In what could only be described as a cricketing Twilight Zone episode, the United States pulled off an improbable victory against Pakistan in a Super Over, a match format that even cricket fans must secretly admit sounds like a DJ's remix. This historic upset in the Twenty20 World Cup left cricket purists and casual American sports fans alike collectively scratching their heads. For the uninitiated, think of it as if the Seattle Seahawks just beat FC Barcelona in a penalty shootout. CNN reports the match took place on Thursday in the ever-cricket-savvy city of Dallas.

The United States, a country known more for its baseball and hot dogs than its cricket and tea, is co-hosting the World Cup for the first time along with the West Indies. To add a cherry on top of this bizarre sundae, the USA team is ranked a lowly No. 18 in the world, while last year's runners-up, Pakistan, hold a respectable No. 6 ranking (CNN).

In a plot twist that would make M. Night Shyamalan proud, it was Nitish Kumar who managed to hit a boundary in the dying moments of the match, forcing the Super Over and giving cricket statisticians around the world mild heart palpitations (CNN). The U.S. team then went on to post a score of 18 runs in the Super Over (USA Today), with bowler Saurabh Netravalkar ensuring Pakistan could only muster 13 runs in reply.

Monank Patel, the USA captain, was the team’s top batter and crowned the player of the match. Clearly, it was a day where American cricketers woke up and decided they, too, could have dreams (USA Today).

In a plot development that might have come from a satirical script, the USA also stormed to victory against Canada in their Group A opener, putting them pretty as a picture at the top of Group A with a solid 4 points. Now, American fans, who hours ago weren’t sure whether cricket was a sport or a type of insect, are furiously Googling "how to win T20 World Cup" (CNN).

Interestingly, India's inclusion in Group A adds another twist to the tale. They are one of the favorites to win the tournament, making USA's climb to the top even more akin to a reality TV star winning a Nobel Prize (CNN). But all eyes will be on Pakistan as they face off against archrivals India in New York on Sunday. Talk about a high-stakes playground squabble (CNN).

For now, the USA's upcoming matches against India and Ireland will be a true test of whether this is a Cinderella story or some very American wishful thinking (CNN). Pakistan, having put up 159-7 in their innings and seeing the U.S. tie the match with 159-3 before the Super Over (USA Today), are left to ruminate on what went wrong. Captain Babar Azam didn't mince words, pinpointing a lack of effective partnerships for their less-than-sparkling performance (USA Today).

The cricket world is rife with suspense, intrigue, and more what's-than-you-can-shake-a-stump-at. If anything, this episode has shown the unpredictable beauty of sports where on any given day, even the most improbable underdogs can rewrite the script. As the American team looks ahead, one thing is clear: cricket in the USA may no longer be just the curiosity it once was—it might just be the new drama series we didn't know we needed.