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• Boyz coach McClaren, defender Lowe take heart from 0-1 first leg Nations League quarterfinal loss to United States; eye comeback in second leg

  While the 0-1 loss to the United States in their Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal opener has left his Reggae Boyz with work to do in the second leg, Jamaica’s Head coach Steve McClaren remains optimistic about their chances to turn the tie around when they travel to St. Louis, Missouri, for the crucial clash on Monday.

  McClaren’s wave of optimism that his team can secure a spot in the Nations League semifinals and, by extension, next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, came as he expressed a mix of pride and frustration about Thursday’s outcome at the National Stadium.

  A fifth minute by Ricardo Pepi gave reigning champions United States an early advantage, and despite Jamaica's strong press and numerous attacking opportunities, they were unable to find the elusive equaliser.

  McClaren, however, was quick to praise the spirit and work ethic of his players throughout the match.

  “What I really liked about the performance was the fight and the spirit. It was a great effort from the team in terms of pressing, but we were too open,” McClaren said in his post-match comments.

  “In terms of creating chances, we had opportunities, we had the penalty, and we had moments when we won the ball back and could transition. But overall, the game felt too open. Credit to the team though; I’m proud of them. We were 1-0 down after just five minutes, and with the game being as open as it was, I thought the players showed real character to fight back. 12 shots at goal, and we felt aggrieved,” he added.

  

  Jamaica’s attacking play was energetic, particularly in the second half of the encounter, where they enjoyed a decent passage of play and created a few key moments that could have leveled the score, including a penalty shout and a shot cleared off the line.

  "I’m proud of the players for their performance. The way they worked, the way they defended, the way they pressed, and the way they created chances—I was very proud of all of them. Yes, we lost 1-0, but we showed that we can compete, and I know the USA will not take the game on Monday lightly," McClaren said.

  “We know that we can give them a game. We know the first goal will be important. If we score the first goal, then the tie is on. So, as I said, proud. I'm really looking forward to Monday now to play them again,” he shared.

  The over 20,000-strong Jamaican fans, who were vocal throughout the match, gave the players their support despite the early setback, and though there was a short burst of boos, McClaren believes the crowd's energy helped lift the Boyz for the most part.

  

  "I was pleased with the crowd; they were great. I thought the fans were behind us all the way, and they got off their seats when we created those opportunities. I think you could see the attacking football and good performances, so we have to repeat that in the second leg.

  “We just need to recover, get ourselves together, keep the spirit, keep the fight, and keep the belief that we can go there and score first and make a game,” the Englishman stated.

  Meanwhile, defender Damion Lowe shared McClaren’s sentiments, acknowledging that the team gave their all despite the early setback.

  “The guys really put it to the test. Conceding an early is never good, but we showed resilience. The Jamaican in us really fought, and we dug deep. We got the opportunity to win the game...we had two great chances, but that’s football—it’s cruel sometimes,” Lowe noted.

  “But, it’s a two-legged tie, and we can’t beat ourselves up. It’s a quick turnaround, and we’ve been in this situation before. A year ago, we were in the same position (and turned it around against Canada), so we just have to do it again,” he ended.

• Unbeatable Samson and Tilak lead India to victory in Johannesburg

  Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma both hit unbeaten centuries – the latter recording his second in as many matches – as India eased to a 3-1 T20I series win over South Africa.

  Leading 2-1 after Tilak's best-ever T20I knock of 107 not out led them to victory in Wednesday's third match, the tourists produced another magnificent batting display to wrap up the series in Johannesburg.

  Samson and Abhishek Sharma put on a partnership of 73 to get the ball rolling after India captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bat, but they really picked up the pace after the latter feathered Lutho Sipamla's ball through to Heinrich Klaasen for 36.

  Tilak came in and smashed 120 runs off just 47 balls faced – including nine fours and 10 sixes – in a brilliant stand with Samson, who scored 109 off 56 deliveries. 

  South Africa's bowlers had no answer to the duo's big hitting, with the highlight of the innings coming when Tilak slogged 20 runs off four successive balls in the 14th over.

  Finishing 283-1, India fell just 14 runs short of their record total in T20Is, a score of 297-6 versus Bangladesh set last month, and the Proteas' slim hopes of making it competitive were soon dashed.

  Arshdeep Singh (3-20) dismissed Reeza Hendricks (0), Aiden Markram (8) and Klaasen (0) within the first three overs of their innings as the hosts were dropped to 10-4. 

  Varun Chakravarthy got in on the act with two wickets as India continued to rip through the South Africa batting order, Tristan Stubbs (43) top-scoring for the hosts as they fell 135 runs short of victory.

  Data Debrief: Records fall for India pair

  South Africa's bowlers were smashed around the Wanderers Stadium by Samson and Tilak, both of whom brought up notable milestones.

  Samson became the first cricketer in T20I history to hit three centuries within a single year, having also scored tons against Bangladesh last month and South Africa eight days ago.

  Tilak, meanwhile, managed a strike rate of 255.3, the highest ever recorded by an India player in a single T20I innings. 

• Obed McCoy replaces Matthew Forde for remainder of T20 series against England

  Left-arm seamer Obed McCoy has been added to the 15-man squad for the West Indies Senior Men’s T20I squad as a replacement for medium-pacer Matthew Forde for the remainder of the five-match T20I series against England in Saint Lucia.

  Forde, named Player of the Series in the One Day International leg of the tour, where the West Indies secured a series win, sustained a left thigh injury during training on Wednesday 13 November, at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium. The 22-year-old Forde will continue to be monitored by the medical team as he works toward a full recovery.

  As a result, McCoy, who was initially unavailable due to an injury sustained during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has now been cleared to return to play. The left-arm seamer, who has taken 49 wickets in 38 T20 Internationals for the West Indies, will join the squad on Friday 15 November, ahead of the back-to-back matches over the weekend to close out the Rivalry series.

  West Indies T20I Squad:

  Rovman Powell (Captain)
  Roston Chase
  Shimron Hetmyer
  Terrance Hinds
  Shai Hope
  Akeal Hosein
  Alzarri Joseph
  Brandon King
  Evin Lewis
  Obed McCoy
  Gudakesh Motie
  Nicholas Pooran
  Sherfane Rutherford
  Romario Shepherd
  Shamar Springer