United States vs England Highlights, T20 World Cup 2024: Jos Buttler stars with blistering knock as England thrash USA in 9.4 overs to qualify for semifinals

Harmeet Singh back in the attack as Salt takes a single to start. Buttler onstrike and that;s a 6 ro bring up Buttler's 50!! Goes leg side next and that's another 6!! Absolute carnage!! Aaron Jones is having a chat with the bowler. Does not matter one bit as Buttler smashes another six!!Leg side again and that's another 6!! 100 up for England!! Ends the over with another 6!! 5 sixes!! 32 from this over

van Schalkwyk in the attack and starts well as Salt defends. Hammers the next ball through the covers for a boundary!! Pulls away and takes a single off the leg side. Oh dear! It a no ball as more misery is being piled on the USA. Nothing from the free hit though. 8 from this one

Ali Khan continues and that's 2 runs from the misfield. USA have been pretty sloppy in the field. Takes another single as England are now racing towards qualification. And to make it easuer for them, there's another wide. 2 more runs from the extra ball and the over endfs with a single. 10 from this one

Last over of the powerplay and Kenjige will bowl. 2 singles off the first couple of deliveries to being up England's 50. Nuttler hits the next one straight and it somehow trickles below the USA fielder for 4!! The England captain tries a reverse sweep and gets another 4, this time to deep backward point. 2 to end the over. 12 from this one

Ali Khan in the attack now and he has started with a huge wide which goes past the keeper to the boundary!! Buttler defends the next ball before smashing the 3rd ball over mid on for a 4!! Looking ominous. A single next and Salt is on strike. Takes 2 off the 5th and smashes the last ball through the covers for 4 more!! 16 from this one

Nosthush Kenjige in the attack now and two back to back singles to start. He wants more does Buttler as he smashes the 3rd for a boundary!! England well on their way. Tries a switch hit but misses before taking a single off the 5th. Dot to end. 7 from this over.

Netravalkar continues and Buttler loops the first ball over the inner circle to get 2 runs. Follows that up with a dot ball. Buttler now with a beautiful stroke to gett the first boundary of England's innings. And it gets better the next ball as Buttler comes down the ground and smashes it over the bowler's head for a 104 m six!! And another!! This time one-handed to the same area for another maximum!! 19 from this one

Harmeet Singh will bowl the second over and starts with a wide before Buttler defends the next delivery. Pushes the third delivery to midwicket for a single. Salt with a single to long on next and Buttler with another 1 to end this over. 4 from it.

Time for the chase and remember, if England chase down this target in 18.4 overs or less, they are almost sure to qualify to the next round. Buttler and Salt in the middle. The impressive Netravalkar with the ball in hand and Salt is away with a single.  The next two balls are dot with the latter swinging and missing Buttler's edge. He gets the bat to the next ball but there's a fielder to cut off any chance of the boundary. Finally off the mark with a single. A dot to end. 2 from this one

Chris Jordan has not just taken a hattrick on any venue. It's the ground where he watched most of his cricket growing up in Barbados.

Speaking to the broadcasters in the innings break, a beaming Jordan says, "Very nice to do this at a special place like this. I thought we worked out the conditions well. Rash came on and controlled one end, and the way Livi bowled set the game up for us. Points first and foremost, but if we get the opportunity to get out run rate up we'll have a look at that."

Chris Jordan to bowl the penultimate over. First ball, low full toss, and Corey Anderson has perfectly located Harry Brook at long on. And that feels like it for USA. 

Ali Khan on the strike. Jordan pivots to good length and seams one back in to clip the off stump. 

Nosthish Kenjige is then trapped LBW, and this is a one man clean-up in the penultimate over with one ball to go. Jordan on a hattrick, he's already claimed three in the over. 

Up he goes to claim a fourth, and he's got it! Cleaned up! A hattrick. Second of the day (IST at least) as USA are all out for 115. What pictures from Barbados. Four wickets for Jordan!

