England defeated the United States in their final Super 8 encounter, securing a spot in the T20 World Cup semifinals. Chris Jordan scored a hat-trick before Jos Buttler and Phil Salt ripped through the USA bowling innings.
In Bridgetown on Sunday, defending champions England defeated the USA by a 10-wicket margin to go to the T20 World Cup semifinals. Pacer Chris Jordan celebrated his birthplace with a spectacular hat-trick before captain Jos Buttler’s devastating blowout. In an impressive return, Jordan (4/10) replaced Mark Wood and cleaned up the USA tail, taking four wickets in five balls, including a hat-trick in the 19th over. England chose to bowl first, and the Americans crumpled for 115 in 18.5 overs.
In 9.4 overs, England finished the chase to become the first team to reach the showpiece semifinals. Buttler then scorched to a 38-ball 83 not out.
Buttler crushed seven sixes and six fours throughout his explosive innings, which left the USA bowling scarred and battered. He also struck five maximums in an over from Harmeet Singh.
Born and raised in Christ Church, Barbados, the 35-year-old Jordan started the penultimate over by full tossing Corey Anderson, who was well-set, for 29.
Jordan went on to dismiss Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar off consecutive deliveries to record the first hat-trick for England in Twenty20 Internationals. After Ali Khan survived the following ball, he was hit by a bouncer.
Jordan’s statistics were 4/10 from 2.5 overs.
Jordan became only the second bowler in T20 World Cup history to take four wickets in a single over.
“We summed up the situation very effectively… Rashid organized the game for us. Jordan answered, “First and foremost, points.”
Curtis Campher of Ireland was the first to take four wickets in a single over against the Netherlands at the 2021 tournament in Abu Dhabi.
Sam Curran (2/13) set off the collapse by dismissing Harmeet Singh (21; 17b) in the preceding over’s final delivery, and the United States collapsed spectacularly, losing five wickets in six deliveries for no score.
Adil Rashid had earlier set up the game with a pitiful 2/13 in four overs, returning with the player-of-the-match award.
“Coming here to bowl is always pleasant. Tight bowling from the other end by the bowlers also helps. You have to judge which end of the wind you will bowl from “explained Rashid.
Andries Gous attempted a similar shot and, two balls later, smashed the ball straight to Phil Salt at deep square leg after flicking Reece Topley towards fine leg for a six.
Nitish Kumar, on the other hand, top-edged a quick ball from Jofra Archer to go over deep third man and score a maximum.
Nitish, who was born in Canada, blasted a clean shot over long-on for a six the next ball after playing a magnificent shot over mid-on for a boundary off Topley.
As the first substitute, Curran struck in his opening over, ending Taylor’s middle-order stay, courtesy of a superb catch by Moeen Ali at backward point. Curran took his 50th wicket in T20 Internationals after Taylor’s dismissal.
The USA finished the powerplay at 48 for two after captain Aaron Jones promptly got off to a fast start by putting one through the third man area for a four.
Rashid, who has been playing well in the tournament, received the ball from Buttler, and the leg-spinner gave up just two runs in his opening spell.
In his second over, Rashid performed as predicted, bowling out Jones with a gorgeous googly to prevent the USA captain from facing his childhood buddy and schoolmate, Archer.
Growing up in Barbados, the two dreamed of representing their adopted country later in life by playing cricket for the West Indies on an international level.
After the boundaries had dried up, Rashid’s effective googly ended Nitish’s promising stay, and England tasted victory once more.
Nitish scored a four, two sixes, and two.
The USA were down to 88 for five at the end of the 14th over when Livingstone had Milind Kumar caught behind.
In an attempt to support the USA innings, Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh brought up the hundred in the seventeenth over. USA had a successful eighteen overs as they amassed 14 runs off Curran following a six and four from Harmeet. Nevertheless, Curran’s dismissal in the final ball proved to be the undoing of the innings.
