Nepal made history by setting six world records in their dominant victory against Mongolia in the men’s cricket opening match of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Nepal vs Mangolia, Scorecard, Asian Games Men’s Cricket
Nepal outclassed Mongolia, winning by a massive margin of 273 runs. Mongolia struggled to chase Nepal’s target of 315 runs, losing all their wickets for just 41 runs in 13.1 overs at the Zhejiang University Cricket Ground. Apart from Davaasuren Jamyansuren, who scored 10 runs for Mongolia, no other batsman managed to reach double figures.
Nepal’s bowlers shone in the match, with Karan KC, Abinash Bohra, and Sandeep Lamichhane taking 2 wickets each, while Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Kushal Bhurtel claimed 1 wicket each.
Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted a record-breaking total of 314 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Kushal Malla was the standout performer, scoring an unbeaten 137 runs, which included 8 fours and an impressive 12 sixes in just 50 balls. Captain Rohit Paudel contributed 61 runs from 27 balls, featuring 2 fours and 6 sixes, while Dipendra Singh Airee added 52 unbeaten runs from just 10 balls, with 8 sixes to his name.
Here are the remarkable world records set during this game:
1. Highest Innings Total in T20I: Nepal’s 314 runs is the highest total ever in T20 International cricket, surpassing the previous record of 278 runs held by Afghanistan and the Chase Republic in 2019.
2. Fastest Century: Kushal Malla set a world record by completing a century in just 34 balls, beating the previous record held by David Warner, Rohit Sharma, and Sudesh Wickramasekara who achieved it in 35 balls.
3. Fastest Half-Century: Dipendra Airee broke Yuvraj Singh’s record by reaching his half-century in just 9 balls, hitting sixes in each of the first six balls he faced. Dipendra Airee’s Innings ( 6 6 6 6 6 6 2 6 6 2 )
4. Highest Partnership for Third Wicket: Kushal Malla and Rohit Paudel’s 193-run partnership for the third wicket is now the highest in T20 Internationals, surpassing New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips and Devon Conway’s 184-run stand against the West Indies in 2020.
5. Largest Margin of Victory: Nepal’s 273-run win is the biggest margin of victory in T20 Internationals, breaking the previous record held by the Chase Republic, who defeated Turkey by 257 runs in 2019.
6. Most sixes in an innings: Nepal’s 26 sixes in the match set a new record for the most sixes in one innings in T20 international history, surpassing Afghanistan’s previous record of 22 sixes against Ireland in 2019.
