Canada set a challenging target of 195 runs for the United States in the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas on Sunday after being put in to bat by the hosts. 

Opener Navneet Dhaliwal and middle-order batter Nicholas Kirton scored the fifties for Canada to set the platform for a competitive total.

Dhaliwal scored 61 runs in 44 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes. Meanwhile, Kirton added 51 runs in 31 balls which included three fours and two maximums.

Shreyas Movva played a fiery unbeaten cameo of 32 runs in 16 balls to provide impetus towards the backend of the innings.

Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh and Corey Anderson bagged one wicket each.

Earlier, USA captain Monank Patel said at the toss that it is a fresh wicket and his side will have more clarity while chasing.

“Playing the World Cup is an amazing feeling. We’ve sacrificed a lot in the last five years,” he added.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar said that the surface is good and he doesn’t mind batting first.

“It’s a World Cup and we have a full squad, so confident we’ll do well. First time we’re playing in the tournament, hope to do it with a win,” he added.

USA vs Canada is cricket’s oldest rivalry since the first ever international cricket was between these two sides in 1844 at the St George’s Cricket Club in New York.

The North American rivals have locked horns seven times in T20I matches, where the USA had the upper hand on five occasions and Canada has won twice.

Canada and the USA are in Group A alongside India, Pakistan and Ireland.