The Nepal vs Mongolia clash in the Asian Games 2023 on September 27 saw some T20I records being shattered as the Nepalese team put a stellar batting display. Kushal Malla smashed an unbeaten hundred in just 34 balls, while Dipendra Singh Airee smoked a 9-ball fifty taking their side to a record total of 314-3.
Nepal becomes the first team to cross the 300-run mark in T20Is
The Rohit Paudel-led side went all guns blazing in the first match of Group A in Asian Games 2023 at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field in Hangzhou. While their opening pair of Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh provided them a steady start, it was Kushal Malla and Rohit Paudel who provided the acceleration to their innings.
Paudel played a breathtaking knock of 61 runs off just 27 deliveries including 6 maximums before getting dismissed by Mungun Altankhuyag. However, Malla had set his eyes on a big score and kept playing aggressively.
The 19-year-old batter smashed an unbeaten hundred off just 34 deliveries and became the first cricketer from Nepal to score a hundred in the T20 Cricket. Malla also went past T20I giants like Rohit Sharma and David Miller to hit the fastest T20I century ever.
Dipendra Singh Airee's fastest ever fifty in T20i history:
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 27, 2023
6,6,6,6,6,2,6,6,6.
– A memorable day for Nepal cricket!pic.twitter.com/ih9cvYehCi
The young Nepal batter eventually ended with 137 runs in just 50 balls, with 8 fours and 12 maximums. He, along with Dipendra Singh took the Nepal total to a mammoth 314-3 in their 20 overs.
Nepal’s 314-3 against Mongolia in the Asian Games 2023 is now highest-ever total in T20Is, overtaking Afghanistan’s 278-3 against Ireland in 2019.
Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee breaks Yuvraj Singh’s 16-year-old record
Captain Rohit Paudel got out on the first delivery of the 19th over. With eleven balls left in the match, Dipendra new to crease played ten out of them and created history.