Nepal men’s cricket team made history at the ongoing Asian Games 2023 cricket tournament in Hangzhou, China as they smashed the highest-ever total in T20I cricket history, the fastest fifty and fastest century by a player in format’s history on Wednesday.  They accomplished this during their match against Mongolia. This match also kickstarts the men’s cricket competition at the continental meet.

In the match, Nepal smashed 314/3 in their 20 overs. It is the highest-ever total in T20Is, overtaking Afghanistan’s 278/3 against Ireland in 2019. In reply, Mongolia were bundled out for only 41 runs in 13.1 overs as Nepal won the match by 273 runs.

They also smashed a total of 26 sixes in their innings, the highest by a team in the format’s history in a single inning. They went past Afghanistan’s record of 22 sixes that helped them make 278/3 back in 2019.  But two of the most interesting records are them smashing the fastest fifty and century in T20I cricket.

Dipendra Singh Airee, the Nepal all-rounder reached his half-century in just nine balls, going past Indian legend Yuvraj Singh’s record of a 12-ball fifty against England in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, a match which saw him smash Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over. Airee ended with 52 not out in just 10 balls, with eight of them smashed out of the park for a six. His strike rate of 520 is also the best in a T20I innings.

Kushal Malla also went past T20I giants like India’s Rohit Sharma and South Africa’s David Miller to hit the fastest T20I century ever, in just 34 balls. Malla ended with 137 in 50 balls, with eight fours and 12 sixes. Notably, Rohit and Miller have 35-ball centuries to their names, but Malla has now shattered these records by smashing a helpless Mongolia bowling attack all over the park.

Notably, Mongolia needs 315 to win. India’s men’s cricket campaign will start on October 3 in the quarterfinals. The title clash will be played on October 7.

--Agencies