American batsman Aaron Jones bludgeoned an unbeaten 94 from just 40 balls to propel the USA to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Canada in the T20 World Cup's opening match on Saturday.
The World Cup got a festive kick-off with two opening ceremonies! The USA kicked things off with a vibrant show filled with acrobatic dancers, colorful displays, and energetic music. This happened before the first match between the USA
and Canada. Over in the Caribbean, another opening ceremony happened on Sunday to welcome fans before the West Indies take on Papua New Guinea at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
Born in New York but raised in Barbados, Jones unleashed a brutal assault on the Canadian attack, launching ten sixes as he single-handedly shifted the momentum of the game. He forged a superb 131-run partnership for the third wicket with Andries Gous, a former South African Under-19 batsman who contributed a well-made 65 from 46 balls.
The partnership rescued the USA from a precarious 42-2 in the seventh over, propelling them towards a comfortable finish of 173-3 in the 16th over. Former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson joined Jones at the crease, and fittingly, it was Jones who sealed the emphatic victory with his tenth six of the innings.
This was a dream start for the co-hosts, with the enthusiastic crowd at the compact Grand Prairie Stadium erupting in delight as Jones dominated the Canadian bowling attack.
"It's difficult to express it in words," admitted Jones, whose ten sixes are the second-most in a T20 World Cup innings, behind only West Indian Chris Gayle's record of eleven against England in 2016.
"With our batting line-up, we knew anything under 200 was chaseable. I follow my processes, and I enjoy my power-hitting. When I connect cleanly, I'm confident it will clear the boundary. I thrive under pressure situations, and it brings out the best in me," he explained.
Earlier, Canada, also making their T20 World Cup debut, had posted a seemingly challenging total of 194-5. Navneet Dhaliwal anchored their innings with a well-paced 61 from 44 balls, including six fours and three sixes. Opener Aaron Johnson (different player from Jones) provided an early spark with an aggressive 23 off 16 deliveries. Nicholas Kirton (51 off 31) and Shreyas Movva (32 off 16) ensured Canada finished strongly in their Group A encounter.
The USA co-hosts the tournament alongside the West Indies, with 16 group stage matches scheduled across three American venues – South Florida, New York, and Dallas. India, Pakistan, and Ireland also compete in Group A, with the top two teams progressing to the Super Eight stage.
