Nepal’s cricket team created waves of astonishment and etched their names in the record books with a sensational performance in the opening match of the Men’s Asian Games against Mongolia in Hangzhou. In an unparalleled display of power-hitting and cricketing prowess, Nepal emerged victorious with a staggering 273-run win. Here’s a quick rundown of the monumental records that crumbled during this historic encounter:
0 – Nepal’s Trailblazing 300: Never before in the history of men’s T20 cricket had a team breached the 300-run mark. Nepal rewrote the record books by amassing an incredible 314 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets against Mongolia. This remarkable feat eclipsed the previous highest total of 278, achieved by Afghanistan against Ireland and by Czech Republic against Turkey, both in 2019.
34 – Kushal Malla’s Lightning Century: Nepal’s prodigious talent, Kushal Malla, redefined the art of fast scoring by reaching his century in a mere 34 balls. This astonishing feat now stands as the fastest century in T20 Internationals, surpassing the previous record of 35 balls held jointly by David Miller, Rohit Sharma, and Czech Republic’s Sudesh Wickramasekara.
9 – Dipendra Singh Airee’s Explosive Fifty: Dipendra Singh Airee demonstrated his explosive batting prowess by smashing a fifty in just 9 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty in all T20 cricket. Airee’s innings featured an astounding eight sixes, underlining his dominance in the format.
273 – Record Margin of Victory: Nepal’s crushing win over Mongolia by a margin of 273 runs is now the largest ever in terms of runs in all T20 cricket. This remarkable achievement eclipsed the previous record of Czech Republic’s 257-run victory against Turkey in 2019.
520 – Airee’s Unprecedented Strike Rate: Dipendra Singh Airee’s unbeaten knock of 52 off just 10 balls came at an astonishing strike rate of 520, marking the first instance in T20 cricket when a batter has scored at a 500-plus strike rate in an innings of 10 or more balls. This milestone obliterated the previous best held by Malcolm Waller with a strike rate of 430.
26 – Sixes Galore: Nepal’s batters hammered 26 sixes during the match, setting a new record for the most sixes in a T20 international by a team. This tally outshone the previous record of 22 sixes by Afghanistan against Ireland and by West Indies against South Africa.
19 years and 206 days – Malla’s Age Record: Kushal Malla, at the age of 19 years and 206 days, became the second-youngest batter to score a century in men’s T20 Internationals, with the youngest being Gustav Mckeon of France, who achieved this feat in July 2022.
56% – Extras Boost Mongolia: Mongolia’s total received a substantial contribution from extras, with 56% of their runs coming from 23 extras out of a total of 41 runs. This stands as the highest proportion of team runs via extras in a men’s T20I innings, surpassing the previous record of 34.6% held by China.
1 – Asian Games Centuries: Kushal Malla’s monumental innings of 137* marks the second-ever century in the Asian Games, with the first being Khalid Latif’s unbeaten 103 for Pakistan against China in 2010, a match that did not have T20I or T20 status.
Nepal’s extraordinary performance in this match has not only set new records but has also raised expectations for their future endeavors in international cricket. Fans and experts alike eagerly await their next match in what promises to be an unforgettable Asian Games tournament.
