T20 World Cup: Aaron Jones fires USA to thrilling opening victory over Canada

USA batsman Aaron Jones says he thrives under pressure, and evidently so after his explosive innings led the tournament co-hosts to a seven-wicket victory over Canada in the opening game of the T20 World Cup on Saturday night.

Jones, born in New York but raised in Barbados, bludgeoned the Canadian attack, smashing 10 sixes in his unbeaten 94 from 40 balls as he changed the momentum of the game in a superb 131-run third-wicket partnership with Andries Gous.

Jones took full control in the 13th over when he went on the attack against the slow left-arm of Canada captain, Saad Bin Zafar, smashing three sixes in one over.

The game shifted decisively towards the Americans when Jeremy Gordon's medium-fast seamers went for 33 off one disastrous over, with the Canadian adding to his misery with three wides and two no-balls, including a no-ball that cancelled out a potential dismissal of Gous.

Former South Africa Under-19 batsman Gous made 65 off 46 balls before he holed out to deep midwicket off Nikhil Dutta, ending a partnership that had taken the USA from struggling at 42-2 in the seventh over to close to the finish line at 173-3 in the 16th after Canada had set them a target of 195 for victory.

Corey Anderson, the former New Zealand all-rounder, came in to accompany Jones who fittingly ended the contest with his 10th sixth of the night.

It was the perfect start to the tournament for the co-hosts, with the crowd at the compact Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas roaring with delight as Jones smashed the Canadian attack around the ground.

"I don't think it is easy to put it into words," said Jones, whose 10 sixes are the second most in a T20 World Cup innings behind West Indian Chris Gayle's 11 against England in 2016.

"With our