With the brilliant performance of Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee, the Nepali national cricket team made a flying start in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
In the first match of the group stage, Nepal clinched a record 273-run win against Mongolia.
Mongolia was bowled out after scoring 41 runs in 13.1 overs while chasing the mammoth target of 315 runs set by Nepal.
Nepal's Karan KC, Abinash Bohora and Sandeep Lamichhane took 2 wickets to restrict Mongolia to a low score. Sompal Kami, Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airi took 1 wicket each.
Davaasuren Jamyansuren’s 10-run score was the highest for Mongolia. No other batsmen could touch double-digit scores.
One batter added 3 runs. Three other batsmen added 1 run. The remaining five batsmen returned to the pavilion for zero runs. One player made two not out runs.
Earlier, invited to bat first after losing the toss, Nepal notched up 314 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in the scheduled 20 overs.
Young batsman Kushal Malla and Captain Rohit Paudel shared a record 193-run partnership for the fourth wicket, helping Nepal set a huge target. This is the highest third wicket partnership by a Nepali batsmen ever.
Kushal and Dipendra performed world record against Mongolia. Malla, who completed a century in 34 balls, made a world record in his name. Earlier, the fastest century in T20Is was 35 balls.
Kushal, who faced 50 balls, hit 8 fours and 12 sixes and remained not out for 137 runs.
All-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee completed a rare world record by hitting a half-century just in 9 balls.. Dipendra remained not out on 52 runs.
Rohit contributed 61 runs including 2 fours and 6 sixes off 27 deliveries. Opener Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for 19 runs and Aasif Sheikh for 16 runs.
Nepal, which is Group B in Asiad, will play Maldives in its second match on Sunday.
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