Games-Mongolian cricket takes step back as records tumble in loss to Nepal

Mongolia were dismissed for 41, the biggest contribution from 23 extras, including 16 wides by the Nepali bowlers. The north Asians will have a chance to atone when they play the Maldives in their second match on Thursday.

The windswept nation of Mongolia has rarely been known for cricket but now has a place in the record books after suffering the biggest defeat in T20 internationals through a 273-run hiding by Nepal at the Asian Games on Wednesday.

Nepal is also some way off cricket's elite tier but played like world-beaters at the Zhejiang University of Technology field as they raced to a record total of 314 for three on the opening day of the men's tournament in Hangzhou. Nepal number three Kushal Malla also strode off unbeaten on 137 from 50 balls, having reached his hundred in a record 34 balls, eclipsing the previous mark of 35 balls jointly held by South Africa's David Miller, India's Rohit Sharma and Czech Republic's Sudesh Wickramasekara.

His batting partner Dipendra Singh Airee also came off with the record for the fastest fifty in T20 internationals, reaching the milestone in nine balls in his unbeaten 52 which included eight sixes. Nepal's 26 sixes for the match was also a T20I record, far outstripping the 22 set by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019 and West Indies against South Africa in March.

Mongolia's chase got off to a rough start, with their top four batsmen all falling for three runs or less before number five Davaasuren Jamyansuren dug in for a gritty 10 off 23 balls -- the team's top score -- before being bowled by Sandeep Lamichhane. Mongolia were dismissed for 41, the biggest contribution from 23 extras, including 16 wides by the Nepali bowlers.

The north Asians will have a chance to atone when they play the Maldives in their second match on Thursday.

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