T20 World Cup 2024: USA star Aaron Jones rewrites history books with spectacular 94* against Canada

USA batter Aaron Jones was on fire with the bat in the opening game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 against Canada at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas on Sunday, June 2. Jones played a record-breaking knock to help the co-host USA record a historic seven-wicket win over Canada in Texas.

Batting at No. 4, the right-handed batter played a wonderful knock of unbeaten 94 runs off just 40 balls, studded with four boundaries and ten maximums, to help the USA chase down the record target of 195 runs in just 17.4 overs against the Canada cricket team on Sunday.

The target chased down by the USA team was the third-highest target successfully chased down in a Men's T20 World Cup after England's 230-run chase against South Africa in 2016 and South Africa's chase of 206 against the West Indies in 2007.

Aaron Jones' record-breaking debut sets the tone for USA's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign

Additionally, the USA's total of 197/3 is the highest total by an associate team in the Men's T20 World Cup, surpassing Canada's 194/5 in the first inning. The past highest total was 193/4 made by the Netherlands during a run chase against Ireland in the 2014 edition of the T20 World Cup.

After hammering 10 sixes against Canada, Jones equaled West Indies legend Chris Gayle’s record of most sixes in an innings of a T20 World Cup game, men’s or women's. Gayle made the record against South Africa during his 117-run knock in 2007.

The American batter also created history by hitting 10 sixes against Canada, as he became the second cricketer in the world after Gayle and the first from any associate nation to hit 10 sixes in a T20 World Cup match.

Gayle had smashed 11 sixes during his 100* knock against England in the 2016 edition. Jones' marvelous knock of 94* against Canada stands as the second-highest score by any player in their debut T20 World Cup match.

Aaron Jones on a record-breaking spree against Canada

Again, Gayle holds the record for the highest individual score on his T20 World Cup debut, scoring 117 runs against South Africa in the 2007 edition of the tournament. He also smashed the fastest fifty for the USA in the T20Is in just 22 balls. Jones surpassed Steven Taylor’s fifty off 24 balls against Canada earlier this year in Houston.

Additionally, it was the second-fastest fifty on his T20 World Cup debut after Bangladesh’s Mohammad Ashraful, who smoked a 20-ball fifty against the West Indies on his debut in the prestigious tournament. Meanwhile, Jones’ 131-run partnership off 58 balls with Andries Gous (65) was the second-best partnership for the third wicket in a Men’s T20 World Cup match.

England’s Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan have the record for the highest partnership for the third wicket in the tournament after they added 152 runs against Sri Lanka in the 2014 edition of the showpiece event. Additionally, Jones and Gous’ partnership was the best-ever for any wicket in T20I cricket for the USA.

They were also the fastest-ever to reach the 100-run mark for the third wicket in a T20 World Cup game, adding 100 runs in merely 42 balls against Canada on Sunday. The USA team will next face Pakistan in the tournament on June 6 in Texas.