Monank, Yasir trounce Cayman Islands for a winning start

In the end it proved to be a no contest between USA and hosts Cayman Islands as USA secured their first win of the multi-nation North American Cup by 79 runs. USA, with their battery of stars, were no match for their counterparts in all three departments of the game. Monank Patel and Yasir Mohammad made merry by cashing in on the lopsided nature of the contest. The skipper made a whirlwind 76 off 45 deliveries while Yasir shattered the Cayman Islands' remote hope of mounting the steep chase of 187 with a four-wicket haul.

USA fly in the PowerPlay

Sai Teja Mukkamalla, fresh off his maiden T20I hundred against Oman in February, sparked fireworks in the PowerPlay with a bludgeoning pull shot through the leg side. He elegantly took Romario Edwards downtown by standing tall to a length ball before glancing one down to the fine leg fence off the next delivery. Conroy Wright's change of ends cut short Mukkamalla's blitz as he holed out at long leg to an innocuous delivery. Monank flung himself into action by clubbing Demar Johnson over long on. Shayan Jahangir added to Johnson's powerplay with an agricultural hoick over mid-on followed by a six into the vacant leg side field to end the PowerPlay at 60 for 1.

Monank unleashes mayhem

Monank toyed around with the bowlers with languid ease after the PowerPlay. The bowlers looked devoid of a game plan and never looked quite threatening enough to induce a wicket. Monank continued the carnage with by drilling Adrian Wright towards the sight screen. Jahangir joined him in by piercing a cover drive to the extra cover fence in the next over. Jahangir's sparkling innings of 39 off 28 came to an end with an ungainly heave to the leg side that carried to short fine leg.

Monank refused to take the foot off the accelerator despite the departure of Shayan and Milind Kumar in quick succession. He was enterprising in his stroke-play, peppering the long-on boundary with ferocious blows in addition to some deft touches which made life difficult for opposing captain to set fields. He plundered 40 in his last 12 balls before holing out to long-on in the 17th over. His departure put breaks on USA's death over assault as Aaron Jones and Sanjay Krishnamurthy failed to motor along. USA could only muster 20 off the last 3 overs and were left to be content with 186.

Yasir spins a web around Cayman Islands

The only silver lining for Cayman Islands in their lacklustre batting show was the brief but breezy 30 off 20 deliveries at the top of the order from Jermaine Baker. He was presented with a life off the first ball of the innings at slip off debutant Akhilesh Bodugum but got into his element quickly by thumping Saurabh Netravalkar to the sight screen. He followed that up with an exquisite on the up drive over mid off's head. USA vice captain Jessy Singh faced Baker's wrath in the following with a couple of fiercely struck boundaries.

It took Monank's acrobatics to cease Baker's rampage as he mistimed one through the legside off Netravalkar. Netravalkar was on the money next ball to pin Akash Naidoo in front to further dent Cayman Islands' surge. Yasir yielded dividends off some disciplined bowling after Sacha De Alwais tried to hit his way out of trouble only to offer a simple catch at deep midwicket. The leg spinner assumed responsibility in the absence of the senior spinners to break the back of Cayman Islands batting with twin strikes in the 13th over. Apart from Baker, Cayman Islands batsmen failed to threaten USA's ironclad grip on the game as the innings meandered along aimlessly to end at 107 for 7.