The moment when the US cricket team last played against Nepal at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur will never be forgotten. The US team was bowled out for 35 runs in the last circle of the Cricket World Cup League 2, which is the lowest negative score in an ODI.

There was nothing memorable for the US team in the match against Nepal on Saturday. The US team was forced to accept a 9-wicket defeat. Kushal Bhurtel scored an unbeaten 120 runs against the US. Due to this, Nepal achieved the victory by scoring 199 runs in 36.4 overs in pursuit of the target of 196 runs.

This is the first time that Nepal has defeated the US in the 2024-27 circle of the League 2. Earlier, the US team won all four matches. This is Nepal's first victory over the US since defeating the US by 6 wickets in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

Nepal has 20 points from 26 matches. Nepal remains in seventh place in the eight-nation tournament. The United States is in second place with 38 points from 26 matches. This is the second consecutive defeat for the United States, who came to Nepal with the top spot. The United States had lost to Scotland by 2 runs on Thursday. The United States' woes are not limited to this. The team has lost all six matches of League 2 played in Kirtipur. The last time the United States came to Kathmandu to play League 2 in 2020, they lost 2-2 matches to Nepal and Oman.

'We played only 40 percent of our potential against Nepal, we were moving towards a score of at least 280 runs, but we lost some important wickets. It is important to play on this wicket,' said American coach Pubudu Dassanayake, 'I have said before, it is very difficult to play in Nepal in terms of conditions.' The conditions are different in other places too, in a fast bowling ground, the wicket is the same all day long and the ball that is suitable for spin bowling is the same wicket throughout the match. But in Nepal, there is one kind of condition in the morning, another in the afternoon.'

Kushal hit 13 fours and 4 sixes in his 118-ball innings. Kushal scored his second century in ODIs. In February 2023, he also scored 115 runs against Namibia in Kirtipur. Kushal put on 145 runs for the first wicket with Asif Sheikh to lay the foundation for Nepal's victory. The partnership was broken when Asif was dismissed in the 27th over. Asif, who was given life before opening the account after Pakistani umpire Faisal Afridi failed to give a run-out, scored 58 runs. He hit 8 fours in 72 balls. Ishan Pandey, who was making his 'debut', remained unbeaten on 20 runs. He faced 30 balls after hitting the winning four.

Earlier, America, who had won the toss and elected to bat, was all out for 195 runs in 43.3 overs. Nepal returned to the game with excellent fielding against America, who had batted very strongly. America, who were in a strong position of 122-1 in the 23rd over and 158-3 in the 31st over, were finally all out with 6 overs to go. Even though Sian Jahangir was out for 6 runs, opener Smit Patel and Sehan Jayasuriya put on 100 runs for the second wicket. Jayasuriya scored 50 runs in 52 balls with 5 fours and 1 six.

Asif dropped an easy catch off Sompal Kami when Smit was on 14 runs, and he took full advantage of it. Smit scored 89 runs and returned to the pavilion after taking a great catch from Asif. He hit 8 fours and 3 sixes in 89 balls. Sompal took the wickets of both Jayasuriya and Smith.

America played without their captain Monank Patel. He had injured his finger in the match against Scotland on Thursday. In his place, Sandeep Lamichhane bowled Sayteja Mukamalla, who is captaining the USA. Substitute fielder Bhim Sarki combined with Asif to run out Shubham Ranjan for 2.