Follow UsThe United States of America (USA) scripted history earlier today at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman by defending the lowest-ever target in an ODI in a non rain-curtailed encounter.
Put into bat, the USA could only manage 122 as they got bowled out, but they produced a stunning bowling performance to bowl Oman out for 65 and clinch the match by 57 runs.
Previously, India’s 125 against Pakistan in Sharjah had been the lowest total defended in an ODI in a non-rain-curtailed encounter. That came all the way back in 1985.
Overall, there have only been three other instances of a team posting a lower score than the USA did today and defending the target successfully by bowling the opposition out.
Lowest totals defended in ODIs (instances where chasing team was bowled out, rain-curtailed games included)
Australia 101 vs West Indies in Sydney, 1992
India 105 vs Bangladesh in Mirpur, 2014
India 119 vs Sri Lanka in Port of Spain, 2013
USA 122 vs Oman in Al Amerta, 2025*
This was an extraordinary ODI overall, as each of the 366 balls delivered in the contest were bowled by spinners. This was the first-ever instance of spinners bowling 100% of the overs in an ODI contest.
A total of 19 wickets fell to spin, with Nosthush Kenjige’s run-out being the only exception. Kenjige, incidentally, was the star with the ball for USA on the day, registering figures of 5/11 - his maiden five-fer and his best-ever figures in ODI cricket.
The contest was a part of the ICC Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27, a pathway competition for qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The top four teams from League 2 will make it to the World Cup Qualifier. They will be joined in the Qualifier by four teams coming through the Qualifier Play-Offs as well as teams that don’t qualify automatically based on ICC ODI Rankings.