USA's Taylor targets West Indies spinner in Super Eights showdown

Steven Taylor will add extra excitement at the Kensington Oval on Friday night as he faces the West Indies in the T20 World Cup Super Eights. Taylor, a standout player for the USA, will go up against his friend and former teammate, Akeal Hosein. Both played together for the Barbados Tridents in 2015 and 2016.

Taylor is eager to challenge Hosein, saying, "I know most of his tricks, so I'll be hunting him first of all.”

Known as one of the most talented players in the USA team, Taylor has been a key figure in their rise through the World Cricket League and T20 World Cup qualifications.

Taylor has shown his skills in this year's T20 World Cup, scoring a quick 24 against South Africa and another 24 on a tough pitch against India. With Caribbean roots, he has mixed feelings but is determined to beat the West Indies.

“At the end of the day I'm playing representing my real country where I was born and grown and I just hope that we can come over the line against West Indies”

“We came close (at last year’s 50-over Qualifier).

“We gave them a fight at the end of the day and we know that we have a chance of beating them once we play good cricket on the day.

“We're playing good cricket and the team is gelling well together and at the end of the day we know that we're going to be the underdogs for all teams that we played against in the Super Eights.

“We're just here to play good cricket and if we win, we win. If we lose, we lose.”

Reflecting on his journey, Taylor cherishes playing in a World Cup co-hosted by his birth nation and the West Indies.

“It's actually a great feeling being a co-host of the World Cup itself, playing games in our hometown (Miami, Florida), people actually chanting your name Taylor, or Jesse (Singh) or Aaron (Jones), people who were actually born in the USA.

“And to play cricket in your hometown, at a World Cup, is the biggest stage of life.

“It would never get better than that.”