United States thump Canada by seven wickets T20 World Cup opener

The United States overpowered Canada's bowling after a slow start to win by seven wickets in the opening match of the Twenty20 World Cup in Dallas on Saturday.

Aaron Jones hit 10 sixes in an unbeaten 94 from 40 balls, leading his team to 197 for three from 17.4 overs in response to Canada's 194 for five.

Opener Navneet Dhaliwal top-scored with 61 for Canada before he was caught off former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson's first delivery for his new team.

The ninth edition of the sport's shortest format opened with a match between two countries who played the first international cricket game in 1844. Canada won that low-scoring three-day game in New York by 23 runs.

Cricket was popular in the United States, particularly in Philadelphia, but was later supplanted by baseball in the 19th century.

With T20 cricket, a format similar in length to baseball games, on the agenda for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the International Cricket Council hopes to attract a new and potentially lucrative audience by hosting the World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States.

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Twice champions West Indies open their campaign against Papua New Guinea in Georgetown on Sunday, and defending champions England play Scotland in Barbados on Tuesday.

Australia, the world test and 50 overs champions, will first play Oman in Barbados next Thursday.

The biggest clash of the first round will come two days later when Australia faces England.

(Reuters)