The USA earned a consolation win in the third match of the Auty Cup, passing Canada’s total of 221 with 2 wickets and 3 balls to spare. Nikhil Dutta again top-scored for Canada with 72, and Canada seemed to have the match in hans before an unbroken 9th wicket partnership of 34 gave the US the win.
CricInfo report and video interviews, including interview with Nikhil Dutta
Canada batted first for the third time in the third match of the Auty Cup series- already holding a 2-0 lead. This time they won the toss, and omitted Siddiqui, Pervez and Adhihetty from the 14 man squad.
Wijeyeratne fell in the first over, bringing in Kumar who hit eight boundaries in an excellent 38 ball innings of 42 – assisted by two dropped catches. After he was dismissed, some tight bowling restricted the scoring. Sehdev contributed 26 to a 53 run partnership with Dutta, who was 7th out for 72, with five sixes. Canada were bowled out for 221 in the last over.
The USA got off to another good start, the opening stand yielding 42 before Heyliger had Babar caught at square leg. Taylor was caught off Dutta – 59/2 off 11 overs. Timbawala and Amsterdam however put together a good partnership – 120/2 after 28 overs. Canada’s spinners got them back into the game, as Salman Nazar and Farhan Malik taking two wickets each as the USA fell to 167/6. Timbawala was still there, and despite two more wickets falling, the USA edged closer to their target as the overs ran down. They reached the target with three balls to spare, Timbawala unbeaten on 73.