – Pakistan ask the question but it pitches outside leg – so they lose a review. Not an ideal start this for Pakistan.

2nd over: USA 14-0 (Taylor 6, Monank 4) Amir starts with two wides – not the start Rizwan was after. A super stop at backward point prevents a boundary. Eeek, another legside wide. Babar marches behind Amir as he walks back to his mark to whisper words of wisdom. Good spot from the commentators – Pakistan have already bowled more wides than USA did in Pakistan’s entire innings. Monack throws the bat and picks up four as the ball flies off the toe end through backward point for four. I think he’s broken his bat.

1st over: USA 6-0 (Taylor 4, Monank 0) Afridi, tall, bearded. A third ball wide, a fourth ball full toss which Taylor pans to the extra-cover boundary. A very enthusiastic Rizwan appeals for a catch off the last – the ball has flicked something but the umpire says no, and in the end Pakistan decide not to review. Just as well as it flicked the pad.

Here we go! How will the USA cope with Shaheen Shah Afridi?

I’m going to grab a quick cup of tea. Back v shortly.

20th over: Pakistan 159-7 ( Afridi 23, Haris 3) Afridi swings and misses at a bouncer from Ali Khan – tries to steal two runs off a dead ball and is firmly put in his place by the umpires. Swings and misses at the second. Pakistan struggling to get bat on ball, a couple of singles, a wide, then boom-boom six over the sight screen and into the top tier. “Afridi” shout the crowd, but he can’t oblige off the last ball from the superb Ali Khan, pinching just a single off a yorker.

Brilliant by USA, who now get to chase a gettable target at a ground where, according to the USA captain, chasing is the easiest of the suites.

19th over: Pakistan 149-7 ( Afridi 15, Haris 2) The end of a superb bowling performance by Netravalkar – Afridi tonks six over long-on with great panache, nearly falls to the last ball , top edging into the stratosphere but the ball lands safely.

Given out immediately on the pitch, Pakistan review. Let’s see – a slower full toss that Iftikhar misses as he goes for a sweep: no inside edge but it bellows into the front pad on leg stump. Pakistan could have done with him there right till the end.

18th over: Pakistan 139-6 (Iftikhar 18, Afridi 7 ) Ali Khan with the 18th, Afridi has a wild swing at a full toss and picks up four. But no more boundaries, and a v clever selection of yorkers to restrict the scoring.

17th over: Pakistan 132-6 (Iftikhar 16, Afridi 2 ) Iftikhar cuts a juicy wide one to the deep third boundary, but Anderson responds by tightening everything up and there is only six from the over.

“A very interesting tussle between the experienced but nervy Pakistan and the new kids on the block known as the USA team who are playing exceptionally, especially the slow left-armer Kenjigge.” writes Colum Fordham.

“Azam Khan is defintely an enigma, with the build of Oliver Hardy. His golden duck doesn’t inspire after his comic wicket-keeping against England in the warm-up matches.” Choices for the selectors ahead of India v Pakistan in New York on Sunday .