Nepal has even set some records in the huge victory over the weak-looking Philippines. Nepal defeated the Philippines by 136 runs in their second match of the group stage of the T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers. After the second consecutive victory, Nepal is close to the semifinals.
Nepali opener Kushal Bhurtel played an unbeaten 104-run innings against the Philippines. He also became the second Nepali cricketer to score a century in T20 Internationals. Earlier, former captain Paras Khadka had scored a century.
Kushal, who made his T20 International debut in the tri-series in Nepal last year, had scored four fifties in that tournament. He has now equalled the record of centuries and half-centuries of former captain Paras.
Kushal has completed 402 runs in 7 innings of T20 International. He is the fourth-highest run-scorer. Paras Khadka has scored 799 runs in 33 matches, while Gyanendra Malla has scored 728 runs in 37 matches and Dipendra Singh Airee has scored 713 runs in 31 matches.
Biggest partnership in T20 International
Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh shared a 171-run partnership for the third wicket against the Philippines. This is Nepal’s biggest partnership in T20 Internationals. Kushal and Dipendra broke the 145-run partnership for the second wicket between Paras and Arif Sheikh in 2019. Their partnership is the third-highest partnership for the third wicket in T20 International cricket.
Dipendra Sigh Airee, who came to the crease after Kushal Malla was dismissed in 4.2 overs, shared a partnership of 171 runs in 88 balls with Kushal Bhurtel. Dipendra was dismissed for 83 runs in 18.5 overs.
This is Dipendra’s personal best performance in T20 Internationals. This is also his third half-century in T20. Dipendra had scored an unbeaten 73 against Oman in the four-nation series in Oman ahead of the global qualifiers.
Dipendra Singh Airee and Kushal Bhurtel’s 171 run partnership for the third wicket is the 9th highest partnership for any wicket in T20I. In T20Is, Hazratullah Jazai of Afghanistan and Usman Ghani’s 236-run partnership against Ireland is the biggest partnership in T20Is.
3rd highest total in T20 Internationals
Batting first after losing the toss at the Al Amarat Stadium in Oman, Nepal scored a total of 218 runs in the allotted 20 overs for the loss of 3 wickets. This is Nepal’s third highest total in T20 Internationals.
Earlier, Nepal had scored 238 against the Netherlands during the tri-series held in Nepal in April last year. A total of 236 runs were scored against Bhutan during the 13th South Asian Games in 2019.
Nepal’s innings against the Philippines is the 14th highest in T20 Internationals.