INDIANAPOLIS, United States (CMC) – All-rounder Muneshwar Patandin claimed six for 22 – including four wickets in the final over – and later top-scored with 36 but his battling performance could not prevent winless Suriname from slipping to a 24-run defeat against unbeaten leaders Canada in fourth-round matches at the ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 qualifying tournament on Thursday.In the early game at Indianapolis World Sports Park, United States virtually ended Bermuda’s hopes of a top-two finish with a crushing eight-wicket victory, achieved with 47 balls to spare, thanks to opener Steven Taylor’s aggressive knock of 60.
Canada, who hold a 4-0 record in the week-long tournament, were cruising at 139 for two from 17 overs after skipper Rizwan Cheema led the way with 46 from 35 balls, including three sixes and two fours.
Man-of-the-Match Patandin had Nitish Kumar caught for 43 with the first ball of the 18th over and then trapped Jimmy Hansra leg-before for 30, three balls later.
In his final over Patandin removed Hamza Tariq (six), Srimantha Wijeratne (nought), Saad Bin Zafar (nine) and Junaid Siddiqui (nought) as Canada closed on 157 for eight.
In reply, Patandin, third out at 88 in the 15th over, shared an opening stand of 40 with Wasim Akram Haslim (26) before Troy Dudnath chipped in with 20 as Suriname made a spirited reply after being skittled out for 55 by Bermuda in their previous game.
Bermuda, who close to bat in slow and dewy conditions after winning the toss, struggled to make any headway against tight U.S. bowling and could post only a below-par 95 for five in their innings, with Oliver Pitcher top-scoring with a painstaking 24 before retiring hurt with a leg injury.
Leg-break bowler Timil Patel led the U.S. attack with figures of three for 22.
The U.S., who beat Bermuda by five wickets in Sunday’s opening round of games with an over to spare after requiring 30 from the final 18 balls, romped to victory this time as wicketkeeper Taylor, who was born in Florida of Jamaican parents, reached his 50 off 36 balls with five fours and two sixes before being caught and bowled by 17-year-old slow left-arm bowler Delray Rawlins.
Man-of-the-match Taylor, 21, a left-hander, added 89 for the first wicket with Fahad Babar, who finished unbeaten on 22 from 28 balls.
Bermuda’s national coach Arnold Manders praised the U.S. attack afterwards, saying: “They bowled immaculately. They held a good line and length and didn’t give us any width.”
Victory gave the U.S. a 3-1 record, leaving Bermuda 1-3 with only a slim mathematical chance of finishing in the top two.
The top two will advance to this summer’s World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.