Pace bowler Chris Jordan has fired England into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup with an emotional hat-trick in a thumping 10-wicket victory over the United States on his home island of Barbados.
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Jordan, a born-and-bred Bajan who went to school with pop star Rihanna just a 10-minute drive away from Bridgetown's Kensington Oval, brought the house down at his old stamping ground on Sunday as he recorded the first ever T20 hat-trick for the England men's team.
His performance followed Australian star Pat Cummins' remarkable achievement of two hat-tricks in successive games against Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Jordan's efforts opened the door for the reigning champions to take their fate into their own hands, with openers Jos Buttler and Phil Salt sealing the deal amid a flurry of sixes as they chased down 116 in just 9.4 overs.
The win guaranteed the holders would make the final four but despite Buttler's best efforts - and his staggering knock of 83no from just 38 balls was a bravura attempt to steal the limelight - the match will be remembered for Jordan's four wickets in five balls in a brilliant penultimate over.
Starting with former New Zealand international Corey Anderson before rounding up Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar in successive balls, his haul reduced USA from 5-115 to 115 all out in the blink of an eye, with the 35-year-old also claiming a fine catch off the last ball of the Sam Curran over before his heroics.
That left England with a clear path into the final four - knowing victory in 17.4 overs would make them safe regardless of events elsewhere.
Buttler showed his intent early on with an outrageous 104-metre bomb that landed on the roof of the Worrell, Weekes and Walcott Stand.
He went on to smash seven sixes in total, including five in a row - separated only by a wide - off the punch-drunk Harmeet Singh, as well as six fours in a blistering assault.
His opening partner Salt, who also spent part of his childhood in Barbados and was in the ground when England won this competition in 2010, played the supporting role with an unbeaten 25 from 21 balls.
It was an unforgiving performance in the first meeting between these nations and one that marks England out as a force to be reckoned with at the business end of the competition after they had suffered an early group-stage loss to Australia.
Adil Rashid also starred, pegging back the USA after they'd got to 2-48 after the powerplay.
Rashid served up four masterful overs for 2-13, with Nitish Kumar and Aaron Jones bamboozled by rip-roaring googlies.
There were two more wickets for Curran and one apiece for Reece Topley and Liam Livingstone, who bowled a rare four-over spell.
England must now wait another 24 hours to find out who they will meet in the last four.
Australian Associated Press
