INDIANAPOLIS, United States (CMC) – Bermuda were eliminated from contention while the United States clinched a top-two finish on day five of the four-nation ICC Americas Division One Twenty20 qualifying tournament on Friday when they beat winless Suriname by eight wickets.
The decisive U.S. victory came before leaders Canada, boosted by an unbeaten half-century from Jimmy Hansra and three wickets from Cecil Pervez, put Bermuda out of their misery with a seven-wicket victory, leaving the Canadians with a 5-0 record ahead of their final match against the U.S. yesterday.
The U.S. have won all their games apart from their first meeting against Canada, while Bermuda have only a big win over Suriname to show for their efforts.
The two met again yesterday to determine third and fourth places.
Canada and the U.S. now advance to this summer’s World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Ireland and Scotland.
Leg-break bowler Timil Patel picked up four for 13 and Danial Ahmed two for 19 as the U.S. restricted Suriname to 106 from their 20 overs and then cruised to victory with 10 balls to spare after openers Fahad Babar (43 not out) and Steven Taylor (33) put on 61 for the first wicket.
The partnership was broken when seamer Muneshwar Patandin – Suriname’s hero the previous day in a losing cause when he took six for 22 against Canada – caught and bowled Taylor in the 12th over.
Chief run-getters for Suriname were captain Mahindra Boodram (23) and Wasim Akram Haslim (21).
Bermuda, who chose to bat first, made the worst possible start when Dion Stovell fell to the first ball of the innings and struggled to 114 for seven. Skipper Janeiro Tucker (34), Delray Rawlins (24) and Tre Manders (23 not out) provided the bulk of the runs in the middle order.
Opening bowler Pervez did the most damage with three for 17.
Bermuda hit back immediately, claiming Canadian openers Ruvindu Gunasekera (six) and skipper Rizwan Cheema (nought) with only seven runs on the road.
Although Nitish Kumar went for 12, leaving his side 39 for three, man-of-the-match Hansra teamed up with Srimantha Wijeratne (26 not out) to post an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 79 to seal victory with 10 balls to spare.
Hansra, 30, who was born in India, finished unbeaten on 68 from 59 balls with five sixes and a four.