OTD: Nepal's Record-Breaking Triumph in T20 Cricket History

On September 27, 2023, Nepal’s cricket team put on an extraordinary display against Mongolia at the Asian Games, shattering numerous international records in what was one of the most dominant T20 matches ever played. Competing in Hangzhou, China, Nepal achieved unprecedented milestones in the world of T20 cricket.

The star of the match was 19-year-old Kushal Malla, who wrote his name into the history books by becoming the fastest centurion in T20 internationals. Reaching his century in just 34 balls, Malla eclipsed the previous record of 35 balls held jointly by India’s Rohit Sharma, South Africa’s David Miller and Czech Republic’s Sudesh Wickramasekara. Malla finished unbeaten on 137 off 50 balls, which included 12 sixes and eight boundaries.

While Malla’s innings stole the spotlight, Dipendra Singh Airee added another highlight by smashing the fastest T20I fifty. Airee needed just nine balls to reach his half-century, beating Yuvraj Singh’s previous record of 12 balls, set during the inaugural 2007 ICC T20 World Cup. Airee hit eight sixes in his brief, explosive knock of 52 not out from 10 deliveries.

Nepal’s explosive batting display culminated in a record total of 314 for 3 from 20 overs, the highest team score ever recorded in men’s T20 internationals. This was the first time any team had crossed the 300-run mark in the format, surpassing the previous best of 278 for 3 by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019. Nepal’s innings featured a staggering 26 sixes, with contributions from Malla, Airee and skipper Rohit Paudel, who scored 61 off 27 balls in a 193-run partnership with Malla.

Nepal’s dominance didn’t end with their batting. In response, Mongolia struggled while crumbling for just 41 runs in 13.1 overs. The Mongolian innings featured five ducks, with their top scorer managing just 10 runs. Extras contributed more than half of Mongolia's total, with 23 extras compared to just 18 runs scored by their batters. Nepal's bowlers, led by Karan KC, Abinash Bohara and Sandeep Lamichhane, each took two wickets as Mongolia were bowled out for the paltry score.

Nepal’s 273-run victory set a new record for the largest margin of victory in a T20 international, eclipsing the previous record of 257 runs set by the Czech Republic against Turkey in 2019.

This extraordinary performance by Nepal not only lifted the spirits of their team but also provided a spectacle that will be remembered as one of the most historic performances in T20 cricket.