Bermuda suffered an eight-wicket defeat in their top-of-the-table clash against Canada at the ICC T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier at White Hill Field today.

The home side posted 116 all out in 19.5 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Canada replied with 120 for two in 13.1 overs to reach their target with minimum resistance.

“We didn’t play up to par but at the end of the day the main thing is we qualified [for T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Dubai],” Janeiro Tucker, the Bermuda assistant coach, said.

“We qualified with two games to go. I just think that guys were going through the motions and not really putting in that big effort like we were when we were under a lot of pressure.

“We are happy we qualified so the players are not really down. They are probably just disappointed with themselves because we didn’t get a big total or bowl the right lines.

“That’s something we have to work on. After this tournament we are going to go back to the drawing board and work on everything.”

Bermuda were reeling at 44 for five in the eighth over and never really recovered despite battling knocks from Kamau Leverock (33) and Allan Douglas (31), who produced the home side’s biggest partnership of 44 runs for the sixth wicket.

Dillon Heyliger was the pick of Canada’s bowling with four for 19, while fellow seam bowler Romesh Eranga and off spinner Nitish Kumar claimed two wickets each.

Canada lost opener Rodrigo Thomas in the second over in their reply but quickly recovered as Rizwan Cheema (71) and Navneet Dhaliwal, the captain, produced 86 runs for the second wicket to carry their team to the brink of victory.

Dhaliwal (24) and Ravinderpal Singh (21) then polished off the remaining runs via a 27-run, third-wicket partnership.

Delray Rawlins, the Sussex all-rounder, and Onias Bascome claimed the only Canadian wickets.

The loss was Bermuda’s first of the competition and has left Canada in the driver’s seat to win the championship.

“Staying positive is one of the things we always say and I think the guys did it today,” Ingleton Liburd, the Canada head coach, said.

Rawlins left the ground before the end of the match to catch a flight back to England and is now unavailable for Bermuda’s final match against Cayman Islands at White Hill Field tomorrow.

“Delray has gone so that’s one change we will have to make,” Tucker added. “He has done the job we wanted him to do.

“He came here and put us in the position and now he has to go back work. We thanked him for that and we are just going to carry on with what we have.”

In today’s opening match at White Hill Field, the United States beat Cayman Islands by nine wickets.

The US restricted Cayman to 69 for nine after the latter won the toss and elected to bat. Nisarg Patel and Karima Gore picked up two wickets each. Troy Taylor (19) was the only Cayman batsman in double figures.

The US replied with 70 for one with Steven Taylor hitting an unbeaten 56.

Alessandro Morris claimed the only US wicket to fall.

Tomorrow’s matches will pit Canada against the US at 11am, with Bermuda taking on the Cayman Islands at 3pm

ICC T20 WORLD CUP AMERICAS QUALIFIER

White Hill Field (Bermuda won toss): Canada won by eight wickets

Bermuda

Okera Bascome c Rizwan Cheema b Eranga 8

*TS Fray run out 0

M O Jones c Hamza Tariq b Heyliger 21

D M W Rawlins b Kumar 0

K S Leverock c Eranga b Dutta 33

D A P Darrell c Saad Bin Zafar b Kumar 5

A C Douglas b Heyliger 31

Onias Bascome c Dutta b Heyliger 2

M Simmons b Heyliger 0

R J Trott b Eranga not out 6

†S Smith not out 2

Extras (lb 3, nb 1, w 4) 8

Total (19.5 overs) 116

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-17, 3-17, 4-33, 5-44, 6-88, 7-107, 8-107, 9-112.

Bowling: Eranga 3.5-0-17-2; Saad Bin Zafar 4-0-33-0; Kumar 4-0-18-2; Heyliger 4-0-19-4; Dutta 4-0-26-1.

Canada

R A Thomas c Onias Bascome b Rawlins 1

Rizwan Cheema c †Smith b OGL Bascome 71

*NS Dhaliwal not out 24

Ravinderpal Singh not out 21

Extras (w 3) 3

Total (2 wkts; 13.1 overs) 120

N Dutta, Hamza Tariq †, NR Kumar, D Heyliger, Abraash Khan, GDR Eranga, Saad Bin Zafar did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-7.

Bowling: Jones 2-0-14-0; Rawlins 3-0-15-1; Trott 2-0-24-0; Bascome 3-0-40-1; Simmons 1.1-0-13-0; Darrell 2-0-14-0.