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Delhi-born USA player Milind Kumar who was a prolific run-scorer in Indian domestic cricket has achieved a rare record in ODI cricket playing for USA. Milind became the first batter to score exactly 155 runs in an ODI innings.
Milind achieved the feat at United Cricket Club Ground, Windhoek on September 24 against United Arab Emirates (UAE). His unbeaten 155 helped USA post 339/4. He walked in to bat in the 17th over and smashed 16 fours, five sixes in his 110-ball 155. Milind's 155 is also the second-highest ODI score by a USA batter.
Milind, Saiteja’s centuries after early wickets
Earlier, UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem won the toss and opted to bowl first. Andries Gous and skipper Monank Patel scored five runs each and fell to Junaid Siddique and Ali Naseer respectively in powerplay overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Smit Patel missed his half-century as he got out lbw for a 58-ball 48.
Saiteja Mukkamalla and Milind steadied the innings. In the 43rd over, Mukkamalla reached his maiden ODI century with two consecutive fours off Omid Rahman. He reached his ton from 95 balls. In the next over, Mukkamalla lost his wicket to Aayan Khan. His 99-ball 105 included 14 fours and a six.
Milind went berserk in the slog overs. He hit Siddique, Naseer and Rahman for two fours and a six in 47th, 48th and 49th over respectively. He reached his 150 from 108 balls in the last over. He finished the innings with a boundary to stay not out for 155 and achieve the record. On the other end, Shayan Jahangir scored 12 runs from 14 balls.
Netravalkar shines with new ball
UAE's run chase was dented by left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar early. In the fifth over, he got rid of both openers Aryansh Sharma (11) and Waseem (12). In the next over, he dismissed Vishnu Sukumaran for a single-digit score. Asif Khan and Rahul Chopra kept up with the required run rate. Both scored their respective fifties before losing their wickets in consecutive overs. Chopra was dismissed by Jasdeep Singh for a 49-ball 51. Milind did the job with the ball as well by trapping Chopra in front of the wickets. He hit seven fours and a six in his 44-ball 52.
No fightback from lower order
From 138/5 in the 23rd over, UAE could not make a comeback in the run chase. Shadley van Schalkwyk got Naseer out for a four-ball duck. Then Nosthush Kenjige struck thrice whereas Jasdeep got the last wicket. UAE were bowled out for 203 in 36.2 overs as USA won by a massive margin of 136 runs. Basil Hameed remained stranded on one end. He hit four sixes and three fours in his unbeaten 43-ball 50.
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