Nepal batters smashed three world records en route to becoming the first team to amass a 300-plus total in T20Is, in the Asian Games 2023 on Wednesday. Nepal cricket team registered the fastest fifty and fastest century by a player in format's history. Kushal Malla, a 19-year-old left-handed batter, struck the fastest-ever T20I hundred in 34 balls, eclipsing David Miller and Rohit Sharma's joint previous record (35 balls). (Highlights | Scorecard | Full Coverage | Cricket News)
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.
Nepal also smashed a total of 26 sixes in their innings, the highest by a team in the format's history in a single inning. By doing so, they went past Afghanistan's record of 22 sixes in 2019.
Their No 5 batter Dipendra Singh Airee also rewrote the record books, blasting a nine-ball fifty that bettered Yuvraj Singh's 16-year-old record.
Yuvraj took 12 balls for his fifty en route to scoring 58 in the World T20 match against England on September 19, 2007.
The previous record for the highest innings total in a T20I was held by Afghanistan, who had amassed 278 for 3 against Ireland on February 23, 2019.
In reply, Mongolia were bundled out for 41 runs inside 15 overs. Only one Mongolian batter reached a double-digit score, 10 in 23 by Davaasuren Jamyansuren. The innings witnessed five ducks. The three-team group also has the Maldives. Nepal next face the Maldives on October 1.
(With PTI inputs)
