United States of America suffered a miserable collapse to lose eight wickets for nine runs to be bowled out for just 35 against Nepal in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 fixture in Kirtipur. The 35-run total is the joint lowest in ODI history as the USA equalled Zimbabwe’s 16-year-old unwanted record. In 2004, Zimbabwe fell apart to be dismissed for just 35 against Sri Lanka in Harare.

Experienced Sandeep Lamichhane picked up six wickets with the remaining four going to Sushan Bhari. Xavier Marshall top-scored for the USA, with 16 runs, and was the only player to reach double figures. Marshall and Monank Patel took the USA to 23/1 before the wickets started to fall at regular intervals. Two wickets fell in the eighth over, one in the ninth, one in 10th, two in 11th and the final two in 12th over.

In reply, chasing a meagre 36 runs from 50 overs, Nepal suffered an equally dire start losing both openers Gyanendra Malla and Subash Khakurel cheaply to Nosthush Kenjige. From 2/2 in the second over, Paras Khadka and Dipendra Singh Airee steered Nepal past the finishing line.

The win, by 8 wickets and with 268 balls to spare, puts Nepal in the list of biggest victors. The 268-ball win margin is the fourth biggest in ODI history and trails England (277 balls, vs Canada in 1979), Sri Lanka (274 balls, vs Zimbabwe in 2001) and Sri Lanka again (272 balls, vs Canada in 2003).

USA occupy second place in the league standings with 12 points from 12 matches played — 6 wins and 6 lost. Nepal, meanwhile, are sixth having played just four matches thus far, winning two and losing two, to accumulate 4 points.