NASSER HUUSSAIN: Don't forget Adil Rashid... the England bowler showed he is at the top of his game against the United States
- England thumped the United States by ten wickets in the T20 World Cup
- Adil Rashid took two wickets and was named the player of the match
- The 36-year-old spinner has never looked better in an England shirt
Others might have stolen the headlines with bursts of wickets and sixes, but the most eye-catching England performance for me on Sunday was that of Adil Rashid - someone at the peak of his powers.
As a team, the USA obviously hadn't played against him before and few had come up against him as individuals, either, and it was obvious they weren't picking him during his return of two for 13.
They're not alone on that front, though, and players of the ilk of Pakistan’s Babar Azam have struggled against him, because he possesses such great variations and his control is as good as I've seen it.
Sometimes as a batter, when you're not picking a spinner, you can second guess what they’re attempting on the line they bowl.
For example, when I was facing Muttiah Muralitharan, a big spinner of the ball, if it was way outside off-stump, you'd assume it was the off-break, and if it was a bit straighter, you'd be wary it was the doosra: the delivery going the other way.
Adil Rashid was the player of the match as England thumped the United States on Sunday
Looking at a pitch map of Rashid's wickets, however, the line remains similar, so there are few clues as to which way he's spinning it. That is what makes him a really dangerous proposition.
Some will say it's only America, and they've not seen him before, but he's been operating at a very high level for a very long time now and although it goes under the radar, he is ranked the world’s number one Twenty20 bowler for a reason.
Rashid travelled to the World Cup last month with a ridiculously good record in T20s on Caribbean soil, having conceded runs at a rate of just 5.79 per over in 13 internationals against West Indies.
Rashid took two wickets and is bowling as well as he ever has in an England shirt
He is able to drift the ball on the breeze here, and is one of the few modern wrist spinners - rivals Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa like to bowl into the pitch - who will toss the ball up, even on these smaller grounds.
The dismissal of US captain Aaron Jones on Sunday was a case in point. As we've seen in the tournament, Jones loves a slog sweep and was hitting with the wind, so it was brave for Rashid to throw up a wrong 'un.
He was challenging the batter: firstly, can you pick me? Secondly, if you can, can you hit me over midwicket for six? Jones could do neither.
The spinner could be bowling for quite some time yet if he is able to keep his body fit
On the occasions when Rashid does get belted, he drags his length back perfectly, and he's got that lovely delivery, released out of the front of the hand with a scrambled seam that skids low and find its way under the bat.
From an England perspective, I don't think I've seen him bowl better, and there's no reason at all that he shouldn't be around bowling like this for quite some time yet if he keeps his body fit.
First, though, he has the chance of helping England into yet another World Cup final.
