THE NORTH AMERICAN T20 CUP, 2025
Netravalkar (file) managed to take two crucial wickets in the later overs, which stopped Canada from reaching a total exceeding 200 runs that they previously seemed destined to achieve. © AFP
Captain Navneet Dhaliwal’s explosive innings of 68 runs off 41 balls led Canada to a 14-run victory against their rivals, the USA. Dhaliwal was cautious during the PowerPlay but later targeted the inexperienced bowlers with a series of sixes, supported by strong performances from Shreyas Movva and Harsh Thaker, which contributed to a formidable total of 184 for Canada. The Canadian bowlers, particularly Jaskaran Singh Buttar, effectively utilized reverse swing from the 12th over onwards, slowing down the USA’s chase.
Dominance in the PowerPlay
Canada entered the match with determination, as Ali Nadeem quickly hit Saurabh Netravalkar for a six on only the fourth ball of the innings. Dhaliwal aggressively targeted young bowler Ali Sheikh, hitting him for a couple of early boundaries. Sheikh, however, made a spectacular recovery by executing a direct hit to run out Nadeem. Yuvraj Samra left his mark in the PowerPlay as he struck three boundaries in the sixth over off Netravalkar, helping Canada to a score of 54 for 1 in the initial overs.
Capitalizing on Spin
Akhilesh Bodugum was the first to face the onslaught from Dhaliwal, who smashed a six deep over cow corner in the seventh over. Although Yasir Mohammad dismissed Samra in the next over, Movva wasted no time showcasing his skill by hitting Sheikh for two sixes. Dhaliwal continued to dominate, hitting Yasir for multiple boundaries, despite Yasir eventually removing Movva for a valuable wicket.
USA’s Strong Start
The USA’s openers enjoyed a promising start, especially Sai Teja Mukkamalla, who capitalized on Kaleem Sana’s wayward bowling by hitting quick boundaries. However, Harsh Thaker bounced back impressively for Canada by taking two wickets in two overs, halting the USA’s momentum with Mukkamalla’s dismissal at mid-on and Jahangir trying to hit big but falling to a catch at deep midwicket just before the PowerPlay ended.
Strategic Reverse Swing
Despite impressive individual performances earlier, USA skipper Monank Patel fell victim to a mix-up shortly after the PowerPlay, stifling their chase. As boundaries became scarce, Buttar re-entered the attack in the 12th over, finding significant reverse swing that led to critical wickets. His performance turned the tide, with Krishnamurthy’s contribution of 24 runs showcasing some resistance, but ultimately, the USA’s chase dwindled after his dismissal. Buttar concluded the game with figures of 2 for 34 after an initially rough start.
© Cricbuzz
