The United States’ stranglehold over the UAE in Cricket World Cup League 2 continued as they defeated the national team by 136 runs in Windhoek.
It was the ninth time the two sides have met in one-day international cricket, all in the space of the five years since CWCL2 was created, and the US have won seven of those games.
The latest defeat was memorable mainly for a stunning innings from Milind Kumar, as well as more anguish at the hands of Sai Mukkamalla.
Kumar had come to the crease with the game in the balance with USA at 74-3. He proceeded to peel off 115 from 110 balls, and was not out at the end as his team reached 339-4.
His partner for the majority of his stay was Mukkamalla. The youngster made his second hundred against the UAE, and the previous one was also at the United Sports Club in Namibia’s capital.
His record at the venue is extraordinary. In six ODIs at the second of Windhoek’s international cricket venues, Mukkamalla has scored 386 runs at an average of 193.
The onslaught meant the UAE would, for the second game running, need to break the record for their highest ODI chase.
At least they came into the game believing anything was possible. The national team made 316-9 to beat Namibia in the previous match at the same venue.
That was also their second highest total in an ODI after the 348-3 they amassed against Namibia in Sharjah during the previous CWCL2 cycle.
A repeat of the heroics of last week’s game against Namibia was well beyond them, though, after Saurabh Netravalkar had knocked out their top order.
The left-armer dismissed Aryansh Sharma, Muhammad Waseem and Vishnu Sukumaran cheaply, and there was no way back for the UAE.
The next three batters in the order – Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra, and Basil Hameed – each made half centuries, but the national team still fell way short, as they were bowled out for 203.
“We made a good start as a bowling team, but the two guys [Kumar and Mukkamalla] took the game away from us,” Waseem, the UAE captain, said.
“We have to wake up in the field. We will take some positive points from this game and we will come back stronger in the next one [against Namibia on Thursday].”
While the national team’s dire form continues, with just one win from six matches in the competition so far, USA are soaring.
They won all four of their matches in the tri-series in Namibia, and have six from eight in total in CWCL2, leaving them second in the table.
That follows on from a fine display in the T20 World Cup earlier this year, where they beat Pakistan on their way to qualification for the second round.
“Credit to Milind and Sai, it was a game changing partnership,” USA captain Monank Patel said.
“We had a really great World Cup and after that we wanted to make sure we stay consistent in 50-over cricket.
“We have won six out of eight ODIs, which is a really good start. It is important we continue that going forward.”
