In the landscape of cricket, every team faces its highs and lows. The United States of America (USA) in One Day International (ODI) cricket has witnessed its share of challenges, facing some of the lowest totals in the format. Let’s delve into the five lowest totals achieved by the USA in ODI matches.
35 vs Nepal, 12th February 2020 – Kirtipur
In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, the United States of America faced a staggering defeat against Nepal, marking one of their lowest totals in ODI cricket. The 30th Match held in Kirtipur on February 12, 2020, witnessed an immense struggle for the American team as they managed to score only 35 runs within 12 overs.
The batting lineup of the USA faced significant challenges against Nepal’s bowling attack, struggling to gain momentum or construct a substantial partnership. The wickets tumbled in quick succession, as none of the American batsmen were able to mount a significant score on the board.
Xavier Marshall contributed 16 runs, the highest in the USA’s innings, while other batsmen faced swift dismissals. Sandeep Lamichhane emerged as the chief tormentor, claiming a staggering six wickets, decimating the American batting order.
The American side seemed to falter in coping with the hostile Nepalese bowling attack, demonstrating a batting performance that lacked stability and resilience.
Ultimately, Nepal achieved the target of 36 runs in just 5.2 overs, securing victory with 8 wickets in hand and a substantial 268 balls remaining. This result highlighted the immense struggle the USA faced in constructing a competitive total, underscoring the need for significant improvements in their batting strategy and resilience in future matches.
65 vs Australia, 13th September 2004 – Southampton
In the ICC Champions Trophy on September 13, 2004, the United States of America faced a tough defeat against Australia, marking one of their lowest totals in ODI cricket. The 5th Match held in Southampton witnessed a challenging outing for the American team as they struggled to amass a meager total of 65 runs within 24 overs.
Rohan Alexander managed a notable 8 runs, while Steve Massiah contributed 23, the highest in the USA’s innings. However, the Australian bowling attack led by Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie proved too much to handle. Kasprowicz took four crucial wickets, while Gillespie claimed an impressive four-wicket haul.
The American team could not withstand the precision of the Australian bowlers, resulting in a swift dismantling of their batting order and a challenging innings. Ultimately, Australia comfortably chased down the target, securing a convincing victory with 9 wickets in hand and a significant 253 balls remaining.
97 vs Namibia, 15th September 2022 – Port Moresby
In the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match on September 15, 2022, hosted in Port Moresby, the United States of America endured a tough battle against Namibia, marking one of their lowest totals in ODI cricket history. The American team faced a stern challenge, ultimately faltering to a meager total of 97 runs within 31.5 overs.
Aaron Jones was the top performer for the USA, showcasing resilience with his 45 runs in 76 deliveries. However, the bowling attack of Namibia, spearheaded by Bernard Scholtz, Jan Frylinck, and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, proved too much to handle. Scholtz and Frylinck picked up crucial wickets, while Loftie-Eaton contributed to restricting the American batting order.
The Namibian bowlers’ accuracy dismantled the American lineup, resulting in a struggle to build a substantial innings. This formidable bowling performance enabled Namibia to claim victory by a significant 79-run margin, showcasing their dominance in the match.
104 vs Zimbabwe, 26th June 2023 – Harare
In the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier on June 26, 2023, the United States of America faced a formidable challenge against Zimbabwe in Harare, resulting in one of the lowest totals for the American team in ODI cricket. Zimbabwe’s imposing total of 408/6 was met with a staunch bowling effort by the Zimbabwean team.
The American batting lineup found themselves struggling against the Zimbabwean bowlers. Despite contributions from Abhishek Paradkar (24 runs) and Jessy Singh (21 runs), the American side fell short and managed only 104 runs in 25.1 overs. Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava and Brad Evans, supported by Sikandar Raza and Luke Jongwe, orchestrated a potent bowling attack, limiting the American team’s run-scoring opportunities and securing a commanding victory by a massive 304-run margin.
137 vs New Zealand, 10th September 2004 – The Oval
During the ICC Champions Trophy at The Oval on September 10, 2004, the United States of America encountered a fierce bowling display by New Zealand, resulting in one of their lowest totals in ODI history.
Facing New Zealand’s substantial target of 348 runs, the American batting lineup struggled to establish itself. With notable contributions from Clayton Lambert (39 runs) and Jignesh Desai (16 runs), the team fell short and managed only 137 runs in 42.4 overs.
New Zealand’s bowlers, spearheaded by Jacob Oram and supported by Chris Harris and Daniel Vettori, dominated the innings, restricting the American side and securing a commanding victory by a massive 210-run margin.
These low totals reflect the challenges the USA team faced against diverse oppositions. It underlines the uphill task of competing against seasoned cricketing nations and rising teams in the ODI format.
The variations in run rates and the number of overs taken to compile these totals underscore the struggle faced by the USA in achieving a competitive total against international cricket teams. These matches serve as lessons for the USA team, highlighting areas that need improvement in their batting performance and approach.