USA captain Monank Patel was devastated. After a gruelling six-hour wait at the Nassau Medical Center hospital, he was advised to sit out the USA vs. India match due to a shoulder injury. As the team doctor tried to comfort him on their drive back to the team hotel in Queens, Monank remained inconsolable.
The news was a harsh blow following his stellar MVP performance against Pakistan, which had made him an overnight sensation in India. After achieving his childhood dream of defeating Pakistan in a World Cup game, Monank felt robbed of his greatest aspiration as a professional cricketer: playing against India.
Monank shared with Cricbuzz that it took him two days to come to terms with not playing against India. He had been eagerly anticipating the challenge of facing bowlers like Bumrah ever since the groups were announced. The constant messages and calls from friends and family only added to his frustration, forcing him to isolate himself to cope. The reality hit him hard when the teams lined up for the national anthems, realising how significant it would have been to participate as the USA captain. However, he had to move past it.
Unfortunately, things worsened for Monank. The Pakistan game turned out to be his last in the World Cup. A couple of single-digit scores in Morrisville during this year's Major League Cricket (MLC) further affected his mental state after recovering from his injury. Eager to return to Dallas, where he had once celebrated with his father after the Pakistan game, Monank saw it as a chance to start afresh.
Monank recalled his conversation with Coach Robbie, who informed him he would bat at number 4 in the upcoming game. Monank was determined to restart his tournament on a positive note, looking forward to a fresh start in Dallas. His near-match-winning knock of 61 from 45 deliveries was a testament to his resolve.
His innings was a game of two halves. Initially struggling at 9 off 16 deliveries with wickets falling around him, he tried to regain his form from the Pakistan game, albeit with brute force rather than finesse. After accidentally disturbing the stumps while rehearsing a shot, a moment reminiscent of his younger days, the script flipped for him. He was dropped on the next ball and then blasted 51 off the next 28 deliveries, almost pulling off an incredible win with Rashid Khan. Although Rashid fell for 50 off 23, their 97-run partnership for the fifth wicket posed a significant challenge to the Texas Super Kings.
Monank remembered Nicholas Pooran's advice before the game, encouraging him to earn the right to be his best again by persevering in the middle. A strategic batting timeout in the 13th over allowed the batting coach J Arun Kumar to remind Monank to maintain his focus and posture.
Rashid Khan encouraged Monank to stick to his game, promising to take the risks himself. Rashid explained that if they tried to play each other’s roles, neither would succeed. With this support, Monank regained his timing and shot selection, transitioning from ugly heaves to elegant uppercuts and precise sixes.
Despite their efforts, Monank and Rashid fell in the 20th over, narrowing MI New York’s defeat margin to 15 runs. Rashid pointed out their goal of scoring 30 in the next two overs, which would leave them needing 50 in the final three—exactly what transpired, keeping them close to victory.
Whether Monank's act of disturbing the stumps was intentional or not, it marked a turning point in his batting fortune. His journey from despair to nearly leading his team to victory is a testament to his resilience and determination.