Jones powers USA to stunning win over Canada

Aaron Jones produced a knock for the ages in the T20 World Cup opener against Canada with a breathtaking innings of 94* off 40 deliveries to give joint hosts USA a flying start to their campaign at Dallas on Saturday.

Jones’ belligerence included four fours and a mammoth 10 sixes to have USA canter home with more than two overs to spare chasing a tall target of 195 set by their northern neighbours and their oldest rival Canada.

The ten sixes hit by Jones was the joint second most in an innings in a T20 World Cup after West Indian Chris Gayle’s 11 maximums against England at the Wankhede in the 2016 edition.

After USA had lost openers Steven Taylor for a second ball duck and skipper Monank Patel for 16, Jones joined by Andries Gous figured in a third wicket partnership of 131 to carry their team home comfortably.

Gous made 65 off 46 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes) before being dismissed with USA 22 runs away from the target. The partnership with Jones was the highest for any wicket for USA in T20Is and the second highest for the third wicket in all T20 World Cups behind 151 by Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan against Sri Lanka at Chattogram in 2014.

Invited to bat first Canada piled up an impressive score of 194-5 courtesy half-centuries from Navneet Dhaliwal (61 off 44 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes) and Nicholas Kirton (51 off 31 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and a cameo knock of 32* off 16 balls (2 fours, 2 sixes) from Shreyas Movva.

Scores: Canada 194-5 (20) (Aaron Johnson 23, Navneet Dhaliwal 61, Nicholas Kirton 51, Shreyas Movva 32*)

USA 197-3 (17.4) (Andries Gous 65, Aaron Jones 94*)

(ST)