Buttler And Jordan Lead England to Semi-Finals After Dominating USA
The T20 clash between USA and England at the iconic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, turned out to be a one-sided affair as England dominated both with the ball and the bat, securing a resounding victory and a place in the semi-finals.
England won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that quickly paid dividends as their bowlers dismantled the USA batting lineup. Chris Jordan’s exceptional bowling performance, highlighted by a hat-trick, was instrumental in restricting the USA to a modest total of 115 runs.
Steven Taylor opened the innings for the USA but was soon dismissed by Sam Curran after scoring 12 runs off 13 balls. Andries Gous showed some intent, scoring 8 runs off just 5 balls, including a six, but was caught by Phil Salt off Reece Topley in the first over itself.
Nitish Kumar and Aaron Jones attempted to stabilize the innings, with Kumar contributing 30 runs off 24 balls and Jones adding 10 runs off 16 balls. However, both fell to the leg-spin of Adil Rashid, who finished with impressive figures of 2 for 13 in his 4 overs.
Corey Anderson provided a semblance of resistance, scoring 29 runs off 28 balls, including a six, but his effort was cut short by Chris Jordan. Harmeet Singh added 21 runs off 17 balls, striking two boundaries and a six, but he too fell to Sam Curran, marking the beginning of the USA’s collapse.
The lower order couldn’t withstand the relentless English attack, and Chris Jordan’s hat-trick cleaned up the tail, with Ali Khan, Nosthusha Kenjige, and Saurabh Netravalkar all falling in consecutive deliveries. USA was bowled out for 115 in 18.5 overs, with Jordan finishing with figures of 4 for 10 from his 2.5 overs.
Reece Topley started the proceedings and took a wicket in his first over, setting the tone for the innings. Jofra Archer, though wicketless, maintained tight lines and lengths, conceding just 16 runs in his 3 overs. Sam Curran’s 2 wickets came at the cost of 23 runs in his 2 overs, while Adil Rashid’s economical spell of 4-0-13-2 crippled the middle order.
However, it was Chris Jordan’s spell that stole the show. His 2.5 overs yielded 4 wickets for just 10 runs, including a hat-trick, wrapping up the USA innings swiftly.
Chasing 116 for victory, England’s opening pair of Philip Salt and Jos Buttler made light work of the target. Philip Salt remained unbeaten on 25 runs off 21 balls, hitting 2 boundaries.
Jos Buttler, however, was the star of the chase, blasting an unbeaten 83 off just 38 balls. His innings was studded with 6 fours and 7 sixes, reflecting a strike rate of 218.42. Buttler’s aggressive approach ensured that England chased down the target in just 9.4 overs, finishing at 117 for no loss.
The USA bowlers had a tough day on the field. Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh, Nosthusha Kenjige, Ali Khan, and Shadley van Schalkwyk all failed to make any breakthroughs, with each conceding runs at a high economy rate. Harmeet Singh was the most expensive, giving away 36 runs in his 2 overs, while the others also went for over 9 runs per over.
England’s dominant performance, spearheaded by Chris Jordan’s hat-trick and Jos Buttler’s explosive innings, highlighted their prowess in all departments. With this victory, England not only secured a place in the semi-finals but also sent a strong message to their future opponents.
