Scotland pulled off a thrilling two-run win over the United States at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Thursday. The Scots smashed a record 321/6, the highest ODI total ever at the venue, then held their nerve through rain delays. Saiteja Mukkamalla’s blistering century almost stole the show. But Brandon McMullen’s heroics sealed the deal and lifted Scotland to the top of the ICC World Cup League 2 standings.
Three Fifties Power Scotland To A Record-Breaking 321
The Kathmandu skies forced a delayed start as the outfield refused to dry. Umpires trimmed the contest to 47 overs a side once play could finally begin.
USA captain Monank Patel won the toss and asked Scotland to bat. The decision backfired in spectacular fashion.
Finlay McCreath top-scored with a measured 77 off 102 balls, anchoring an innings that exploded at the back end. Brandon McMullen smashed 55 off just 40, and wicketkeeper Matthew Cross provided the cherry on top with a stunning 58 from only 32 deliveries.
Mark Watt and Michael Leask then hammered the death overs, finishing unbeaten on 25 and 28 respectively. Scotland closed at 321/6, breaking the previous TU Ground ODI record that was jointly held by Nepal and the UAE at 310 runs.
| Scotland’s Top Scorers | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Finlay McCreath | 77 | 102 |
| Matthew Cross | 58 | 32 |
| Brandon McMullen | 55 | 40 |
| Michael Leask (not out) | 28 | – |
| Mark Watt (not out) | 25 | – |
For the USA, veteran left-armer Saurabh Netravalkar and Jasdeep Singh each picked up two wickets. Milind Kumar and Shubham Ranjane shared one apiece. None could plug the leak as the Scottish lower order ran riot.
Rain Plays Spoilsport, DLS Sets A New Target
The USA chase started with intent. Opener Smit Patel raced to a fluent 72 off 56, brushing aside the early loss of Shayan Jahangir and skipper Monank Patel.
However, his dismissal opened the floodgates. The Americans slumped to 115/3 in 18.1 overs and the asking rate kept climbing.
Saiteja Mukkamalla then took matters into his own hands. The 21-year-old opener counter-attacked with sheer audacity, racing to his half-century before rain stopped play in the 27th over.
“It is in 26.4 overs that Mukkamalla hit Oliver Davidson inside out over cover. Brad Currie ran in from long-off, missed the catch, saved the boundary, and walked off clutching his bowling arm.”
The injury to Currie added drama to an already tense afternoon. When the rain finally cleared after an hour, the Duckworth Lewis Stern method handed the USA a revised target of 249 in 32 overs.
Mukkamalla’s Lone Battle Ends In American Heartbreak
The break did nothing to slow Mukkamalla down. He came back firing, treating the Scottish attack like club bowlers under the Kirtipur sun.
His timing was clean, his power frightening, and his footwork pure poetry. Mukkamalla brought up his fourth ODI century off just 72 balls, smashing eight sixes and five fours in a knock that put him alone at the top of the USA’s century chart.
- 104 runs off 75 balls
- 8 sixes, 5 fours
- 4th career ODI century
- Most ODI tons by any USA batter
- Reached three figures in just 72 deliveries
Just when it seemed he would win the game on his own, disaster struck. Mukkamalla holed out in the 32nd over, leaving his team needing 15 runs from five balls.
Jasdeep Singh smacked the first ball he faced for a boundary, raising American hopes. He fell next ball.
With 11 needed off three deliveries, McMullen kept his cool and refused to leak a boundary. The USA finished on 246/8, two runs short on the DLS calculation.
McMullen’s All-Round Show Earns Player Of The Match
Brandon McMullen was named Player of the Match for his explosive batting and his nerveless final over. The 26-year-old all-rounder also chipped in with two wickets.
Bradley Currie returned to bowl despite his earlier scare and bagged two wickets of his own. Veteran Safyaan Sharif added two more, while Mark Watt and Oliver Davidson took one each.
The win was Scotland’s second narrow DLS victory in three days, following their two-run win over hosts Nepal on Tuesday.
For the USA, the loss stings. They had managed only six 300-plus ODI totals before this match, and chasing a record 322 was always going to be uphill.
Scotland Climb To Top Of League 2 Standings
The win lifts Scotland to the summit of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 table. They now sit on 38 points from 30 matches, having ousted the Americans from the perch they held heading into the contest.
The USA are not out of the race, though. They have played five fewer games than Scotland and can still reclaim the top spot with strong finishes in the remaining fixtures.
The stakes are huge. The League 2 acts as the pathway to next year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Global Qualifier, where teams chase a spot at the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Both sides will meet again at the same venue on May 20 in the tri-series finale. Scotland will look to repeat the dose. The USA will arrive hungry for revenge.
Thursday’s contest had everything cricket fans love. Records tumbled, rain teased, a young American gun blazed away, and a tiny two-run margin separated joy from despair. McMullen will go to bed smiling, Mukkamalla will replay that final dismissal in his head, and Kirtipur will keep humming for the next chapter. What did you think of this nail-biter? Drop your thoughts in the comments and share your reactions on social media using #SCOvsUSA and #CWCL2.