Sam Curran to bowl his second over. Harmeet Singh picks the slower ball. Carves it inside out to collect four runs.

It seems like he knew what Curran was going to do off the very next delivery. Stood still, deep in his crease, and trusted his strength to whack one over wide long on for SIX!

A full toss to close the over, Harmeet gets his bat on it but not as sweetly as he would've liked. Chris Jordan runs from long on to his right to take the catch. 115/6 after 18 overs.

Chris Jordan into his second over. Back to back slower, short deliveries to the two left-handers. The pull shots, on both occasions, run towards the man stationed at deep backward square leg for a couple of singles. 100 up for USA. It's been a slow drag since that first fifty, credit to Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone. 

First 50: 39 balls

Second 50: 60 balls

End of Jordan's second over, a mere four runs come off it. USA, 101/5 after 17 overs.

Jofra Archer back into the attack. Harmeet Singh is the new man for USA.Width and length on offer and hthe southpaw cuts it in front of square for four.

Meanwhile, Nasser Hussain nudges Eoin Morgan, the England captain he claims to have changed Adil Rashid's career trajectory.

"He's always been a very prodigious young player. One of the things that captains have been is how they've managed spin bowlers. Managing pace bowlers has always been perceived as a mark of greatness. Adil early in his career took on a lot, and has been rewarded for it (with his variation skills). Certainly wasn't managed well," Morgan says on the comms. After 16 overs, USA are 97/5.

He's gone under the radar off late but this has been a mighty impressive performance from Adil Rashid, who is now the joint-highest wicket taker for England in T20 World Cups (30 wickets). 

His final over costs a mere three runs - off which one came off a wide. USA are 91/5 after 15 overs.

"Roll up your sleeves, come celebrate and dance. Poor people like us rarely get the chance to enjoy as happiness belongs to those who are strong and rich…"

How Afghanistan and Afghans celebrated the win over Australia. (READ HERE, from Pratyush Raj)

Liam Livingstone to bowl his fourth over. And Corey Anderson takes the risk off a flighted delivery to break the boundary drought. A reverse-sweep over deep backward point for SIX!

Off the last ball, Milind Kumar opens his front foot in the attempt of dispatching oner over mid wicket but instead splices it up and Jos Buttler tracks back to take the catch. Livingstone gets a wicket. USA are 88/5 after 14 overs.

Chris Jordan into the attack. England have brought him back instead of Mark Wood, who's been struggling at this World Cup, really. Jordan's contributions with the ball in the latter half of the innings are all too valuable for England, who need a big win today to strengthen their claim for a semifinal spot. Six runs from the over. 79/4 after 13 overs.

The boundaries have dried up for USA. Corey Anderson's shot down the ground is cut just in time by Sam Curran. Last boundary came 26 deliveries ago. Livingstone has run through his three overs in tandem with Rashid and just like that, England have nullified the fine start - despite the wickets - that USA had managed in the powerplay overs. 73/4 after 12 overs.

Adil Rashid into his third over, and he's struck again!

Another googly, and this time Nitish Kumar can't read it and is cleaned up. Was tossed up and lack of footwork is got the better of the USA number three. Another over without a boundary for USA, only four runs off it. 69/4 after 11 overs.

Corey Anderson is the new batter in for USA, and this is much more like it. No boundaries in Livingstone's second over but the USA duo negotiate six singles. At the halfway stage, the scorecard reads 65/3.

Rashid continues from the other end. Serves a googly on the middle stump. Jones made room outside the leg to play it but it came back in quickly and the leg stump's gone for a toss. He was looking scrappy and has departed early. Another economical over for England with only four runs conceded. 59/3 after nine overs.

Liam Livingstone to roll his arms from the other end. England run quickly through this phase (7-13) with their spinners. It's what the helps them against the opposition looking to go big in the death overs as the run rate dips extremely low. USA would do themselves a huge favor if they can get past the 100-run mark before the final seven. 55/2 after eight overs.

