Spinners take over as USA secure historic win against Oman in low-scoring thriller

In a match like no other, the USA and Oman made cricket history on Tuesday in Al Amerat, delivering the first-ever men’s one-day international (ODI) where not a single ball of pace was bowled. Every one of the 61 overs came from spinners, marking an unprecedented moment in the 4,671-match history of men’s ODIs.

USA defended a meagre total of 122 in just 35.3 overs, securing a 57-run victory over hosts Oman in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 clash. This astonishing feat set another record—the lowest total ever successfully defended in a full-length men’s ODI, surpassing India’s 125-run defence against Pakistan in 1985.

The architect of USA’s dominance was left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige, who ripped through Oman’s batting order with a career-best 5-11. His brilliance helped bowl Oman out for a shocking 65 in just 25.3 overs, leaving fans stunned at the collapse. The match saw 19 wickets fall to spin, equalling the all-time record set during a Bangladesh-Pakistan clash in 2011. The only exception was a run-out.

In addition to its historic spin-only nature, the match also produced the second-lowest aggregate score in a full men’s ODI. The combined total of 187 runs was only slightly higher than the 163-run affair between India and Bangladesh in 2014.

This game followed a similar milestone in T20 cricket when Paarl Royals became the first team to bowl 20 overs of spin in a SA20 match against Pretoria Capitals in January. However, the USA and Oman have now taken things a step further, redefining the art of slow bowling in a longer format.

With this unprecedented display, cricket fans are left wondering—could spin-only ODIs become more common, or was this a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle?