The most memorable upsets are the ones in which associate teams spoil the party for much stronger teams in World Cup cricket. But there are many monumental upsets outside of a World Cup that also warrant a place in memory.
Here’s a look at six such major upsets, including the USA’s historic win over Bangladesh just days before they co-host the 2024 T20 World Cup.
USA registered only their second win against a full-member nation, beating Bangladesh by five wickets in the first T20I of their three-match series earlier this week. After restricting Bangladesh to 153/6 in their 20 overs, USA, the 19th-ranked T20I side in the world, still faced a seemingly uphill task in the chase with 50 runs needed off the last 20 deliveries. But they were rescued by former New Zealand international Corey Anderson, the man who once held the record for the fastest ODI century, and former India Under-19 all-rounder Harmeet Singh. Anderson’s 25-ball 34* and Singh’s 13-ball 33* saw the hosts clinch a five-wicket win with three balls to spare. As they prepare to face Asian giants India and Pakistan in the World Cup group stage, USA issued a warning to the field at the World Cup with this victory over Bangladesh.
There are upsets that come in thrilling games and then there’s this. Beating New Zealand was already a special feat for UAE, but to ease past the world cricket giants made the victory much sweeter. Led by 17-year-old left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan’s 3-20, UAE restricted New Zealand to 142 in the second of their three-match T20I series in Dubai last year. They chased down the target with 4.2 overs to spare, courtesy of captain Muhammad Waseem’s 29-ball 55 and Asif Khan’s unbeaten 48, handing the Black Caps their first loss in 39 matches across formats against non-Test-playing nations. Despite New Zealand missing numerous big names, UAE still had to face the likes of Tim Southee, Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, James Neesham and Kyle Jamieson, en route to their first win over a full-member team other than Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe.
Beating a full-strength Australian team in Australia is not for everyone, but Zimbabwe showed it was certainly within their grasp. They went into the final ODI in Townsville having already lost the series, but eager to leave their mark down under before returning home. On the back of Ryan Burl’s 5-10 in three overs, Zimbabwe bowled Australia out for 141 as David Warner top-scored with 94. Zimbabwe had their backs against the wall in the run chase at 77-5 before Regis Chakabva played a captain’s knock (37*) to see his team through to a three-wicket victory with 11 overs to spare. Before this victory, they had beaten the mighty Aussies most recently in 2014, but a first-ever win against them in their backyard is one to cherish.
The Zimbabwe-Australia clash was not the only big upset in a game in Townsville. Rewind a few years and it was giant-killers Ireland’s turn to be at the receiving end of an upset as Papua New Guinea beat a full-strength Irish side to deny them a T20I series whitewash. Ireland, who had beaten West Indies and Zimbabwe in the ODI World Cup only the previous year, had already won the series and restricted Papua New Guinea to 116 in the final T20I with Tim Murtagh and George Dockrell picking five wickets between them. PNG then produced a bowling performance to remember, wrapping up Ireland’s chase for 105 courtesy of Chad Soper’s 3-13 in 3.1 overs, to earn more than just a consolation win.
Less than three months after the heartbreak of missing out on qualification for the 2019 World Cup due to a rain-affected match, Scotland clinched arguably the biggest win in their cricketing history. Facing the then top-ranked ODI side in the world England in a one-off clash in Edinburgh, Scotland smashed their way to 371-5 in 50 overs, riding on Calum MacLeod’s unbeaten 140 and half-centuries from skipper Kyle Coetzer and George Munsey. England took the game to their neighbours and on the back of a Jonny Bairstow hundred, came within 26 runs of the target with three wickets in hand and five overs remaining. An inspired Scotland team did not back down, winning a thriller by six runs with Mark Watt’s 3-55 the standout performance with the ball.
Before Ireland’s memorable 2015 ODI World Cup win against the West Indies, came their first-ever T20I win against the reigning T20 world champions at the time, in early 2014. It was a West Indies side comprising Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, and Sunil Narine in the Caribbean, but Ireland were not fazed. In the first of their two-match series at Sabina Park, Ireland kept the star-studded hosts down to 116, with Tim Murtagh, Alex Cusack, and Kevin O’Brien taking two wickets apiece. Ireland’s chase wasn’t straightforward by any means, but it was what it needed to be as Ed Joyce (40*) and Andrew Poynter 32 helped them seal the game with six wickets to spare and five balls remaining.
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