Dallas: Milind Kumar produced a Dallas classic on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 116 off 84 balls as the USA chased down 331 against UAE — their highest successful ODI run chase — in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.
Brief scores: UAE 330/8 lost to USA 331/4 (Milind Kumar 116*, Shubham Ranjane 57*; target chased with 7 balls to spare).
The record breaker
Kumar’s fifth ODI century — seven fours and five sixes — carried USA past their previous best chase of 294/7 against Nepal in 2024. It was also the second-highest successful chase in League 2 history.
The five sixes took the 35-year-old to 38 career ODI sixes — making the former Delhi cricketer the USA’s most prolific six-hitter in men’s ODIs, ahead of Monank Patel (34) and Aaron Jones (32).
The partnership
Walking in at 172/4, Kumar found the perfect partner in Shubham Ranjane (57*). Their unbroken 159-run stand never allowed the required rate to climb, sealing the win with seven balls to spare.
World Cup dream alive
The win lifted USA to the top of the League 2 standings. Already assured of a place in the World Cup Qualifier, they now need just one more win in the tri-series to finish first — and stay on course for a maiden 50-over World Cup appearance in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
