United States vs Nepal live scorecard: USA set 263 in Dubai as early strike rocks Nepal chase

The United States posted a competitive 262/6 in 50 overs and then removed Nepal’s opener in the first over to seize early control of today’s ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 clash at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Sunday, October 26, 2025). Nepal, set 263 to win, were 6/1 inside the third over when the chase began—an early wobble that underlined the pressure of a measured but effective American batting effort.

USA vs Nepal: match situation at a glance

• Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

• Toss: Nepal won, elected to bowl

• USA 1st inns: 262/6 (50 ov)

• Top scorers (USA): Smit Patel 75 (100), Milind Kumar *70 (50)**, Saiteja Mukkamalla 42

• Nepal chase: 6/1 in the 3rd over at the first update; target 263

Quick scorecard (in progress)

United States — 262/6 (50 ov)

• Smit Patel 75 (100), anchored the middle overs before a run-out.

• Milind Kumar 70* (50), late-innings acceleration with clean striking.

• Saiteja Mukkamalla 42, steady support through a key rebuild.

• Lower-order impetus from Shubham Ranjane and Harmeet Singh lifted the finish.

Nepal — 2nd inns

• Target 263.

• Early blow: Kushal Bhurtel c wk b Rushil Ugarkar 0 (2) in the opening over.

• Score at first checkpoint: 6/1, required rate hovering in the mid-5s.

Note: Live match—figures will update as play continues.

How the USA built 262/6

This was a two-phase American innings: stabilise, then surge. After a watchful start, Smit Patel provided the glue—working singles, punishing width, and protecting his stumps against spin through the middle overs. The innings turned decisively in the last 12–13 overs when Milind Kumar arrived with intent, finding gaps square of the wicket and clearing the infield to convert a run-a-ball platform into a defendable total. A tidy platform from Saiteja Mukkamalla (42) meant the finishers had license, and a brief burst from Harmeet Singh ensured momentum into the break.

For Nepal, the seamers asked early questions but couldn’t dislodge set batters often enough during the middle. Spin kept the rate honest, yet the final five overs tilted toward the USA as the ball softened and lines drifted. One bright spot: death overs were not catastrophic; boundaries came, but the Americans still had to sweat for 260+.

Nepal’s chase: early nerves, long road

Chasing 263 on a used surface, Nepal needed a composed launch. Instead, the USA struck immediately—Rushil Ugarkar nicked off Kushal Bhurtel for a duck, a classic new-ball dismissal that set a conservative tone. With Aasif Sheikh and Bhim Sharki at the crease, Nepal faced a familiar equation: absorb the new ball, then target the fifth bowler and short square boundaries once the field spreads.

The required rate—just above five-and-a-quarter—doesn’t demand recklessness, but early dots against a disciplined Saurabh Netravalkar raise the premium on strike rotation. Nepal’s blueprint likely hinges on a calm first 20 overs: one anchor batting deep, others chipping at a run-a-ball, and Dipendra Singh Airee (later Rohit Paudel in the engine room) providing tempo before the second powerplay.

Tactical keys to decide USA vs Nepal

1. Powerplay discipline (both sides). USA’s lines in the channel forced Nepal into shot selection decisions from ball one. If the Americans hold that length for six-to-eight overs, the asking rate creeps without freebies.

2. Spin vs set batters. Nepal’s spinners were tidy, but the Americans showed they could manufacture singles; Nepal will need wickets through spin to avoid a 45th-over shootout. Conversely, Nepal must avoid getting stuck against USA’s middle-overs mix—sweep options and shuffles across off may be essential.

3. Death overs execution. USA eked out a 60-plus finish; Nepal may need something similar. Yorkers vs premeditated ramps is the endgame cat-and-mouse.

4. Fielding moments. The run-out that removed Smit Patel could have swung momentum; a similar moment in Nepal’s chase—either side—could be decisive in a sub-280 game.

What a par finish looks like from here

• For USA: Two wickets inside the first 15 overs and par economy from the fifth bowler keeps Nepal to 70–75 by the 20th, pushing the chase toward risk late. Holding catches at deep midwicket/long-on will matter as Nepal attacks the leg side.

• For Nepal: Reach 120–130/2 by 25 with one set batter past fifty; cash in between overs 31–40 before the ball starts reversing. If the middle order can harvest 80–90 in the last 15 without a collapse, 263 remains within reach.

Stay tuned—the complexion shifts quickly on this surface. For now, the Americans’ balanced 262 and that immediate strike place the United States slightly in front, but a single partnership for Nepal can flip the pressure back just as fast.