Perhaps Nepal cricket is at its highest point. Earlier this month they featured in Asia Cup 2023 for the first time in their history and just a few weeks later, Nepal and its players have broken several records. Their 19-year-old batter Kushal Malla achieved one of those, scoring the Fastest Century in T20 cricket’s history.
The left-handed batter was not expected to play out such an innings especially after his team got off to a shaky start. He came in at No.3 at the expense of opener Aasif Sheikh who departed for 16 off 17 with Nepal at 42 in 4.5 overs.
Records created by Nepal today in Asian Games in T20I history:
– First team ever to score 300 runs.
– Kushal Malla scored the fastest ever T20I hundred: 34 balls.
– Dipendra Singh scored the fastest ever T20I fifty: 9 balls. pic.twitter.com/oV0rQYRh6R
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 27, 2023
His partner Kushal Bhurtel departed in the 8th over after scoring 19 off 17. Captain Rohit Paudel then came at No.4 and supported Kushal Malla to start his fiery knock. In his 15th T20I inning, he smashed outstanding 137 runs off just 50 balls with a strike rate of 274.
His knock included 12 Sixes and 8 fours and went on to break Rohit Sharma and David Miller’s record of Fastest centuries. Both of the batters reached tripled figures in 35 balls, but Kushal Malla took one ball less (34) to script an outstanding maiden Full century in T20s.
Nepal makes history in #AsianGames in T20I history
✅ First team to score 300 runs
✅ Highest Total: 314/2
✅ Kushal Malla: Fastest T20I 💯 in 34 ball
✅ DS Airee: Fastest T20I fifty in 9 ball
✅ Most sixes in a T20I inninng- 26A historic day for Nepal cricket!🔥#NepalCricket pic.twitter.com/ExkmbFPW8c
— ICC Asia Cricket (@ICCAsiaCricket) September 27, 2023
In case you didn’t know, all cricketing activities in Asian Games 2023 at Hangzhou have received International T20 status by the International Cricket Council. And therefore, Kushal Malla’s magnificent knock counts.
Thanks to his ultra-aggressive push, Nepal breached the 300-run mark something that was never done before in the shortest format. They scored 314 by losing 4 wickets against Mongolia, a nation that is yet to be accredited by ICC.
Nepal overtook the previous highest score of T20 cricket – 278 scored by Afghanistan in 2019 against Ireland. Czech Republic’s – 278/4 vs Turkey (2019), Australia’s – 263/3 vs Sri Lanka (2016) and Sri Lanka’s 260/6 vs Kenya (2007) completes the list of Highest team scores in T20Is.
Mongolia’s response wasn’t even a response as they got all out for just 41 runs in 13.1 overs.
