06/13/2026
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USA pulls out a final-ball thriller by five wickets over Canada. The win secures USA's place in the 2027 ICC World Cup Qualifier. Chasing a target of 276, USA needed eight to win off the final two balls when Sanjay Krishnamurthi somehow muscled an ankle high full toss for six before cleverly flicking two into wide mid-on and dove back over the line by inches on the second to complete the winning run.
USA were cruising at one stage with eventual Player of the Match Milind Kumar making 50 off 41 balls and Shubham Ranjane humming at the other end during a century partnership. But the longer it went on, the more lax Milind became and he almost wound up being the reason USA lost as he took another 74 balls for his second 50. Ranjane wound up getting out on the first ball of the 46th to Kaleem Sana for 59 in what turned into a wicket maiden as Krishnamurthi couldn't score off the rest of the over. From needing 78 off 78 balls, USA now needed 37 off 24 to win. The equation stretched out to 15 needed off the final over after Akhil Kumar bowled a superb 49th in which his right-arm around the wicket ploy to two right-handers while angling wide yorkers slanted across both batters only yielded six runs.
However, the 49th over took an extended period of time, made longer by two wide balls called during the over. As a result, umpires signaled at the conclusion of the 49th that Canada had taken too long to bowl their overs in the field and that they suffered a time penalty as a consequence with the mandate that an extra fielder needed to come inside the ring for the final over. Canada opted to bring third man in from the deep for the first ball of the over and Milind began by squeezing a wider ball past short third for what turned into a crucial three runs. Back to back singles made it 10 of 3 balls before Krishnamurthi mistimed a hook that landed behind short fine leg for two runs to leave USA needing 8 off 2.
Kaleem Sana got his length just wrong on an attempted yorker off the penultimate ball, but it was still a decent ball as a low full toss which are very hard to get under for leverage yet somehow Krishanmurthi did him one better by driving it flat into the sightscreen over long-on. Krishnamurthi then showed he has brains in addition to brawn. Just after bashing Sana for six, he intentionally played a touch shot into a vacant expanse through the ring at midwicket/mid-on and put his head down to sprint two. Milind was going to make his end for the second easily but the throw from the fielder charging in from long-on dragged the wicketkeeper away from the stumps just wide enough for Krishnamurthi to get his bat over the line in time. Canadian umpire Arnold Maddela was standing at square leg and immediately ruled not out for the second, which video replay evidence showed was the correct call. Krishnamurthi ended 21 not out off 18 balls after starting on 0 off 5 after the end of the 46th.
USA has a day off to celebrate their win and a berth in the 2027 World Cup Qualifier. The two points from today takes USA to 42 points and guarantees them a top-four finish in CWC League Two because fifth place Nepal currently sits on 24 points and can only gain a maximum of 16 points from their remaining matches while the loss for Canada today keeps them on 23 points in sixth place while they can only gain a maximum of 18 points from their remaining contests.
