Aaron Jones played an unbelievable inning to take this side over the finishing line. He scored 94 runs in only 40 deliveries to help the USA start the T20 World Cup 2024 campaign on a positive note. He is hoping that his inning against Canada will open the eyes of those who don't know anything about him or USA cricket. Jones was released by Major League Cricket franchise Seattle Orcas after its inaugural edition. He was not picked in the last MLC draft.

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Aaron Jones and Andries Gous led the USA to their victory against Canada

"When I wasn't selected in the Major League, I just took it as a stepping stone in the journey. I would have loved to get drafted, so it goes sometimes. Hopefully, tonight's innings will probably open the eyes of those who don't know me or USA cricket. We have great players here and we have a lot of talent here and are willing to play at the highest level for sure," Aaron Jones said after the game.

USA had a poor start and they lost the wicket of Steven Taylor for a duck in the second ball of the inning. They were 42/2 after 6.3 overs. But Jones played a counter-attacking inning and completed the chase with 14 balls to spare. He smashed 10 sixes in the game, the second most in a T20 World Cup inning after Chris Gayle's 11 against England in 2016.

Andries Gous also played an important inning and was instrumental in USA's victory. He scored 65 runs off 46 balls and helped Aaron from the other end. Jones and Andries Gous stood tall and added 131 runs for the third wicket.

"I don't think it is easy to put it into words. We know Canada comes hard against us since it is a big rivalry. Happy to take the team over the line. Sometimes as a cricketer, you could go a bit under the radar if you have a few low scores. I always back myself and know that I am capable of performing at every level. Happy that I came out on top and won the game for the USA. Hope it opens the eyes of some people around the world that I am good enough to play T20 cricket. I believe in myself, I work hard and I just use it as motivation. I know that I'm good enough to play at the highest level, and whenever given the opportunity, I'll do my best for sure," Jones further added.

USA will next face Pakistan at the same venue on Thursday and play India in ten days, while Canada will face Ireland in New York on Friday. Jones said they will continue to play fearless cricket.

"We just want to keep winning as much as possible, of course, we can't win every single game for the rest of our lives. I don't think our plan is going to change much. We want to play fearless cricket, we want to play hard cricket, we want to play smart cricket. We are going into the Pakistan game with the same mindset. We want to play fearless cricket, regardless of who we play against," Jones concluded.

Various international women's football players have cemented themselves in history books by achieving remarkable records. At the forefront is Canada's Christine Sinclair, an iconic figure in women's football

This collection of players and their impressive accomplishments underscore the development of women's football and the extraordinary talent that has emerged within the sport over the years. Let’s take a closer look at these stellar performers

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Babra Bander: Zambia- 7 

From the streets of Lusaka to the global stage, Barbra Banda’s journey is a testament to determination and raw talent. Born in Zambia’s capital, Banda started playing football at the tender age of seven. But her early sporting prowess wasn’t confined to just football.

Inspired by renowned Zambian boxer Catherine Phiri, Banda also dabbled in boxing at 14, quickly making a name for herself. She dominated the amateur scene, and after winning every bout and seeing other fighters hesitant to face her, Banda turned professional, where she won all five of her matches. However, football eventually took center stage in her life.

In October 2018, Banda signed with Spain's first division club, EDF Logroño, becoming the first Zambian woman to play football in Europe. Her career continued to soar when, in March 2024, she joined the Orlando Pride in the United States, signing a four-year contract that would keep her with the club until 2027.

Her impact on the international stage began early. Banda played for Zambia’s U-17 women’s team at the 2014 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, turning 14 during the tournament. Two years later, on March 6, 2016, she made her senior team debut in a Women’s Nations Cup qualifier against Namibia.

The peak of her career came at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Banda captained the Zambian national team as they made their debut appearance at the prestigious tournament. She became the first woman to score consecutive hat-tricks in Olympic history, netting three goals in a 3-10 loss to the Netherlands, she scored another three in a 4-4 draw against China. These performances also made her the first woman to score two hat-tricks in a single Olympic tournament.

