In a spirited contest at the Jimmy Powell Oval in the Cayman Islands, Canada emerged victorious against the United States by 17 runs in a high-octane clash of the North America T20 Cup. Canada, led by captain Navneet Dhaliwal, opted to bat first after winning the toss, and their decision paid off handsomely.
Canada posted an impressive total of 184 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks largely to a brilliant captain’s knock from Navneet Dhaliwal, who earned the Player of the Match award. Dhaliwal smashed 68 runs off just 41 balls, peppering the boundary with 3 fours and 5 sixes at a rapid strike rate of 165.85. He was well-supported by Yuvraj Samra (28 off 23), Shreyas Movva (23 off 16), and a quick-fire 21 from Harsh Thaker, who batted with intent and energy.
Though the USA bowlers had moments of success, particularly Yasir Mohammad, who took 3 wickets for 39 runs, Canada’s aggressive batting lineup managed to maintain a run rate above 9 throughout the innings. Saurabh Netravalkar chipped in with 2 wickets, but USA’s bowling was largely on the expensive side, allowing Canada to post a strong total.
In reply, the USA began their chase with intent, reaching 56 runs by the end of the fifth over. Shayan Jahangir played a brisk knock of 26 from 16 balls, and Milind Kumar added 32 off 27 to keep the chase alive. However, regular wickets began to hurt their momentum. Skipper Monank Patel was run out for 15, and Aaron Jones, who showed some promise, fell for 17.
The Canadian bowlers struck at key intervals, particularly Harsh Thaker, who made a major impact with 2 wickets for just 8 runs in his two overs. Kaleem Sana and Jaskaran Singh also picked up two wickets apiece, tightening the screws on the USA lineup in the death overs. Canada’s fielding was sharp and disciplined, notably affecting two run-outs that disrupted USA’s rhythm.
