Photo: US Cricket
Canada beat the USA by the narrowest of margins at the ICC World T20 qualifier. Rizwan Cheema hit the last ball of the match for six to tie the game, and Cecil Pervez bowled a fine super-over to leave Canada the winners.
The USA won the toss and chose to bat in front of a good crowd- estimated as growing to 1500 or more. Cecil Pervez made the initial breakthrough, having Patel caught behind in the third over, bringing in Steve Taylor who went onto the attack. The 50 came up in the 6th over and the USA looked to be building a good total until Nitish Kumar brought himself on. He caught and bowled Taylor for 24 with his second ball, then bowled Malhotra with his 4th- 55/3. Both Patel and Malhotra had made centuries against Belize yesterday. Kumar had his counterpart, US captain Ibrahim Khaleel caught by Cheema in his next over, his figures being 2 overs, 3 wickets six runs at that point. Saad Bin Zafar caught Silva off his own bowling, then Nitish Kumar got in the act again with a run-out- 81/6 in the 14th over. Hutchinson and Sohal took the score to 127 in the last over, but Eranga dismissed them both. Two big sixes from Saurabh Netravalkar took them to a competitive score of 140/8.
Canada were under pressure right away when Wijeratne was dismissed early, caught in the second over. Dhaliwal showed CPL star Ali Khan little respect, hitting him for two fours and two sixes in the next over. He made 29 from 12 balls before being bowled by Hutchinson. Nitish Kumar and Hamza Tariq brought up the fifty in the 7th over. Kumar made 23 before he was stumped – with half the overs gone, Canada needed 72 with 7 wickets in hand. Hamza Tariq was caught in the next over, then Rodrigo Thomas was stumped 3rd ball, as the match swung the USA’s way. Saad bin Zafar only lasted three balls – 75/6.
Nikhil Dutta and Rizwan Cheema fought back, with a combination of rotating the strike and big hitting. Their partnership was ended by a run out – Dutta gone for 23 with 33 needed from 21 balls. Canada needed 16 from the last over, and finally 7 to win from the last ball. Rizwan Cheema smashed it over mid-wicket and the game was tied.
Under competition rules, ties are broken by a super-over. Dhaliwal and Cheema opened for Canada batting first with Ali Khan to bowl. Dhaliwal hit the first two balls for 6 and 4, and Canada hit 16 from the over, with Dhaliwal 12 and Cheema 1. Cecil Pervez bowled for Canada- his second ball went for six, but a series of good yorkers left Taylor needing to hit the last ball for six. He smashed a wide full toss to the cover boundary- but only for four, leaving Canada the winners. Cheema was named man of the match.
Scorecard
Video of Canada’s innings and Superover
Post match interview with Nitish Kumar and Rizwan Cheema
Earlier Belize beat Panama, making just 104 but bowling out Panama for 92.