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Michelle Akers: United States of America- 7

🇺🇸 @MichelleAkers10
👕 No10 in 1999, 1995 and 1991

All-time #FIFAWWC record
Games: 13
Goals: 12 pic.twitter.com/XlnsSkLXAe

— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) June 1, 2024

The name Michelle Akers is synonymous with U.S. women’s soccer dominance. With seven career hat-tricks, Akers helped the U.S. win the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup, leading the tournament with 10 goals, including five in a single game.

Her leading the team was crucial to the U.S. women's team securing its first-ever world title, and she later played a vital role in the 1999 World Cup and 1996 Olympics victories. 

Akers was also the lead scorer in the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in China in 1991. The U.S. women's team defeated Norway 2–1 in the final with Akers scoring both goals.

Ali Al-Biski: Libya - 7

Ali Al-Biski, a former Libyan footballer, played as a striker and holds the record as Libya's all-time top scorer despite the nation’s limited participation in FIFA events during his time. He led the Libyan Premier League in scoring twice—first in 1965 with Al-Madina SC, and again in 1968 with Al Ahli Tripoli. He recorded seven hat-tricks for the national team.

Pelé: Brazil - 7

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, famously known as Pelé, was a Brazilian forward and a football icon, widely hailed as one of the greatest players in history. With a Guinness World Record for 1,279 goals in 1,363 games (including friendlies), Pelé was named Athlete of the Century by the IOC in 1999 and featured in Time magazine’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He debuted for Santos at 15 and for Brazil at 16, winning three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and scoring seven hat-tricks for Brazil.

Sándor Kocsis: Hungary - 7

Sándor Kocsis, a Hungarian striker, played for Ferencvárosi TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, and FC Barcelona. After relocating to Spain post-1956 Hungarian Revolution, Kocsis joined Barcelona’s squad. He led the 1954 World Cup with a record 11 goals, scoring 23 times for Hungary that year—a single-year record. Kocsis was also the first player to achieve two hat-tricks in a World Cup.

Cristiane: Brazil- 8

Brazilian forward Cristiane stands alongside the greats, boasting eight hat-tricks throughout her career. A prolific goal scorer, she played a key role in Brazil's silver medal triumphs at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. Cristiane has participated in five FIFA Women’s World Cups and four Olympics, with her most recent hat-trick coming in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Jamaica at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Ali Daei: Iran - 8

Iranian striker and former national team captain, Ali Daei, was renowned as the world’s top scorer in official internationals per the IFFHS, netting 20 goals in 1996. During the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, he scored nine goals over 17 matches, amassing 38 goals in 52 appearances by that time. In 2004, he became the first male to score 100 international goals, reaching 102 with a four-goal game against Laos.

Gerd Müller: Germany - 8

Gerd Müller, a prolific German striker known for his precision in the penalty area, is considered one of football’s top scorers. With West Germany, he scored 68 goals in 62 games. For Bayern Munich, he scored 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga matches and 65 goals in 74 European games, holding a league scoring record. Müller’s eight hat-tricks include two in the 1970 World Cup.

Poul Nielsen: Denmark - 8

Danish striker Poul Nielsen scored 52 goals in 38 games, sharing Denmark’s top-scoring record. He earned a silver medal at the 1912 Olympics and led Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) to six Danish championships. Scoring eight hat-tricks in international play, Nielsen was an iconic figure for Denmark until his death in 1962.

Abby Wambach: United States of America- 8

Mary Abigail Wambach, born on June 2, 1980, is a retired American soccer player, coach, and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee. A six-time recipient of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, Wambach was a key player for the U.S. women’s national team from 2003 to 2015.

She earned her first international cap in 2001 and, as a forward, became the highest all-time goal scorer for the U.S. national team. Globally, she ranks second in international goals for both men and women with 184 goals, trailing only Canada's Christine Sinclair.

Wambach competed in four FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments: the 2003 edition in the U.S., the 2007 event in China, the 2011 tournament in Germany, and the 2015 competition in Canada. She also represented the U.S. in the 2004 Athens and 2012 London Olympics.

Throughout these five major international tournaments, Wambach played 30 matches and netted 22 goals. She helped her team secure two Olympic gold medals, third-place finishes twice at the Women's World Cup, a second-place finish in 2011, and ultimately, a World Cup victory in 2015.

