The United States of America (USA) broke the 40-year-old record of India for the lowest successfully defended total in a full men’s ODI match, beating Oman by 57 runs on Tuesday.
The USA posted a paltry total of 122 in Al Amerat but bowled out the hosts for 65 in a match dominated by spin. The previous record was India’s 125 against Pakistan in 1985 when they won by 38 runs in Sharjah.
The fixture between the USA and Oman was dominated by spin. All nine bowlers used in the game were spinners, making it the first completed men’s ODI ever – after 4671 matches – without a single ball bowled by a fast bowler.
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The 19 wickets that fell to spin matched the ODI record set in a 2011 match between Bangladesh and Pakistan. The other wicket was a runout.
United States of America (USA) left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige led the bowling with 5-11 from 7.3 overs.
USA and Oman scored only 187 runs in 61 overs, the second-lowest aggregate in an ODI where both teams were dismissed. The 41-over game between India and Bangladesh in 2014 averaged 163 runs.
The dominance of spinners and low totals have been a trend at Al Amerat in this tournament, especially in games involving the hosts, Oman. Teams batting first have been dismissed for fewer than 170 in all eight of Oman’s matches, while the other four games had 240-plus totals.
In the previous match at Al Amerat on Sunday, Oman lost eight wickets in their chase of 96 against Namibia. JJ Smit was the only fast bowler in that game who bowled an over. Three of the four men’s ODIs where spinners took 17 or more wickets have been at Al Amerat.
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