The co-hosts, USA drew first blood at the 2024 men's ICC T20 World Cup being played in the USA and the West Indies.

The USA beat their neighbours Canada by 7-wickets in the opening match of the tournament which was played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

The USA won the toss and invited Canada to have a bat first.

Canada scored 194/5 in their allotted 20-overs with Navneet Dhaliwal top-scoring with 61-runs while Nicholas Kirton scored 51 off 31 balls.

Harmeet Singh was the pick of the American bowlers with 1/27 in his 4-overs, while the former New Zealand international Corey Anderson took 1/29 in three-overs. The former Knights and Free State seamer Shadley van Schalkwyk in turn returned with figures of 0/34 in his three-overs.

Aaron Jones - Cricinfo

The USA in turn chased down the target with 14-balls to spare with Aaron Jones scored 94 not out, while the former Knights and Free State batter, Andries Gous his 7 fours and 3 sixes as he scored 65-runs off 46-balls.

Jones needed just 40-balls for his unbeaten knock as he his 4 fours and ten sixes.

Dilon Heyliger was the pick of Canadian bowlers with 1/19 in three-overs, while Kaleem Singh and Nikdil Dutta each bagged one scalp as well.

On Sunday at 16:30 the co-hosts, the West Indies, will get their campaign underway when they face Papua New Guinea at the Providence Stadium in Providence, Guyana.

On Monday morning at 2:30am, Namibia will be in action against Oman in Bridgetown, Barbados, while at 16:30, South Africa will be in action against Sri Lanka at the Nassau County Stadium in New York.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport