Nepal set an unprecedented record in T20I cricket in their dominant 221-run win over China in the 2026 Asian Games Qualifier at Singapore on May 31.

Being put into bat in the opening game of the Qualifiers, Nepal amassed a massive total of 313 for 2 in their 20 overs. Opener Kushal Bhurtel was the star of the show, scoring a massive 129 off just 43 balls. His innings consisted of five fours and a whopping 16 maximums. He also hit six sixes in an over off the bowling of Chen Zhuo Yue, becoming the second Nepal batter after Dipendra Singh Airee to achieve that feat.

Kushal Malla remained unbeaten on 85 off 47 with eight fours and five sixes, and Rohit Paudel remained unbeaten on 69 off 21 balls, hitting five fours and seven sixes. They hit 19 fours and a massive 29 sixes in the innings, the joint-most sixes hit in a T20 innings. 

With this blitz, Nepal became the only team to have recorded a total of over 300 in a T20I match on two separate occasions. Their first instance came in the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, when they scored a massive 314 for 3 in their innings. Malla was the star of the show on that occasion, scoring a magnificent 137 off just 50 balls. Airee scored the fastest 50 in T20 cricket on the day, coming off just nine balls. 

Chasing the total, the Chinese batting order collapsed, being bundled out for 92. Malla picked up three wickets in eight balls, clearing up the tail without conceding a single run in his spell. Sompal Kami picked up figures of 2 for 11 from three overs, while Sandeep Lamichhane claimed figures of 2 for 29 from his four overs. The 221-run victory margin is the seventh-highest by runs in T20I history.

Nepal are set to face Malaysia in their second and final Group A match of the qualifier on June 4 at the same venue, while China also take on Malaysia in their next game on June 2. Group B of the tournament consists of Hong Kong, Singapore, Bahrain, and Oman.