Kirtipur, Feb 12: Sandeep Lamichhane grabbed a six-for as Nepal consigned the USA to the joint-lowest innings total in ODIs, alongside Zimbabwe's against Sri Lanka in Harare in 2004.
Playing at Kirtipur (Nepal), the visitors lasted just 12 overs after being put in to bat first, losing their last nine wickets for the addition of just eight runs. Nepal, thus, created the record for the least balls taken to bowl out an opposition team.
Taking the new ball as Nepal chose to attack with spin, Lamichhane stuck in the second over of the game. Ian Holland, USA's most successful batsman in the series, had been promoted to open, but was out for a duck, edging to slip.
Lamichhane then combined with Sushan Bhari, the left-arm spinner, to tear through the line-up. Bhari sent back opener Xavier Marshall - the top-scorer with 16, and the only batsman to get to double figures - to trigger the collapse.
Lamichhane completed his maiden five-wicket-haul when Akshay Homraj edged to slip and made it six with Nosthush Kenjige being bowled.
In response, it took the hosts just 5.2 overs to chase down the meagre target. They got off to a shaky start, losing openers Gyanendra Malla and Subash Khakurel in the second over, but Paras Khadka (20* off 12) and Dipendra Singh Airee(15* off 11) finished the game in no time to hand the USA an eight-wicket defeat.
Lowest ODI totals
Score | Overs | Team | Opposition | Details |
35 | 18.0 | Zimbabwe | Sri Lanka | Harare, April 2004 |
35 | 12.0 | USA | Nepal | Kirtipur, February 2020 |
36 | 18.4 | Canada | Sri Lanka | Paarl, February 2003 |
38 | 15.4 | Zimbabwe | Sri Lanka | Colombo, December 2001 |
43 | 20.1 | Sri Lanka | South Africa | Paarl, January 2012 |
43 | 19.5 | Pakistan | West Indies | Cape Town, February 1993 |