What a turnaround for England in just two weeks. After their shaky start with a defeat against Australia in Barbados, their title defense seemed precarious. Returning to the island, they have now surged into the semi-finals, keeping their championship hopes alive.
It’s true that three of their four victories came against associate nations—Oman, Namibia, and now the USA. Against stronger teams, England's record is mixed, losing two out of three, including a recent loss to South Africa. However, their latest win has given them crucial momentum heading into the semi-finals.
Chris Jordan's bowling brilliance and Jos Buttler's explosive batting were the highlights. Jordan's hat-trick and Buttler's rapid-fire half-century, his first in the Caribbean and England's fastest of the tournament, set the stage. Phil Salt's steady 25 not out at the non-striker's end complemented Buttler's fireworks, ensuring England avoided another tense wait for the West Indies vs. South Africa match outcome.
USA’s journey in the tournament ended with a heavy defeat, but their progression to the Super 8s remains a significant achievement. The game started promisingly for the USA with opener Andries Gous hitting Reece Topley for a six, igniting chants of "U-S-A! U-S-A!" in the stands. But this was short-lived as Topley soon dismissed Gous, and Moeen Ali followed up by removing Steven Taylor.
From there, England's spinners, led by Adil Rashid, tightened their grip. Rashid's googlies bowled Aaron Jones and Nitish Kumar, stalling USA's scoring. Corey Anderson's cautious 29 from 28 balls briefly steadied the ship but he soon fell to Jordan, who dominated the final stages. Jordan’s bowling spree saw Ali Khan’s off stump sent flying, Nosthush Kenjige trapped lbw, and Saurabh Netravalkar bowled, completing a memorable performance.
After the match, England captain Jos Buttler expressed satisfaction with their strategy, saying, “We respected USA but knew if we maintained our intensity, we’d be too strong.” USA's captain Aaron Jones acknowledged their shortcomings, stating, “We weren't disciplined enough and ran out of steam towards the end. But we've enjoyed our World Cup journey."
Player of the match, Adil Rashid, who took 2-13, praised the team’s overall performance, “We set the tone early and restricting them to 115 was exceptional. The googly worked well, and I hope to continue this form.”
England now look forward to the semi-finals with renewed confidence, thanks to their emphatic victory.