Date: Wednesday 27
In an electrifying showdown during the Men’s Asian Games against Mongolia in Hangzhou, Nepal’s cricketing warriors etched their names in history with a jaw-dropping 273-run victory. This monumental win witnessed a cascade of records falling like dominoes, revolutionizing the realm of men’s T20 internationals.
Nepal’s astonishing total of 314 for 3 against Mongolia not only shattered expectations but also marked the first instance of a men’s T20 innings surpassing the elusive 300-run threshold. This monumental achievement eclipsed the prior highest T20 total of 278, achieved by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019 and the Czech Republic against Turkey in the same year. These scores now stand as the zenith of achievement in men’s T20 internationals.
Kushal Malla’s blazing century in a mere 34 balls rewrote the record books, making it the fastest hundred in T20Is. This feat surmounted the previous record of 35 balls shared by David Miller, Rohit Sharma, and the Czech Republic’s Sudesh Wickramasekara.
Dipendra Singh Airee’s breathtaking half-century in just 9 balls, featuring an astounding eight sixes, set an unparalleled benchmark for the fastest fifty in all T20s. This incredible performance eclipsed the previous record of 12 balls, jointly held by Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, and Hazratullah Zazai.
Nepal’s awe-inspiring 273-run margin of victory against Mongolia stands as the most significant in terms of runs in all T20s, surpassing the Czech Republic’s previous record of a 257-run win over Turkey in 2019.
Airee’s remarkable strike rate of 520, achieved during his unbeaten 52 off 10 balls, is an unprecedented milestone in T20s. No other batter has ever achieved a 500-plus strike rate in an innings of 10 or more balls, surpassing the prior record held by Malcolm Waller, with a strike rate of 430 in a ten-ball innings during Zimbabwe’s domestic T20 competition in 2016.
Nepal’s batters sent a clear message by hammering an astonishing 26 sixes in this match, setting a new record for the most sixes in a T20 international by a team. The previous record was 22 sixes, achieved by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019 and by West Indies against South Africa earlier in the same year. Furthermore, this achievement establishes a new record for the most sixes in any T20 match, surpassing the 23 sixes hit by Balkh Legend against Kabul Zwanan in the Afghanistan Premier League in 2018.
Kushal Malla, at the tender age of 19 years and 206 days, became the second-youngest batter to score a century in men’s T20Is, with Gustav Mckeon of France holding the distinction as the youngest.
An astonishing 56% of Mongolia’s total runs came from extras, with 23 out of their 41 runs attributed to extras. This extraordinary proportion of team runs from extras in a men’s T20I innings sets a new record. The previous highest was 34.6% for China, who tallied nine extras during their 26 all out against Thailand earlier this year.
Kushal Malla’s remarkable 137* is only the second century in the history of the Asian Games, with Khalid Latif’s unbeaten 103 for Pakistan against China in the 2010 men’s competition being the previous century. This achievement is significant, considering that the 2010 edition did not hold T20I or T20 status.
Nepal’s incredible performance against Mongolia not only redefined records but also catapulted them into cricketing stardom, setting new standards for T20 cricket. These remarkable feats underscore the ever-evolving dynamism of the sport, leaving fans and cricket enthusiasts in absolute awe of Nepal’s extraordinary prowess.
As Nepal continues to perform at this extraordinary level, the long-term impact on their cricketing journey is poised to be monumental. It can potentially attract more talent, ignite a passionate following, and solidify its status as a cricketing powerhouse on the international stage. The legacy of this historic victory will undoubtedly shape the future of Nepali cricket for years to come, inspiring a new generation of cricket stars to follow in their footsteps.