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Carli Lloyd: United States of America- 9

Carli Lloyd is another legend of international football, having represented the U.S. from 2012 to 2021. Over her remarkable career, she earned two Olympic gold medals (in 2008 and 2012) and won two FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. In addition, she was named FIFA Player of the Year twice, in 2015 and 2016, and competed in four Olympic Games (2008, 2012, 2016, and 2021).

Lloyd’s capacity for rising to the occasion was evident when she scored the decisive goals in the gold medal matches of both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. She was also instrumental in the U.S. clinching World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019, she also secured a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She played in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the US finished as runners-up.

Ali Mabkhout: UAE - 9

Ali Mabkhout, a forward for Al Nasr and the UAE national team, debuted with Al Jazira in 2009. A pivotal figure in UAE’s 2019 AFC Asian Cup quarterfinal win over Australia, he became UAE’s top scorer on October 10, 2019, with a hat-trick against Indonesia in a 5-0 victory.

Sven Rydell: Sweden- 9

Swedish striker Sven Rydell scored 49 goals in 43 matches, a record that stood for over 80 years until broken by Zlatan Ibrahimović in 2014. Rydell’s international career included a bronze medal at the 1924 Olympics, and he holds the Swedish record of nine international hat-tricks.

Vivian Woodward: England - 10

Vivian Woodward, an English forward, starred from the early 1900s to World War I, playing for Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. As Great Britain’s captain, he won gold at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics, recording six hat-tricks for England amateurs and four for England’s national team.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal- 10

At the age of 18, Ronaldo made his debut for Portugal as a substitute against Kazakhstan on 20 August 2003. At UEFA Euro 2004, he scored his first international goal in a 2–1 group stage loss to Greece in his eighth international appearance.

In 2016, Ronaldo led Portugal to their first-ever trophy at the UEFA Euro 2016, although he was subbed off in the 25th minute in the final against hosts France.He received the Silver Boot as the second-highest goalscorer.

In the 2018 World Cup, Ronaldo became the oldest player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match, in a 3–3 draw against Spain Cristiano Ronaldo became the first male player to score 10 hat-tricks for a national team on 12 October 2021 in Portugal's 5–0 win against Luxembourg, breaking Sven Rydell's record.

Lionel Messi:Argentina -10

Lionel Messi debuted for Argentina’s U20 team in 2004 and won the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. His senior debut came in 2005 at 18. In 2021, he ended Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought with a Copa América win. On October 15, 2024, Messi scored his 10th international hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Bolivia.

Christine Sinclair: Canada- 11

Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for the Portland Thorns in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). From 2000 until her international retirement in 2023, she was a key member of the Canadian national team. 

Sinclair is an Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, CONCACAF champion, and has won the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award 14 times. She holds the world record for the most international goals scored by any player, male or female, with 190 goals and is among the most-capped players in international soccer, with 331 appearances.

In a career spanning more than two decades with the senior national team, Sinclair has competed in six FIFA Women's World Cups and four Olympic Football Tournaments, leading her team to bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, and to gold in 2020.

She is one of only three players to score in five different World Cup tournaments, alongside Marta and Cristiano Ronaldo. In 2022, Sinclair was honored with the Best FIFA Special Award for her achievement as the world’s top goal scorer.

Notably, Sinclair scored her eleventh international hat-trick during a 2012 Olympic match against the United States, netting all three of Canada’s goals in a 3–4 loss.

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Alex Morgan: United States of America- 12 

Alexandra Patricia Morgan, born on July 2, 1989, is a retired American professional soccer player who last played as a striker for San Diego Wave FC in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), where she served as captain, as well as for the United States national team. She co-captained the U.S. national team with Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe from 2018 to 2020, and later with Lindsay Horan in 2023.

Morgan was the first overall pick in the 2011 WPS Draft by the Western New York Flash, where she made her professional debut and contributed to the team's league championship win. At 22, she was the youngest player on the U.S. national team at the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, where the team finished as runner-up.

During the 2012 London Olympics, Morgan scored the decisive goal in the 123rd minute of the semi-final against Canada. She ended 2012 with 28 goals and 21 assists, becoming the second American woman, after Mia Hamm, to record 20 goals and 20 assists in a single year. This achievement made her the sixth and youngest U.S. player to reach 20 goals in one season. Morgan was named U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and became a FIFA World Player of the Year finalist.

