Key events
If the US qualify it will be historic, but I’m not sure it’ll be that much of a shock. Ultimately it comes down to one result, their win over Pakistan, which was unlikely but not unforeseeable. As their pre-tournament results showed, they’re a proper team now.
Even a semi-final place isn’t completely beyond the realms. If the USA qualify their Super 8 group will include West Indies, South Africa and either Scotland or England. I won’t be putting the farm on it, but you can just about envisage a scenario whereby they win two of those games.
The umpires will inspect at 10.30am local, 3.30pm BST. If it stays dry – iffity iffity if – I’m sure we’ll get a game of some description, even if it’s a 10-over thrash.
The big picture
Permutations department
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If Ireland win, it gets complicated. The USA would have four points, having played all their games, while Ireland, Pakistan and Canada would all be on two points with one match to play: Ireland v Pakistan and India v Canada. In that scenario, either net run-rate or the weather would decide who qualifies along with India.
Toss delayed
The good news is that it’s dry in Lauderhill, with unconfirmed reports of an orange thing in the sky, so there is still hope of a game at some stage. But for now the outfield is nowhere near playable so the toss won’t take place at 11am local/3pm BST.
And now it’s time for the weather report, brought to you by one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s groundbreaking live blog of the Florida weather. If the USA’s match with Ireland is washed out, the likeliest scenario after the biblical weather of the last few days, they will qualify for the Super 8s on their T20 World Cup debut.
It’s an extraordinary prospect, made possible by their rousing victory over Pakistan eight days ago. That result has shaped Group A and given the USA a shot at glory, albeit potentially without getting on the field. After the Miracle on Ice, it’s time for the Miracle at Sea.
If the players do get on, Ireland need to win to keep both their and Pakistan’s qualification hopes alive. But the prospects don’t look great.
The scheduled start time is 3.30pm BST, 10.30am local. It could be a long day – and an historic one.