Adil Rashid comes just as the field restrictions are lifted. USA will do well to remember against this England lineup, every single counts. Strike rotation - as it was in the Afghanistan-Australia game - will be key. In this over, Nitish Kumar and Aaron Jones haven't been able to do so. Only two runs come off it. Fifty up for USA. 50/2 after eight overs.

Fortune favoring the bold. Sam Curran into the attack for the first time. Offers width to Steven Taylor outside the off stump with a wide slip in place. It takes the edge but runs in between the keeper and the slip for four. 

Next up, Curran drags back the length and bowls a back of the hand slower one. Taylor goes for a slap on the off side, and Moeen Ali takes a fine diving catch to his left at backward point. Second wicket for England in the powerplay. 

Aaron Jones is the new man in. Curran goes wide with the angle to the newly-in right-hander, who opens the face of his bat to splice one down third man for four more. End of the powerplay: USA are 48/2.

His first boundary had an element of luck attached to it but his second is as clean as they come. Topley dishes a fullish one, on the pads, picked by coming down the track and slotting over mid on for four!

Next ball, Topley pitches it further down the leg, and this time, Nitish has connected it even well. A clean striker over wide long on for SIX! After five overs, USA are 39/1.

Archer on the back of a fine first over. "It's a measure of his pace," says Michael Atherton as the pacer bangs one in short and Nitish Kumar goes for a pull but ends up top edging it. No worries, such is the pace on it, and the boundary ain't long as well, it goes all the way for SIX!

USA are 26/1 after four overs.

Topley continues from the other end. Gous - USA's leading run getter at the tournament - seemed to have taken the early steam out of the USA batter. Topley's incoming delivery to Taylor, just lined up on the off stump, is lofted over wide mid off for four. First boundary of the day for him. After three overs, USA are 18/1.

Archer steams in from the other end. First ball is pitched outside leg and doesn't seem to have to come into the left-handed Steven Taylor as it clips it on his pads.

Just a tad reminder, Archer's childhood best friend Aaron Jones is captaining USA today, and is very much 'looking forward to facing' him. For now, Nitish Kumar accompanies Taylor in the middle.

Only two runs from the over. USA, 11/0 after two overs.

The left-armer able to find early movement. Deceives Andries Gous on the outside edge, with one that goes away with the angle. Then, pretty much on expected grounds, brings one back in. Gous plays it along the angle and flicks it behind square on the on side for SIX! A fine shot. 

Next ball, Topley clips one on the pads but the impact seems to be outside leg. Gous goes for another audacious stroke off one lined up just outside leg, more uppish this time, but finds the fielder at backwards square. First over ends up with first wicket for England. 

A vibrant atmosphere in Bridgetown, Barbados as the two sets of national anthems are sung. Decent turnout for a game that has big ramifications on who makes it to the semifinals, and who faces whom. 

Reece Topley has marked his run up for the first over. Steven Taylor takes the strike, and we're up and running.

When they lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in 2010, England had won all three of their matches in Bridgetown, Barbados. Their last three fixtures at the ground however, have all ended without a win. 

United States: Steven Taylor, Andries Gous(w), Nitish Kumar, Aaron Jones(c), Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar

England: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w/c), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley

Jos Buttler: We will bowl first. An early morning start, it will be tacky to start, that's the reason to bowl. Everyone's good and getting ready, has been a quick turnaround. We got a tough game, USA have played some tough cricket. We know what we have to do. I think the boys have bowled well, hopefully today's the day. Jordan comes in for Wood.

Aaron Jones: Wanted to bowl first as well. We are going to go hard, it's a good wicket. We are going to play fearless cricket like always, let's see how it goes. We need to be more disciplined in batting and bowling. Going to come back stronger today (after that loss against West Indies.) Same team as the last game.

Jos Buttler has called it right, England elect to field first.

Dry and grass-less. There are a few rough patches, but nothing alarming for the batters. A good wicket to bat on.

