USA beat Canada by seven wickets: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 – as it happened

If this T20 World Cup 2024 needed a lift-off, then Jones has provided it with an innings that will live long in the memory of those who were lucky enough to witness it.

The USA get their campaign off on a winning note, while Canada will look back and wonder where it all went wrong.

Al Jazeera will provide live coverage for all the biggest fixtures from the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka vs South Africa in New York is up next, on Monday, June 3 at 14:30 GMT.

We’ll also bring you all the main talking points from the tournament with our features and analyses. You can find all our T20 World Cup coverage on our tournament page.

We hope you enjoyed today’s tournament opener, and until the next time, this is Rohan Sharma signing off.

WHAT A WIN!!! 🤩🙌#TeamUSA wins their opening match of the @ICC @T20WorldCup against Canada by 7 wickets! 💪🔥#T20WorldCup | #USAvCAN 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/4MM6wvGf9k

— USA Cricket (@usacricket) June 2, 2024

Winning USA captain Patel had this to say at the presentation: “The way we have been playing against Canada [in the past], and today, was a complete effort.

“We talk about playing fearless cricket. The way Gous and Jones played, they took the game completely out of Canada’s hands.

“We bowled well in patches, but we gave up 15-20 runs extra.

“It was tough to bat in the first six overs, but the way these guys batted was just brilliant.

“We always knew he [Jones] had the game.

“He was playing fearless cricket. You don’t see this kind of innings every day.”

Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar thought his team put on a “great total”.

“I thought Dhaliwal and Kirton played well. We started well in the power-play and took early wickets but the way Jones and Gous batted, our bowlers had no answers for them,” he said at the post-match presentation.

“The wicket had good bounce. The ball was coming on nicely onto the bat.

“It came on a little better in the second innings due to the dew.

“We missed a bit of [our] line and length, especially the spinners.

“We bowled four no-balls which is a big no-no. We need to work on that. We shouldn’t have given up so many extras.

“I am still happy with the efforts the boys put in. It is just the first game and we have to put this behind us.”

Could it really be anyone else? Jones had this to say after being adjudged the player of the match: “I don’t think it is easy to put it into the words [how I feel].

“Canada always comes at us hard. Just happy to get our team over the line tonight.

“I thought anything over 200 was chaseable. The wicket is a good one and the outfield is fast.

“We backed ourselves and played aggressive cricket.

“I go through my processes during practice. I back myself to hit it.

“I like to come in when my team is under pressure. It brings the best out of me.

Led by Jones’s incredible 94 off just 40 balls, the USA start off their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a barnstorming victory over traditional rivals, Canada.

Jones, who clattered four fours and 10 sixes in his innings, was well supported by Gous’s 65 off 46 balls.

Canada, who began brightly by getting some early wickets, started to lose their way when Dutta came on to bowl during the ninth over.

From there, the USA were simply on a roll, propelled by the aerial fireworks of Jones.

After a cheeky reverse-swept four through third man, Jones decides to go over square leg.

There is a fielder at the boundary, but he ends up parrying the chance over the rope.

Jones finishes it off in style with a massive six over deep midwicket to deliver the USA a crushing seven-wicket victory.

Seven come off Sana’s final over.

USA now need 14 off 18 to win.

The 131-run partnership off 58 balls between Gous and Jones finally comes to a close.

Gous was looking to smack Dutta over long on but instead, finds the boundary rider. He departs for a well-played 65 off 46 and Anderson makes his way out to the middle.

Dutta is back into the attack and it’s like he never left.

He gets creamed through the covers by Jones, who is looking to finish this off in a hurry.

Sana’s over goes for a rather respectful nine runs given the carnage that has been dished out before.

USA need just 27 off 30 now to get their campaign off on a winning note.

After mishitting one high over third man, the fielder circles under it, but drops it.

It has largely been the story of this Canadian team in the last seven to eight overs, hasn’t it?

An astonishing 33 runs come off the over as it would take something momentous for the USA to lose this match now.

The run equation is 36 off 36.

Sana back into the attack now.

After two no-balls and three wides, Gordon’s only legitimate deliveries so far have been nailed for six, four and six.

The fourth ball is also down the leg side, adding to his and Canada’s misery at the moment.

USA have slammed more than 80 runs in just more than five overs.

Against the run of play, Canada strike once more. Gordon gets Gous to hole out to the man at deep midwicket.

Before the Canadian team can get into their celebrations though, the umpire rules that Gordon had bowled a no-ball.

Huge let-off as this was the window for Canada to try and creep back into this match.

Gordon is drafted by Zafar to try and restore some order for his side.

But the USA are on another trajectory at the moment, with Gous slamming a big six over cover. He follows it up with a four down the leg side to bring up his 50 in 39 balls.

Following his teammate to fifty 🙌

Andries Gous marks his #T20WorldCup debut with a @indusind_bank Milestone.#USAvCAN | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/gdfevmMQYi

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 2, 2024

Jones brings up his 50 off just 22 balls with a steer to the leg side. He finishes the over with another huge six over cow corner.

Exceptional innings from the batter, who has single-handedly wrested USA back into this match.

Canada need to break this partnership quickly or this game could be over sooner than later.

USA need just 69 off 42 now.

5️⃣0️⃣ up for Aaron Jones! 🤩🙌

50* (22)! 🔥

📸: ICC/Getty #T20WorldCup | #USAvCAN pic.twitter.com/LYM0g0QV3A

— USA Cricket (@usacricket) June 2, 2024

Zafar, into his final over, is under pressure straight away as Jones deposits him right back over his head for six more.

He follows up with yet another mighty six, this time high over cow corner.

Jones is really turning it on in Texas.

Gous, who has been quiet, is allowed to free his arms by battering Pargat back over his head for a one-bounce four.

The Canadian team are looking a little rattled out there now as the partnership between Gous and Jones flourishes.

USA require 89 off 48 now.

Pargat is drafted in by Bin Zafar.

Jones says hello by smashing him high over the square leg boundary for six.