England reach semi-finals first: Jordan’s hat-trick restricted USA to 115, Butler-Salt won in just 9.4 overs

World champion England has made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. The English team has reached the top-4 by defeating America by 10 wickets in a one-sided match.

In Bridgetown, England had to chase a target of 116 runs in 18.4 overs to make it to the semi-finals, but the defending champions achieved victory in just 9.4 overs without losing a single wicket. There were two architects of this victory.

First- Chris Jordan, who took a hat-trick in the 19th over, restricted the US team to a paltry 115. Others- Jos Buttler, who played an explosive innings of 83 runs off 38 balls to guide the team to victory in just 10 overs, however, the Man of the Match award went to Adil Rashid who took 2 wickets for 13 runs in 4 overs. Analysis in 5 points…

1. Winner of the Match

Jos Buttler: He came to open the innings and chased the target of 115 runs in 9.4 overs. Butler hit 5 sixes in Harmeet Singh’s over, including 4 consecutive sixes. He played an aggressive innings of 83 runs not out in 38 balls. He scored runs with the help of 6 fours and 7 sixes at a strike rate of 218.42. Butler shared a century partnership of 117 runs in 59 balls with Salt.

2. Hero of victory

Chris Jordan: Bowled 2.5 overs and gave 10 runs at an economy of 3.52. Took 4 wickets in the 19th over. Dismissed Corey Anderson who had scored 29 runs on the first ball. Then completed a hat-trick by taking the wickets of Ali Khan, Noshtus Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar and stopped America at 115 runs.

Adil Rashid : He gave just 13 runs in his quota of 4 overs and dismissed 2 batsmen. First he sent captain Aaron Jones to the pavilion in the 9th over, then in the 11th over he dismissed Nitish Kumar who had scored 30 runs.

Sam Curran: He bowled 2 overs and took 2 wickets for 23 runs. He took the wickets of openers Stephen Taylor (12 runs) and Harmeet Singh (29 runs).

Phil Salt: Butler came to open the innings and supported him. Salt played an unbeaten innings of 25 runs in 21 balls at a strike rate of 119.04. He hit 2 fours.

3. Turning point-

19th over of the American innings: Jordan is the first English bowler to take a hat-trick in T20 World Cup
USA, batting first, had scored 115 runs for 6 wickets in 18 overs and Corey Anderson was playing after scoring 29 runs. In such a situation, captain Butler handed the ball to Chris Jordan. Jordan got Anderson caught by Harry Brook on the very first ball.

What happened next became history. Jordan completed his hat-trick by dismissing Ali Khan, Noshtus Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar on the third, fourth and fifth balls of the over respectively. He became the 9th and first English bowler to take a hat-trick in the T20 World Cup. Jordan did not give any runs in this over and sent 4 batsmen to the pavilion.

9th over of English innings: Butler hit 5 sixes in Harmeet’s over, including 4 consecutive sixes
England chasing a target of 116 runs had scored 78 runs without loss in 8 overs. The opening pair of Salt and Butler were on the crease. Here Harmeet Singh came to bowl and Salt took a run on the first ball. After that Butler hit 4 consecutive sixes. The sixth ball was wide and Butler also ran a run. In such a situation, the strike was with Butler and he hit a six on the last ball as well. He along with Salt took 32 runs from this over. Here after 9 overs, England’s score was 110/0.

4. Reasons for America’s defeat

5. Fighter of the Match – Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar was the fighter of the match. He played an innings of 30 runs. He was the top scorer of the team, but he did not get support from any other batsman, due to which the team could not make a fighting score.

Playing XI of both the teams

America: Aaron Jones (captain), Andris Gaus, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Milind Kumar, Nitish Kumar, Noshatush Kenjige, Saurabh Netralwakar, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor.

England: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali (vice-captain), Joffra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brooke, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley.