Co-hosts USA began their 2024 World Cup campaign with a commanding seven-wicket victory over their northern neighbours and oldest rival, Canada.
USA became only the fifth Associate nation to win their inaugural match in T20 World Cups, joining the ranks of the Netherlands (vs England, Lord’s, 2009), Ireland (vs Bangladesh, Nottingham, 2009), Nepal (vs Hong Kong, Chattogram, 2014), and Oman (vs Ireland, Dharamsala, 2016).
The target of 195 is the third highest successfully chased in a T20 World Cup match, behind 230 by England against South Africa at Wankhede in 2016 and 206 by South Africa against West Indies in Johannesburg in 2007. It is also the highest target chased by the USA, surpassing their previous best of 169 against the same opponent in Houston earlier this year.
Aaron Jones’ unbeaten 94 is the second-highest individual score for USA in T20 Internationals, behind Steven Taylor’s unbeaten 101 against Jersey in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Bulawayo in 2022. In his debut World Cup innings, only Chris Gayle scored more runs with 117 against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2007.
10 Sixes and a Record Chase for the USA
Jones’ ten sixes tie him for the second most in a single innings at the T20 World Cup, matching Gayle’s earlier performance. Gayle holds the record with 11 sixes against England at Wankhede in 2016. Jones’ fifty, reached in 22 balls, is the fastest by a USA player in T20Is, surpassing Steven Taylor’s 24-ball fifty against Canada in Houston in April 2024.
Aaron Jones' blistering knock of 94* from only 40 balls bags him the @Aramco POTM award 🌟#USAvCAN | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/gLLhoZltZv
— ICC (@ICC) June 2, 2024
The 131-run partnership for the third wicket between Jones and Andries Gous is the highest for any wicket by the USA in T20Is, beating the 110-run stand between Sushant Modani and Gajanand Singh for the fifth wicket against Ireland in Lauderhill in 2021.
It’s also the second-highest third-wicket partnership in T20 World Cups, behind Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan’s 151-run stand against Sri Lanka in Chattogram in 2014.
When Jones came in at 42 for 2 in the seventh over, USA had lost openers Steven Taylor and Monank Patel. Despite Canada’s seamers moving the ball, Jones attacked the spinners, scoring 61 off 22 balls, and showed his prowess against pace with a 103-meter six off Dilon Heyliger.
The total of 391 runs in the match between the USA and Canada is the fourth highest in T20 World Cup history and the highest involving two Associate nations, surpassing the 382-run aggregate in Sylhet in 2014 when the Netherlands chased down 190, scoring 193 in just 13.5 overs.
Jeremy Gordon’s 14th over in the USA chase conceded 33 runs, making it the second most expensive in T20 World Cup history after Stuart Broad’s over to Yuvraj Singh in 2007. It included three sixes, two fours, three wides, and two no-balls, resulting in a dismissal.
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