Pacer Chris Jordan grabbed a sensational hat-trick in his birthplace before captain Jos Buttler’s blitzkrieg as defending champions England stormed into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup with a 10-wicket mauling of USA in Bridgetown on Sunday. Making a comeback in place of Mark Wood, Jordan (4/10) mopped up the USA tail by claiming four wickets in five balls, including the hat-trick, in the 19th over as the Americans folded for 115 in 18.5 overs after England opted to bowl.
Buttler then blazed away to a 38-ball 83 not out as England completed the chase in 9.4 overs to become the first team to make the semifinals of the showpiece.
During his scintillating knock, Buttler smashed seven sixes and six fours, including hitting five maximums in a Harmeet Singh over to leave the USA bowling bruised and battered.
Earlier, the 35-year-old Jordan, who was born and grew up in Christ Church, Barbados, began the penultimate over dismissing a well-set Corey Anderson for 29 with a low full toss.
After surviving the next ball, Ali Khan found his off stump knocked over before Jordan went on to dismiss Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar off successive deliveries to pick the first hat-trick for England in T20Is.
Jordan had figures of 4/10 from his 2.5 overs.
Jordan also became only the second bowler in T20 World Cup history to pick four wickets in a single over.
“We summed up the conditions pretty well… Rashid set up the game for us. Points first and foremost,” said Jordan.
Curtis Campher of Ireland was the first to pick four wickets in a single over against the Netherlands during the 2021 edition in Abu Dhabi.
It was Sam Curran (2/13) who triggered the collapse by dismissing Harmeet Singh (21; 17b) in the final delivery of the previous over as USA suffered a stunning collapse, losing five wickets in six balls for no run.
Earlier, Adil Rashid took a miserly 2/13 in four overs to set up the game as he also returned with the player-of-the-match.
“Always nice to come here and bowl. It also helps when the bowlers are keeping it tight from the other end. With the wind you got to assess from which end you will bowl,” said Rashid.
Andries Gous flicked Reece Topley towards fine leg for a six but two balls later, hit the ball straight to Phil Salt at deep square leg while attempting a similar shot.
USA faced some nervous moments in the day’s second over as Steven Taylor survived a run out after giving up hope of returning back to the crease in time. It would have been over for him if Liam Livingstone’s throw had hit the stumps.
At the other end, Nitish Kumar top-edged a fast delivery from Jofra Archer that flew over deep third man for a maximum.
Nitish played a lovely shot over mid on for a boundary off Topley and in the next ball, the Canadian-born 30-year-old produced a clean hit over long-on for a six.
Curran was brought in as first change and he delivered in his first over, cutting short Taylor’s stay in the middle thanks to an excellent catch by Moeen Ali at backward point. Taylor’s dismissal marked Curran’s 50th wicket in T20 Internationals.
Skipper Aaron Jones quickly got off the mark by steering one through the third man region for a four as USA ended powerplay at 48 for two.
Buttler handed the ball to Rashid, who has been having a pretty good tournament, and the leg-spinner began his spell by conceding only two runs.
Rashid did what was expected of him in his second over, bowling out Jones with a beautiful googly to deny the USA captain a chance to face Archer, his childhood friend and school-mate.
The two grew up together in Barbados, dreaming of playing international cricket for West Indies before going on to represent their adopted countries.
Having dried up the boundaries, England tasted success again when Rashid employed his effective googly to cut short Nitish’s promising stay.
Nitish struck two sixes and a four.
Livingstone had Milind Kumar caught behind as USA slipped to 88 for five at the end of the 14th over.
The 100 came up in the 17th over as Corey Anderson and Harmeet Singh tried to prop up the USA innings.
USA had a productive 18th over as they got 14 runs off Curran after a six a four by Harmeet, who was however dismissed in the last ball that brought their downfall.
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