Who Is Aaron Jones Who Scored Record-Setting 94* In T20 World Cup Opener?

Aaron Jones on his knees after playing the inning of his life vs CAN (AP)Aaron Jones on his knees after playing the inning of his life vs CAN (AP)

Aaron Jones, the 29-year-old set the T20 World Cup 2024 opener, was on fire with his blistering unbeaten 94 off 40 against Canada in Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas - gaining him the Player of the Match award.

The New York-born middle-order batter, who made his List-A debut for Barbados in the Caribbean in January 2016, switched his nationality in 2018 to play for the USA. In his debut game, Jones played with the likes of Jason Holder and Shai Hope and against West Indies captain, Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran.

In October of 2018, Jones was named in the USA national team to play in the third division of the ICC World Cricket League tournament in Oman, where he scored the most runs for them in the tournament with 200 runs in 5 innings with 2 fifties to his name. He quickly became a mainstay in the US middle order.

During the 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two, Aaron helped the United States gain their ODI status as they finished in the top four. He scored an unbeaten 103 against hosts, Namibia during the tournament which was also his first-ever international century.

He was named to the New Jersey Somerset Cavaliers team for the inaugural season of the Minor League Cricket (MLC) in 2021 and subsequently got selected for the MLC draft in the next season. In 2023, he was signed by Seattle Orcas who came runner-ups in the season who will also be playing the2024 Major League Cricket season opener.

Subsequently, Jones was named as the vice-captain for the US national team. On his T20 World Cup debut against Canada, with 10 sixes in his match winning 94*(40), he became the player with second most sixes on T20 WC debut behind Chris Gayle, who scored 11 in 2007.