She played a crucial role in the U.S. team's victories at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women's World Cups, earning a spot on the Dream Team in both tournaments and winning the Silver Boot in 2019. Morgan recorded her eleventh international hat-trick with five goals on 11 June 2019 in the United States 13–0 victory over Thailand in the 2019 World

Her record-breaking twelfth international hat-trick came in 2021 against Paraguay in a game where the United States dominated and won 8-0

In their final home game of 2024, the United States Women's National Team delivered a memorable win for a packed Lynn family stadium in Louisiana, giving fans exactly what they hoped for. 

This victory was especially significant for midfielder Rose Lavelle, who celebrated her 100th cap with the national team. Here’s a recap of the key moments from the match.

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First Half

The first shot of the game came from Vanina Preininger of Argentina in the 4th minute from 35 yards out and it was comfortably saved by goalkeeper Amanda Haught. USA responded in the 10th minute with a right footed shot from Emma Sears that was blocked.

OH YAY, NAE!#USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/BgrbbVQupZ

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 30, 2024

Both sides kept on mounting pressure on each other until 37th minute when Naomi Girma headed the ball from close range following a setpiece situation to give USA the lead her first international goal. Argentina tried to equalize through series of effort but were unable to find the back of the net.

Seven minutes later, Rose Lavelle delivered a corner, and Girma went for a header. The ball deflected off Cometti’s leg and into her own net, extending the United States’ lead to 2-0. This brought the first half to a close.

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Second Half 

In her first cap and start, Alyssa Malonson assists Naomi Girma's first career brace!!! #USWNT x @VW pic.twitter.com/pmg0pcJsqx

— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 31, 2024

Girma struck again early in the second half when Malonson passed to her, allowing Girma to head the ball into the upper right corner of the net in the 49th minute, increasing the lead to three goals. 

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In the 82nd minute, Jaedyn Shaw had an opportunity for the USWNT but sent her right-footed free kick over the goal.

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USWNT Upcoming Fixtures

The U.S. will finish the year with two matches in Europe, starting with a game against England at Wembley on November 30, followed by a matchup against the Netherlands in The Hague on December 3.

There are speculations that cricket competition in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics may get shifted to the East Coast of the United States. The aim is to draw in more traffic, especially from India for the newly added sport.

Not only that, the US seems to have more demand due to the growing popularity of their domestic cricket, according to the host committee chair, Casey Wasserman.

Cricket is not new in the Olympics. However, it has been 128 years since cricket was sidelined. In the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the T20 format of the game will be played. However, the venue is yet to be confirmed.

How will it benefit the Indians?

The time difference between Los Angeles and India is almost 12 and a half hours. That means a match starting at around PDT 10 am is available to the Indians at IST 10:30 pm

On the other side, the East Coast is 9 and a half hours behind India. This means that a match that starts around EST (Eastern Daylight Time) at 10 am will be easily broadcast to the Indians at around 10:30 pm.

Earlier, both the men's and the women's tournaments were assigned to the West Coast. But keeping in mind the pros and cons, especially for the Indian Cricket fans, the East Coast may get the hosting responsibilities.

Moreover, New York on the East Coast has some experience in hosting cricket matches. Earlier this year, they arranged several preliminary-round matches of the T20 World Cup, cohosted by West Indies.

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Why is India important?

India holds the biggest cricket market. Not only that, the International Olympic Committee acknowledged how the popularity of Virat Kohli had made them include cricket in the Olympics.

Niccolo Campriani, the Director of the Olympics, told officially, "Virat Kohli is the main influence for adding cricket to the Olympics."

The Delhi batter has almost 314 million followers across his social media handles, making him the third-most followed athlete in the world. Kohli has more followers on social media than basketball legend LeBron James, rugby stalwart Tom Brady, and golf icon Tiger Woods combined.

According to Sportico, Wasserman had said that they are aiming for "more than USD 150 million in savings and new revenue to help maintain a balanced budget (for the Olympics)."

Grabbing more Indian fans with the added advantage of pre-furnished stadiums will help the committee in achieving so.

