The T20 World Cup 2024 got off to a terrific start at Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas on June 2. USA on their T20 World Cup debut beat Canada by seven wickets with 14 balls to spare as they pulled off the third-highest run chase in the history of the tournament. Barbados-born Aaron Jones went berserk in the run chase hitting 10 sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 40-ball 94 to stun Canada who were dominating the proceedings till the 14th over of USA’s run chase.
Fifties help Canada post fighting total
USA skipper Monank Patel won the toss and opted to bowl first. Aaron Johnson and Navneet Dhaliwal got Canada off to a decent start. Harmeet Singh broke the partnership in the sixth over with Johnson's wicket. He scored 23 runs from 16 balls. Pargat Singh failed to make an impact as he was run out for a single-digit score. Dhaliwal and Nicholas Kirton accelerated in the middle overs and stitched a crucial partnership. Dhaliwal reached his fifty from 36 balls. Corey Anderson was introduced in the 15th over and he delivered with Dhaliwal's wicket. The opener scored 61 runs from 44 balls including six fours and three sixes.
In the 17th over, Kirton reached his half-century from 28 balls. In the next over, Ali Khan got rid of him with a yorker as Anderson took an easy catch at extra cover. He departed after scoring 51 runs from 31 balls including three fours and a couple of sixes. In the penultimate over, Dilpreet Singh hit a six before he was run out. In the final over, Shreyas Movva hit a couple of sixes and a four to help Canada post 194/5. He remained unbeaten for a 16-ball 32.
Slow start for USA
In the run chase, USA lost Kaleem Sana early to Steve Taylor for a two-ball duck. The run chase got off to a slow start as USA had 41/1 after powerplay overs. Skipper Patel could not carry on and lost his wicket to Dillon Heyliger. Andries Gous and Jones tried to accelerate with one six each in the ninth over. At the halfway stage, they were 81/2. In the 13th over, Jones went berserk with three sixes. He reached his half-century from 22 balls, fastest for USA in the format.
33-run over, Jones finishes in style
In the 14th over, an under pressure Jeremy Gordon made a few too many mistakes. He bowled wides, no balls in the 11-ball over. Gous hit two sixes and as many fours whereas Jones hit a maximum as well. Gordon conceded 33 runs in the over. Meanwhile, Gous reached his fifty from 39 balls. In the 15th over, USA had a chance to make a comeback but Jones' catch was dropped. Nikhil Dutta got the breakthrough for Canada with the wicket of Gous in the 16th over. He scored 65 runs from 46 balls including seven fours and three sixes. They shared a 131-run partnership for the third wicket. In the 18th over, Jones ensured there was no anti-climax. He hit Dutta for a four and two sixes to take USA home.
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