Nepal continued their rise as one of the most entertaining teams in T20I cricket by breaching the 300-run mark again courtesy a breathtaking innings from opener Kushal Bhurtel in the Asian Games Men’s T20I Qualifier against China in Singapore. Bhurtel’s 129 off 43 balls, which included six sixes in an over, was one of the most explosive knocks in international cricket.
Nepal elected to bat after China won the toss and put on a batting masterclass to post a mammoth 313 for 2 in their 20 overs. It was the second occasion Nepal have crossed the 300-run mark in a T20I, making them the first team in men’s T20 international cricket history to do so more than once. Their most recent record-breaking score was against Mongolia in 2023 when they scored 314/3.
The ninth over turned out to be the highlight of the innings when Bhurtel tore apart China’s Chen Zhuo Yue. The Nepal opener cleared the ropes with all six legal deliveries and became only the sixth batter in international cricket to hit six sixes in an over. He joined an elite club with Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Jaskaran Malhotra and Nepal team-mate Dipendra Singh Airee.
Bhurtel’s knock contained five fours and a staggering 16 sixes. His hundred came off just 35 balls, a sign of the sheer dominance of his innings. The right-arm pacer also surpassed Airee to become Nepal’s highest six-hitter in men’s T20Is, further etching his name as one of the nation’s most impactful cricketers.
The record-breaking demonstration has been a testament to Nepal’s rising stature in world cricket. The Himalayan nation has earned a reputation in recent years for its fearless brand of batting and for taking on stronger opponents on the world stage. That transformation has had Bhurtel playing a vital role, regularly coming up with match-winning performances for the national side.
Nepal’s batting blitz was too much for China as they were bowled out for 92 to lose by a crushing 221 runs. The result was emphatic but the day belonged to Bhurtel, whose spectacle of six-sixes will be remembered as one of the greatest moments in Nepal cricket history.
With that final, huge heave over deep mid-wicket, Bhurtel joined the ultra-exclusive club of cricketers who have hit a perfect 36-run over in T20 internationals, joining legends like Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Dipendra Singh Airee and Hazratullah Zazai.
Powered by Bhurtel’s historic onslaught and explosive cameos from the lower-middle order, Nepal crossed the 300-run mark for the second time in their history with ease. That stunning achievement has established Associate Nations as genuine superpowers in the modern white-ball game.
Boundaries are coming smaller, bat technology is changing, but Nepal has become the flag-bearer of fearless, uninhibited batting. For Kushal Bhurtel and this golden generation of Nepali cricketers, the sky is no longer the limit – it is just the baseline.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
