The USA amazed audiences on Tuesday by defending only 122 runs against Oman in an ODI, thus setting a new low for the smallest number of runs to be defended in a full-length men's ODI. They won by 57 runs in a match that was completely dominated by the spin-bowling.

Nosthush Kenjige stole the show with the ball, taking 5 wickets for just 11 runs in 7.3 overs, thus blowing Oman away. Oman cracked under the pressure and got dismissed for a measly total of just 65 runs which is their lowest total in the history of men’s international cricket.

Over 4800+ ODI cricket matches, Lowest successfully defended ODI score. 122 made by USA 🇺🇸 against Oman 🇴🇲 (85 allOUT) today.

Previous one, 1985/03/22 India 🇮🇳 126 allout against Pakistan 🇵🇰. Won by 38 runs.

🏏🏆️#omavusa pic.twitter.com/uCyG5EPLjq

— Ishara (@Ishara23032) February 18, 2025

Milind Kumar was also instrumental in the match with his off-spin, he picked up 2 wickets for 17 runs, one of which was the key dismissal of Oman’s captain, Jatinder Singh, who managed only 7 runs. Yasir Mohammed added 2 wickets for 10 runs, while Harmeet Singh chipped in with 1 for 25. In the end, Kenjige finished the game in style by taking the wicket of No. 11 Siddharth Bukkapatnam, who was bowled for a duck and thereby, the USA made history by winning the match.

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History books rewritten in Al-Amerat!

USA claim an ODI record in a stunning League 2 defence 👇 #OMAvUSAhttps://t.co/BJNF6rWEKG

— ICC (@ICC) February 18, 2025

The pitch conditions massively tilted the advantage in favor of spinners, and not a single over of pace was bowled for the entire duration of the match. Oman went with a five-spinner attack, but the USA responded with much restraint as their own slow bowlers—Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Yasir Mohammed, and Kenjige.

Oman had aimed to replicate their recent success with spin against Namibia, and their bowlers started strong, reducing the USA to 5 wickets down within 13 overs. Captain Monank Patel was dismissed for a duck, while Aaron Jones and Sanjay Krishnamurthi each scored 16 runs.

But Milind Kumar was strong in a gritty, unbeaten 47 that saw six boundaries hit and guaranteed the USA breach the 100-run barrier. It was sufficient because Oman's batting order capitulated under a never-ending onslaught of spin bowling.

Ultimately, it was a record victory for the USA that confirmed even the lowest scores could be defended when using the proper tactics and techniques.

Aaron Jones, a talented batter for the USA cricket team, delivered a stunning performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Canada. His unbeaten 94 led the USA to a memorable victory and showcased his potential to play at the highest level. Jones hopes this innings, one of the best debuts in T20 World Cup history, will open the eyes of cricket enthusiasts worldwide to his capabilities.

Aaron Jones’ Remarkable Knock

In a high-pressure match, Aaron Jones walked in at a precarious 42 for 2 in the seventh over, chasing a formidable target of 195. His response was spectacular, crafting an unbeaten 94 that steered his team to victory with seven wickets and 14 balls to spare. This inning, marked by precision, power, and poise, highlighted Jones’ skill and determination, proving his mettle on the world stage.

See Also: Top 5 Run-Scorers in T20 World Cup history

Reactions and Statements

Post-match, Jones expressed his hope that his performance would garner the recognition he deserves. “Sometimes, as a cricketer, you could go under the radar if you have a few low scores,” he said. “I always back myself and know I can perform at every level. [I am] happy that I came out on top and won the game for USA. I hope it opens the eyes of some people worldwide to the fact that I am good enough to play T20 cricket.”

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite his talents, Jones has faced his share of challenges. A few low scores had left him overlooked, and his release from the Major League Cricket earlier this year added to his hurdles. Not being selected by any team in the MLC draft was a setback, but Jones viewed it as a stepping stone in his journey.

“I believe in myself, I work hard and I just use [criticism] as motivation. I know that I’m good enough to play at the highest level, and whenever given the opportunity, I’ll do my best for sure. When I went out to bat tonight, I just saw it as another game to fight for me and bring my team as close as possible to the line, and if we get as close as possible to the line and over the line, it’s great for the team.”

“When I wasn’t selected in the Major League, I just took it as a stepping stone in the journey,” he said. “I would have loved to get drafted, so it goes sometimes. Hopefully tonight’s innings will probably open the eyes of those who don’t know me or USA cricket. We have great players here and that we have a lot of talent here and are willing to play at the highest level for sure.”

Jones’ Partnership with Andries Gous

A key aspect of Jones’ innings was his 131-run partnership with Andries Gous. This partnership, forged under pressure, turned the tide in favour of the USA. Gous’ 46-ball 65 complemented Jones’ innings perfectly, dismantling the Canadian bowling attack and setting the stage for a famous win.

“When I went out to bat, I told Gous, ‘right now we are in a spot of bother’,” Jones said. “If we want to win the game, we got to be aggressive, we got to be positive. Either we go down, die hard and we get bowled out for whatever score, or we try to get the score. We want to be fearless, we want to be positive, we want to play smart cricket. In being fearless, we want to have good shot selection as well. If you know you don’t sweep, don’t sweep. If you know you don’t use your feet, don’t use your feet, but be aggressive regardless.”

Is this his best knock for USA?

“It’s up there, to be honest,” Jones said. “Probably the best knock for me as a player for USA, or maybe it can come second to the hundred I scored when we gained ODI status. This one is special because it is a World Cup and we know Canada are our rivals, we are playing the first game of the World Cup and everybody’s watching us.”

USA next play Pakistan at the same venue on Thursday, and Jones said that they will continue to play fearless cricket against them as well as against India in ten days’ time.

“We just want to keep winning as much as possible, of course we can’t win every single game for the rest of our lives,” he said. “I don’t think our plan [for the rest of the tournament] is going to change much. We want to play fearless cricket, we want to play hard cricket, we want to play smart cricket. We are going into the Pakistan game with the same mindset. We want to play fearless cricket, regardless of who we play against.”