Champions With Two Games to Spare: USA Clinch Their First League Two Title in Dallas

332 Chased, Then 299: How the USA Sealed Top Spot in Cricket World Cup League Two

Have the USA won League Two?

Yes. The USA are champions of Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27, their first title in the competition, and they still have two matches left to play.

How did they seal it?

With two wins in three days in Dallas: a 6-wicket win over the UAE, chasing 331, and a 4-wicket win over Namibia, chasing 299.

Why can nobody catch them?

The USA have 47 points. Scotland have finished on 45, and the Netherlands can reach a maximum of 46.

What does it mean?

The USA were already sure of a place at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, the last step before the 2027 World Cup. They now go there as League Two winners.

The Story: Champions in Front of Their Own Fans

It took two and a half years, 34 matches and two of the biggest run chases in their history, but the USA are champions of Cricket World Cup League Two. They sealed first place at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas with a win over Namibia on Wednesday, October 7.

For readers new to this competition: League Two is a 50-over league for eight of the leading Associate nations, the countries just below the top tier of world cricket. Each team plays 36 One Day Internationals (ODIs) over the cycle. A win is worth 2 points and a no-result (usually a washed-out game) is worth 1 point. The top four teams move on to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

A run chase simply means batting second and trying to pass the other team's score. Anything above 300 is considered a very hard chase in 50-over cricket. The USA did it once and came very close to doing it twice in the same week.

Match One: A Record Chase Against the UAE

Monday, October 5 | UAE 330 for 8 (50 overs) | USA 332 for 4 (48.5 overs) | USA won by 6 wickets

The UAE batted first and piled up 330 for 8, a total that would win most ODIs. The USA needed 331, more than they had ever chased before.

They got there thanks to Milind Kumar. He made an unbeaten 116 off 84 balls with five sixes, his fifth ODI century. He started carefully, then went through the gears and stayed until the job was done.

At the other end, Shubham Ranjane finished on 57 not out. Together the pair added an unbroken 160 runs for the fifth wicket, and the USA won with seven balls to spare.

It was the USA's highest successful run chase in ODIs. Their previous best was 294 for 7 against Nepal, also in Dallas, in 2024. The win also took them to the top of the table.

Match Two: The Captain Finishes the Job

Wednesday, October 7 | Namibia 298 for 9 (50 overs) | USA 299 for 6 (48.5 overs) | USA won by 4 wickets

Two days later, the USA were set another big target. Namibia chose to bat, and opener Michael van Lingen made a superb 124. Captain Gerhard Erasmus added 76 and Louren Steenkamp made 30, as Namibia reached 298 for 9.

This time the reply was led from the front. USA captain Monank Patel hit 108 off 100 balls with 14 fours, before falling to Ruben Trumpelmann. Shehan Jayasuriya added 74 off 75 balls and Smit Patel made 50.

There was a late wobble. Milind Kumar fell for a quick 18 to leave the USA 276 for 6, with 16 runs still needed from the last three overs. The lower order held its nerve, and the USA got home with seven balls to spare for the second match in a row.

The match produced 597 runs in total, the most ever in an ODI between Namibia and the USA.

Turning Point

The title was really won on Monday. A chase of 331 was beyond anything the USA had managed before, and they were four wickets down with more than 150 still needed. The unbroken 160-run stand between Milind Kumar and Shubham Ranjane did more than win one match. It put the USA top of the table and showed them that a 300-plus target was within reach, which is exactly the belief they needed when Namibia posted 298 two days later.

Stat Corner

The Two Chases

An asterisk means the batter was not out.

Top Performers

Most Sixes for USA in Men's ODIs

The Table

Top four advance to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Bottom four go to the Qualifier Play-off. NR means no result. NRR means net run rate, a tie-breaker based on how quickly teams score and concede runs.

Why the Title Is Already Decided

Scotland, the winners of the previous League Two cycle, have played all 36 of their games. The Netherlands could win all four of their remaining matches and still finish one point short. So the USA are champions even if they lose both of their last two games.

What Is Still to Play For

Second Place

The Netherlands can still overtake Scotland for second, but only by winning all four of their remaining matches to reach 46 points.

The Race for Fourth

This is the real battle now, and the USA's win over Namibia has changed it.

Oman hold fourth place with 31 points and eight games left, more than anyone else. Here is the most each chasing team can still reach:

That means 34 points guarantees Oman fourth place. They need just three more points from eight games, which is two wins, or one win and a no-result.

For Namibia, co-hosts of the 2027 World Cup, the defeat in Dallas hurts badly. They must now win both of their last two games and hope Oman almost completely collapse.

Upcoming League Two Fixtures (Local, IST and ET)

Dallas local time is US Central (CDT, UTC-5). Al Amerat local time is Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4). IST is India Standard Time. ET is US Eastern Time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Cricket World Cup League Two 2023-27?

The USA. They sealed first place on October 7, 2026 with a 4-wicket win over Namibia in Dallas. It is their first League Two title.

Can anyone still catch the USA?

No. The USA have 47 points. Scotland have finished on 45 and the Netherlands can reach a maximum of 46.

What is the USA's highest ODI run chase?

332 for 4 against the UAE in Dallas on October 5, 2026, chasing a target of 331. Their previous best was 294 for 7 against Nepal in 2024.

Who scored centuries in the two matches?

Milind Kumar made 116 not out against the UAE, Monank Patel made 108 against Namibia, and Namibia's Michael van Lingen made 124 in a losing cause.

Have the USA qualified for the 2027 World Cup?

Not yet. Winning League Two sends them to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, where places at the 2027 World Cup are decided.

Which teams will join them at the Qualifier?

Scotland and the Netherlands are certain of a top-four finish. Oman are favourites for the last spot and need three more points to be sure.

Related Guides and Series Coverage

📋 League Two Run-In: Oman and Namibia Fight for the Final World Cup Qualifier Spot

📋 Cricket World Cup 2027 Schedule: Groups, Fixtures and Format

📋 Net Run Rate Explained

📋 ODI Cricket Explained: Rules, Format and How It Works