During the first match of men’s cricket at the Asian Games 2022, Nepal thrashed many T20 records to beat the T20I debutant Mongolia.
After Mongolia chose to field first in their first-ever T20I match, Nepal recorded the first-ever 300+ total in the men’s T20 cricket as they scored 314/3 in 20 overs.
Kushal Malla scored a 34-ball century and continued his innings till 137 not out in 50 balls with the help of eight fours and 12 sixes. Also, captain Rohit Paudel scored 61 off 27 balls (two fours and six sixes), and Dipendra Singh Airee recorded a nine-ball fifty (52 not out in ten balls; eight sixes).
In his short but massive record-breaking innings, Dipendra smashed five consecutive sixes to Mungun Altankhuyag in the 19th over.
In reply, Mongolia were bundled out for only 41 runs as Nepal secured another record with a 273-run win. Extras were the highest scorer in the second innings with 23 runs (16 wides, 5 leg byes, and 2 no balls), while Davaasuren Jamyansuren (10) was the only batter to reach the double-digit score in that innings.
Among the Nepal bowlers, Karan KC (2/1), Abinash Bohara (2/2), and Sandeep Lamichhane (2/7) all bagged two wickets each.
Here are some crucial records of this historic T20I match
Kushal Malla – fastest T20I century
Kushal Malla slammed the fastest T20I century. His 34-ball hundred broke the previous fastest T20 International century record, which was jointly set by David Miller (South Africa), Rohit Sharma (India) and Sudesh Wickramasekara (Czech Republic).
Kushal Malla’s 34-ball hundred became the joint fourth-fastest century in T20 cricket history.
Dipendra Singh Airee – fastest T20 fifty
Dipendra Singh Airee hit a nine-ball fifty. It is the new record for the fastest fifty in T20 cricket history. Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, and Hazratullah Zazai jointly held the previous fastest T20 fifty record with the 12-ball fifties.
Highest strike rate in a T20I innings (minimum 25 runs)
While Dipendra Singh Airee finished the innings with a 520.00 strike rate (52 runs in 10 balls), it is a new record for the highest strike rate for a batter in a T20I match (minimum 25 runs). The previous record was 414.28 by the Caribbean cricketer Dwayne Smith (29 in 7 balls vs Bangladesh at Johannesburg on September 13, 2007) and the Canadian cricketer Saad Bin Zafar (29* in 7 balls vs Bahrain at Al Amerat on November 14, 2022).
Meanwhile, Dipendra Singh Airee also recorded the second-highest strike rate in a T20 innings (minimum 25 runs). The record is 533.33 by Colombo Stars’ Seekkuge Prasanna (32 not out off 6 balls vs Kandy Warriors at Colombo, RPS, on December 14, 2021).
Nepal – highest T20 total
Nepal scored 314/3 in 20 overs. It is the highest total in men’s T20 cricket history. It was also the first 300+ total in the men’s T20 cricket history. The previous record was 278 runs by Afghanistan (278/3 vs Turkey) and the Czech Republic (278/4 vs Turkey).
Most sixes in a T20 innings
Nepal smashed 26 sixes in their record-breaking innings. It was also the most sixes in a men’s T20 innings, while the previous record was 23 sixes by Balkh Legends against Kabul Zwanan at Sharjah on October 14, 2018.
Largest T20 win by runs
Nepal won the match by 278 runs. It is the largest victory margin in the men’s T20 cricket history. The previous record was winning by 257 runs by the Czech Republic against Turkey at Ilfov County on August 30, 2019.
