Scotland has done it again—another heart-stopping finish, another victory by the skin of their teeth. In a rain-affected thriller in Nepal, the Scots edged past the USA by just two runs to claim the top spot in the Cricket World Cup League 2 standings.
Batting first in a match reduced to 47 overs, Scotland put on a show. Opener Finlay McCreath led the charge with a brilliant 77, while Brandon McMullen (55) and Matthew Cross (58) added quick-fire half-centuries. Lower-order cameos from Mark Watt and Michael Leask pushed the total to a commanding 321-6—a massive improvement on their 243-8 against Nepal just days earlier.
The USA’s chase started strong. Brad Currie struck early to remove Shayan Jahangir, but Smit Patel’s fluent 72 kept the Americans in the hunt, racing past 100 in just 16 overs. Then the rain came, with the USA at 160-4 from 26.4 overs. When play resumed, the target was revised to 248 from 32 overs—a tough but gettable ask.
Enter Saiteja Mukkamalla. The number four batter was on 56 before the delay, but he exploded after the restart, smashing his way to a stunning century off just 72 balls. His knock turned the match into a nail-biter, bringing the USA to the brink of an incredible win.
With 16 needed off the final over, Mukkamalla tried to clear the infield but skied a wide delivery from McMullen. Scotland captain Richie Berrington sprinted back from extra cover and pulled off a brilliant diving catch to remove the danger man. The USA managed nine runs off the over, leaving six needed off the last ball. Mohammad Mohsin could only score four, sealing Scotland’s dramatic two-run victory.
"That was a pretty important moment, so I’m lucky it stuck in my hands," Berrington said of his match-winning catch. "It was a fantastic knock from Mukkamalla, and once again we’ve gone down to the wire. We made it tougher than we would have liked, but I’m really pleased we held our nerve."
The win vaults Scotland to the top of the League 2 standings, leapfrogging the USA despite having played five more matches. For fans of the game, this was cricket at its most gripping—a reminder that in this sport, the drama is never far away.