Nepal’s enormous 273-run victory over Mongolia in their Asian Games match in Hangzhou was highlighted by Kushal Malla’s 34-ball hundred, which is now the quickest T20I hundred ever.
Other records that fell included the highest team total (314/3) in T20 cricket and the first to surpass the 300-run mark, Dipendra Singh’s quickest T20 fifty (9 balls), and the largest victory margin in T20 cricket.
The innings began comparatively sedately as Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh were both despatched before the 8-over mark, going at a run-rate of close to 10. However, both batsmen scored at a rate slower than a run-per-ball and were helped by the extras the Mongolian bowlers delivered with the new ball.
Then, Rohit Paudel joined Kushal Malla at the crease, creating a record-setting partnership of 193 runs in 65 deliveries. Malla reached his century in 34 deliveries, surpassing the previous record of 35 balls held jointly by India’s Rohit Sharma, South Africa’s David Miller, and the Czech Republic’s Sudesh Wickramasinghe.
The fourth-wicket stand, which provided the finishing touch, surpassed everything else on display. The stand yielded 55 runs in 11 balls at a strike-rate of 500, of which the new batsman, Dipendra Singh, struck eight sixes in a record nine-ball fifty.
Nepal finished with 314.3, whereas Mongolia’s misery had not yet ended.
The run pursuit lasted 79 deliveries, during which Mongolia scored 41 runs, with only one batsman reaching double figures and no partnerships exceeding nine. The batters scored a total of 18 runs during the inning (which included five ducks), but the 23 extras significantly outscored them to bring the total to 41.
Extras bowled in this match yielded a staggering 52 runs, as Mongolia was defeated by Nepal by 273 runs.
Brief Scores:
Nepal 314-3 in 20 overs (Kushal Malla 137*, Rohit Paudel 61, Dipendra Singh 52*, Luvsanzundui Erdenebulgan 1-47) beat Mongolia 41 all-out in 13.1 overs (Davaasuren Jamyasuren 10, Karan KC 2-1, Abinash Bohara 2-2, Sandeep Lamichhane 2-7) by 273 runs