The three venues that hosted the T20 World Cup in the US, which India won to break the title drought, were Dallas, Fort Lauderdale, and a temporary stadium built on Long Island outside New York City.

New sports added

Apart from cricket, sports like baseball, softball, flag football, squash, and lacrosse, have been added to the LA28 Olympic roster. Olympics have gotten back the previous elegance of the 1990s,

However, shifting matches from the core venue is not unique. During the Paris Olympics, surfing was hosted in Tahiti. Marseille hosted sailing and shooting was held in Chateauroux. Soccer was played throughout the country.

Matthew Wade, the Australian wicketkeeper batter, has announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday. However, he will join the men's team's coaching unit from the upcoming T20 series against Pakistan.

Matthew Wade career

Matthew Wade played 225 matches for Australia, featuring in 36 test matches, 97 one-day internationals, and 92 T20 internationals for Australia. He last played the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies in 2024.

Not only that, he played a crucial role in Australia's T20 World Cup victory in 2021 in Dubai.

Wade' Retirement

The 36-year-old Matthew Wade ended his 13-year long playing career.

"I'm officially retiring," Wade, who retired from first-class cricket last summer, was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au. "It's been an ongoing discussion for pretty much every tour or every World Cup that I've been on in the last three or four years.

"It's been a really fluent conversation that I've had with George (Bailey, chief selector) and Ronnie (coach Andrew McDonald) over the last six months or since the last World Cup finished. Even leading into the last World Cup, we've been really open and had really great communication around where I'm at with my career.

"If we went into the last World Cup and I managed to get some runs and we won that, then things would look maybe a little different and maybe I'd keep going... it was just kind of an understanding from all of us," Wade added.

36 Test matches. 97 ODIs. 92 T20 Internationals.

Congratulations to Matthew Wade on an outstanding international cricket career! pic.twitter.com/SDWl1OhqZC

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 29, 2024

Matthew Wade in coaching

Matthew Wade will kick off his coaching career with the national team from its upcoming outing in the T20 Series against Pakistan. He will travel under the leadership of Andre Borovec.

Later, the team will regroup for the ODI Series, which starts in Melbourne next week.

Wade, however, is not new to coaching. He has been in this role during the winter while coaching the Tasmanian youth and second XI.

Well, Wade will continue playing for his Big Bash League side, the Hobart Hurricanes, for at least the next two summers.

Also, he will continue playing for his domestic team, Tasmania.

After a 10-wicket defeat against Scotland in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier, Stuart Law has been sacked from his position as the Head Coach of the USA National Men's national cricket team

Dismissal of the former Australian cricketer was an inevitable outcome of the rough start in the World Cup League 2 series in Dallas. There, the USA scored just 144 runs, losing all wickets in the opener at Grand Prairie Stadium. Scotland’s Andrew Umeed scored 98*, chasing down the target within 24.5 overs .

The defeat to Scotland compounded recent challenges for the team, which entered the match after a 3-0 T20 series defeat to Nepal.

Statement from USA cricket

USA Cricket released a statement that said, "USA Cricket announced the departure of Men’s National Team Head Coach Stuart Law today."

It also added, "Law was appointed to the position in April and led the team during the USA's historic performance at this year’s T20 World Cup, where the team advanced to the Super 8 in its inaugural World Cup appearance."

The CEO of USA Cricket Johnathan Atkeison acknowledged Law's contribution to the team and accepted that it wasn't an easy decision for the board.

“Given Stuart’s contribution to the program, this was not an easy decision to make,” said Atkeison. “Unfortunately, we felt that a change was necessary for the next phase of competitive preparation.”

Stuart Law sacked despite of 2024 T20 World Cup's remarkable run

In April, Stuart Law got a three-year contract as the head coach of the team. With Law's coaching, the USA has a remarkable campaign in the 2024 T20 World Cup, a tournament hosted by them and co-hosted by the West Indies.

The team registered a historic win against Pakistan in Dallas. Not only that, they reached the Super 8s, which had sparked thoughts of them as a probable top 4.

Stuart Law had however coached countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, West Indies, and Afghanistan. With USA seeing a sudden upsurge under his coaching, a sudden fall in the team's result has abrupt ended his coaching tenure with the team.