T20 World Cup 2024: England thrash USA to reach semi-finals
What's the story
Defending champions England became the first side to reach the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup semi-finals after beating co-hosts USA in Bridgetown.
England successfully chased down 116 after Chris Jordan's hat-trick helped them knock over USA.
Notably, England had to chase the total in 18.4 overs or fewer, and they did so in 9.4 overs. Jos Buttler led the charge with an emphatic 83*(38).
Match
A look at match summary
Being put to bat, USA had a steady start as they lost Andries Gous.
Although Nitish Kumar scored 30, Adil Rashid choked the batters. USA were down to 115/6 from 56/2 in 18 overs.
USA lost their last five wickets for no run in just six balls. Jordan took a hat-trick.
Buttler and Philip Salt remained unscathed in the run-chase.
Jodran
A historic hat-trick; four wickets in one over
Jordan took four wickets for just 10 runs in 2.5 overs.
It is worth noting that Jordan didn't have any wicket before the innings' penultimate over, where USA were bundled out.
Jordan dismissed Corey Anderson (18.1 overs), Ali Khan (18.3), Nosthush Kenjige (18.4), and Saurabh Netravalkar (18.5) to complete his hat-trick.
Notably, Jordan didn't concede a run in that over.
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First England bowler with a T20I hat-trick
Jordan has become the first-ever English bowler to take hat-trick in Men's T20 World Cups. Moreover, he is also the first England bowler to have recorded a hat-trick in T20 Internationals.
Hat-tricks
Hat-tricks in T20 World Cup
Jordan's hat-trick came after Pat Cummins took one against Afghanistan in the previous match. It was the Australian seamer's second successive hat-trick.
Brett Lee (Australia), Curtis Campher (Ireland), Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Karthik Meiyappan (UAE), and Joshua Little (Ireland) are the only other bowlers to have taken a hat-trick in T20 World Cups.
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A unique feat for Jordan
Jordan has become only the second bowler with four wickets in one over in T20 World Cups. Ireland's Campher did so in his record-breaking spell against the Netherlands in the 2021 edition in Abu Dhabi.
Rashid
Two wickets for Rashid
As mentioned, USA lost Andries Gous early after (9/1) being invited to bat.
However, Steven Taylor and Nitish Kumar helped USA get past 40 in the Powerplay.
Rashid got rid of Taylor USA skipper Aaron Jones in quick succession thereafter.
The wrist-spinner was the most economical England bowler as he took two wickets for 13 runs in four overs.
Wickets
Joint-most wickets for England in T20 WC
Rashid is now England's joint-highest wicket-taker in T20 World Cups with Stuart Broad.
The latter finished with 30 wickets from 26 games and averaged an incredible 22.36.
Besides, Rashid now owns as many scalps from 29 T20 World Cup matches at 23.63. He has an impressive economy rate of 6.92.
For England, Jordan follows the duo with 28 wickets.
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50 T20I wickets for Curran
Like Rashid, Curran snapped up two wickets while conceding 23 runs in two overs. With this, the left-arm pacer became the eighth bowler to complete 50 wickets for England in T20I cricket.
Buttler
A counter-attacking knock from Buttler
Buttler came out all guns blazing as England seized the opportunity of making it to the semis. He kept hammering the USA bowlers all around the ground.
While Salt played second fiddle, Buttler clobbered 83 off 38 balls laced with 6 fours and 7 sixes. It was his 24th T20I fifty.
Notably, Buttler smashed Harmeet Singh for five sixes in the ninth over.
Record
Buttler joins these names
Buttler became only the third batter to record an 80+ score as captain in a T20 World Cup innings.
He is only behind West Indies' Chris Gayle (98) and New Zealand's Kane Williamson (85) in this regard.
Buttler now has 416 runs from 13 matches while leading in the T20 World Cup. He has an incredible strike-rate of 150.72.
Numbers
A look at other notable numbers
England became the first side to claim multiple 10-wicket wins in T20 World Cups. They also did so against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final.
England won this match by 62 balls, their biggest in T20 World Cups by balls (10-wicket wins).
Notably, Harmeet bowled the joint third-most expensive over in the tournament (32 runs), with Izatullah Dawlatzai (vs England, 2012).
Semis
First side to reach semis
As mentioned, England are the first side to reach the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-finals.
England currently top the Super 8 Group 2, which also has South Africa (second), West Indies (third), and USA (fourth).
While USA have been eliminated, the remaining match between SA and WI will be a virtual quarter-final. The winners will join England in the semis.