Nepal Makes T20I History In Asian Games, Breaking Yuvraj And Rohit’s Records

Summary: During their inaugural Asian Games match against Mongolia, Nepal set numerous records with a remarkable showcase of power-hitting.

During the Asian Games group match against Mongolia on Wednesday, Nepal's men's team made history by shattering multiple T20I records as the men's tournament commenced in Hangzhou. Following India's women's gold medal win on Monday, the men's event made a world record right in its first match. Nepal posted an astonishing score of 314/3 in 20 overs, becoming the first team to breach the 300-run milestone in T20I cricket. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had previously confirmed that Asian Games matches would have T20I status.

Furthermore, Dipendra Singh Airee shattered Yuvraj Singh's enduring record for the fastest T20I half-century, which Yuvraj achieved in the 2007 World Cup against England in 12 balls. Airee achieved this feat in a mere nine deliveries, finishing with an unbeaten 52 runs in just 10 balls, with an impressive 48 of those runs coming from sixes.

However, the record-breaking feats didn't stop there. Kushal Malla had a significant achievement in mind as he surpassed both India's captain Rohit Sharma and South Africa's prominent batsman David Miller by scoring the fastest T20I century, accomplishing this milestone in only 34 deliveries. Notably, both Sharma and Miller had reached three figures in 35 balls. Malla's extraordinary innings included 8 boundaries and an impressive 12 sixes, leaving him unbeaten with a score of 137 from just 50 deliveries.

Notably, Nepal's innings began at a slow pace at the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket Field in Hangzhou, with both openers maintaining a strike rate below 100. It was Kushal Malla who injected much-needed momentum into the innings, orchestrating a crucial 193-run partnership with captain Rohit Paudel (scoring 61 off 27 balls). Dipendra's explosive finish further added to Nepal's remarkable performance, setting a world record in the process.

In the initial round of the men's competition at the Asian Games, there are three groups, each consisting of three teams. The team finishing at the top of each group will secure a spot in the quarter-finals, where India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan will also enter the tournament. Ruturaj Gaikwad, a recent member of the ODI squad in the series against Australia, will lead the Indian team, having participated in the first two matches.