So as of now it's all sunshine in Bridgetown, Barbados. But the forecast for the rest of the day doesn't look as promising. 

AccuWeather predicts, “A morning thunderstorm in a couple of spots; otherwise, cloudy and humid.” 43 percent chances of rain.

At one point it seemed like Archer could have already played his last game for England but the wonderfully gifted Barbados-born fast bowler with a smooth action, lethal short ball, a vicious yorker and scary pace is again making life difficult for batsmen.

But how did one of England's leading protagonist from the 2019 World Cup win made his comeback to the big stage? (Venkata Krishna B traces it, READ HERE)

Harmeet Singh flexed his muscles with the bat in USA's narrow loss to South Africa, almost pulling off an upset alongwith Andries Gous. 

Not too long ago however, the former India U19 cricketer had given up on the sport. After setbacks on and off the field and selectorial rejection, he's making a mark at the biggest stage. (MORE HERE)

When the United States unexpectedly advanced into the Super Eight stage of the T20 cricket World Cup, Saurabh Netravalkar informed his manager at software major Oracle that he won’t be returning to work for another week.

As vital as he is to Oracle, where he handles databases of companies and even holds a patent for a search innovation, Netravalkar is indispensable to Team USA as it co-hosts its first major international cricket tournament. (Devendra Pandey tracks his story, READ HERE)

Group stage

vs Scotland: no result (rain)

vs Australia: lost by 36 runs

vs Oman: won by eight wickets

vs Namibia: won by 41 runs (DLS method)

Super-8

vs West Indies: won by eight wickets

vs South Africa: lost by seven runs 

Group stage

vs Canada: won by seven wickets

vs Pakistan: won in super over

vs India: lost by seven wickets

vs Ireland: abandoned due to rain

Super-8

vs South Africa: lost by 18 runs

vs West Indies: lost by nine wickets

Here's how the two Super-8 groups look after the Afghanistan-Australia match.

A loss against Afghanistan on Sunday meant Australia’s chances at making it to the T20 World Cup semifinals hang by a thread. Sitting in Group 1, the 2021 winners are currently second but have as many points after two matches as Afghanistan.

It's what led to skipper Mitchell Marsh simplifying the task for his troops ahead of their last Super-8 game, against India. 

The Afghans have slayed their demons, defeating Australia at the World Cup. And boy, do we have the offerings to take you through the historic result: 

-Lalith Kalidas with the match report: Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran build the foundation with a century partnership and Gulbadin Naib (4/20) gives Pat Cummins a taste of his own medicine, as Afghanistan score a famous win over Australia. Afghanistan played to their strengths to defeat Australia.

-Sriram Veera with the analysis from Australia's POV: Warner, Agar drop catches; Gurbaz stares down Stoinis and Gulbadin takes out Cummins. 

-REPLUG from Pratyush Raj on the magical story of Afghan cricket: With wins over England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (at 2023 ODI World Cup), New Zealand, and Australia (at 2024 T20 World Cup), don't mistake Afghanistan cricket's rise as meteoric. It is methodical.

-REPLUG from Rahul Pandey on Rahmanullah Gurbaz: At a World Cup where the batters have found it hard to get going, Gurbaz - leading the scoring charts - is one of the few who have got going. Behind his success has been an ailing mother’s wish, love affair with India, and dileri.

What a game that was in Kingstown! Afghanistan with their first-ever win against Australia in cricket. A result that's opened up Group 1 nicely for the two semifinal spots.

Now we turn our attention to Group 2 as England play United States in what will be the first meeting between these two nations across formats. The stakes? Both can still qualify for the semifinals but USA need a big win, and also rely upon South Africa to have a chance at it. England, who have a win in the Super-8 under their belt, obviously hold the advantage going into the match but then again, after all we've seen at this World Cup: can we rule USA out as of now?

Hopefully, another memorable game in the brewing for the neutrals. Stay with us as we take you through the action at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.