As the USA prepares to face South Africa in the Super 8s of the 2024 T20 World Cup, batter Aaron Jones shared the team’s confident mindset. Scheduled to play at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on June 19, the USA team maintains a strong belief in their ability to beat any team in the world, a mantra that has driven their performance throughout the tournament.
Jones emphasised that this belief has been a cornerstone of their strategy since before the World Cup began. The host nation has generated significant excitement in a country not traditionally known for cricket, showcasing its potential by advancing to the Super 8 stage with impressive performances.
The USA's journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 has been remarkable. They secured their place in the Super 8s by putting up stellar performances on the group stage, including a historic series win against Bangladesh, a dominant display against Canada, and a thrilling Super Over victory against Pakistan. Although they lost to India, their washout game against Ireland allowed them to edge past Pakistan and move into the next stage of the tournament.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Jones expressed confidence in the team's approach against heavyweights like South Africa, West Indies, and England.
"Well, to be honest with you, I think it starts with the belief that we could beat anybody. Even before the World Cup. We've had a few series and obviously, everybody knows we came out on top against Bangladesh, which is a really good team, to be honest. So, we always believed before the World Cup that we could beat bigger teams or better teams, and obviously, we showed it against Pakistan," Jones said.
"And it's going to be the same mindset going into the Super 8 now starting tomorrow we play against South Africa. We want to play hard cricket and if we come out on top it's good, if we don't come out on top then we learn."
The USA, placed in Group 2 of the Super 8s, faces a challenging lineup of some of the best teams in world cricket. Jones' statements reflect the team's unwavering determination and readiness to take on these formidable opponents with the same fearless attitude that has brought them this far.