The T20 World Cup 2024 has kicked off today with an exhilarating match between Canada and host USA at the Dallas Cricket Stadium, marking both teams' debut in the T20 World Cup. USA, facing a daunting target of 195 runs, achieved the feat with 14 balls remaining and only 3 wickets down, making a sensational start to their T20 World Cup journey. At one point, USA was struggling after losing both openers, but Andres Gous alongside Aaron Jones changed the game completely.
The duo forged a critical 121-run partnership for the third wicket in just 9.1 overs. Andres Gous scored a brisk 65 off 46 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes before being caught by Aaron Johnson off Nikhil Dutta's bowling. Aaron Jones remained unbeaten, smashing 94 runs from just 40 deliveries that included 4 fours and a whopping 10 sixes, making Canada's substantial target look effortless. Corey Anderson stayed not out on 3 runs. Despite Canada's captain Saad Bin Zafar employing six bowlers against the USA, none were able to contain Jones and Gous.
Dillon Heliger was the only bowler who made some impact, taking 1 wicket for 19 runs in his 3 overs. Nikhil Dutta and Kaleem Sana also took one wicket each but proved to be expensive. USA's captain Monank Patel and Steven Taylor started the chase for the target of 195 runs set by Canada, but the Canadian bowler Kaleem Sana stunned the USA by taking Taylor out LBW without opening his account in the very first over. Monank Patel too failed to impress with the bat, managing a slow 16 runs off 16 balls with 2 fours before becoming Dillon Heliger's victim, caught by Shreyas Movva behind the stumps.
Prior to this, USA won the toss and elected to bowl first. Canada put up a formidable score of 194 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs. Shreyas Movva contributed a quickfire 32 from 16 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes, and Dillon Heliger returned unbeaten on 1 run, setting USA a target of 195 in 120 balls. Canada received a blow in the 8th over when Pargat Singh was run out, having made only 5 runs off 7 balls. Harmeet Singh managed to send Aaron Johnson back to the pavilion, caught by Nitish Kumar, after a brief 23-run effort laced with 5 fours.
Canada's Navneet Dhaliwal scored a solid half-century with 61 runs from 44 balls, decorating his innings with 6 fours and 3 sixes before being caught by Jesse Singh off Corey Anderson's bowling. Nicholas Kirton contributed 51 runs in 31 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes before being caught by Corey Anderson off Ali Khan. Dilpreet Singh was run out after making 11 runs in 5 balls, including a four and a six. The USA's captain Monank Patel utilized seven bowlers against Canada, with Ali Khan (1 for 41), Corey Anderson (1 for 29), and Harmeet Singh (1 for 27) ending as the successful bowlers.
