Nepal’s inconsistent League 2 campaign took another hit as they fell to the United States for the fourth consecutive time in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 (2024–27 cycle).
The latest defeat — a four-wicket loss in Dubai on November 1, 2025 — completed a remarkable run for USA, who have now won all four meetings between the sides across two venues in this cycle.
Head-to-Head Results in the 2024–27 Cycle
| Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| October 28, 2024 | Dallas | USA won by 3 wickets |
| November 3, 2024 | Dallas | USA won by 37 runs |
| October 26, 2025 | Dubai | USA won by 106 runs |
| November 1, 2025 | Dubai | USA won by 4 wickets |
In all four encounters, USA outplayed Nepal in key phases — whether through batting partnerships, disciplined bowling, or superior finishing.
Match 1 – Paudel's heroics in vain as USA clinch Dallas thriller
Rohit Paudel's commanding 96 off 75 and Anil Sah's half-century lifted Nepal to 286, but centuries from Shayan Jahangir (104) and a composed partnership led USA to a three-wicket victory.
Spinner Nosthush Kenjige (4/52) and seamer Saurabh Netravalkar (2/63) restricted Nepal in the final overs, before Monank Patel’s calm 62 guided the chase.
Match 2 – USA double up as Nepal falter in chase
In the second Dallas fixture, Saiteja Mukkamalla (75) and captain Monank Patel (67) powered USA to 281/8. Nepal’s response was built around Anil Sah (52) and Sompal Kami (46), but they were bowled out for 244, falling 37 runs short.
Saurabh Netravalkar (4/47) and Kenjige (2/33) again delivered key spells.
Match 3 – Harmeet Singh’s six-wicket haul crushes Nepal in Dubai
In their first meeting on UAE soil, Harmeet Singh (6/27) produced a career-best performance, dismantling Nepal for 156 in 39 overs.
USA’s total of 262/6, built around Smit Patel’s 75 and Milind Kumar’s unbeaten 70, proved far beyond Nepal’s reach as they slumped to a 106-run defeat.
Match 4 – Airee and Karan shine, but USA prevail again
In a high-scoring finale, Nepal posted 271/10, led by Dipendra Singh Airee’s 75 (67) and Karan KC’s 49 (31).
However, Milind Kumar (70) and Saiteja Mukkamalla (75) steered USA’s chase to 273/6 with six balls remaining, sealing a 4-0 clean sweep.
Trends from the four encounters
- USA's batting dominance: Four different USA batters registered 70+ scores across the meetings.
- Nepal’s finishing woes: Despite four individual fifties and one ninety, Nepal failed to cross 290 in any game.
- Kenjige & Harmeet: USA’s left-arm duo combined for 17 wickets in the four matches.
- Nepal’s bright spots: Rohit Paudel, Anil Sah, and Dipendra Singh Airee remained consistent, while Karan KC’s lower-order hitting stood out.
The repeated defeats have left Nepal under pressure in the League 2 standings. Their inability to defend or chase competitive totals against a well-balanced USA side highlights a need for sharper bowling execution and middle-order resilience.
Saturday's defeat marked Nepal's 12th loss in 19 League 2 matches. The Rhinos have managed five victories, while two fixtures — against Oman on September 24, 2024, and Scotland on November 4, 2024 — ended without a result due to rain, earning them one point each.
Nepal's next fixtures against Namibia and Canada will be crucial to regain momentum and stay alive in the qualification race for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2026.
