Nepal’s men’s cricket team made history at the Asian Games by becoming the first team ever to score over 300 runs in a T20 international match. In a breathtaking display of power-hitting, Nepal rewrote the record books with a colossal total of 314-3 in their 20 overs, surpassing Afghanistan’s previous highest of 278-3 against Ireland in 2019.

Nepal’s batting onslaught was led by Kushal Malla, who occupied the No. 3 spot and blazed his way to the fastest century in T20 international cricket, taking only 34 balls to achieve this remarkable feat. Malla’s innings concluded with an unbeaten 137 runs off just 50 balls, including an astonishing 12 sixes and eight fours.

The innings reached a crescendo when Dipendra Singh Airee entered the fray. Airee put on an extraordinary display, obliterating the Mongolian bowlers with eight consecutive sixes during his unbeaten innings of 52 runs off a mere 10 balls. He achieved his fifty in just nine balls, setting yet another world record and surpassing Yuvraj Singh’s 2007 effort against England, which took 12 balls.

The Indian cricket team is currently riding the waves of success following their impressive performance in the Asia Cup 2023. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the team secured a resounding 10-wicket victory against the host nation, Sri Lanka, in Colombo. This commanding win was powered by a fiery spell from Mohammed Siraj, who, with support from pacers Hardik Pandya (3 for 3) and Jasprit Bumrah (1 for 23), bundled out the Lankans for a mere 50 runs in just 15.2 overs. In response, India effortlessly chased down the target with all wickets intact in just 6.1 overs.

On the same day as India’s triumph, Pakistan ascended to the coveted No. 1 position in the ICC ODI rankings, courtesy of South Africa’s victory over Australia in the fifth ODI. However, Pakistan’s reign at the top may be short-lived, as India has the opportunity to dethrone them. Certain factors need to align for this change to take place.

India’s next ODI fixture is against Australia on Friday. The outcomes of other matches involving England, Ireland, Bangladesh, and New Zealand won’t impact India’s ranking. If India secures a victory in the first ODI against Australia, they will become the new No. 1 ODI side. Even if India goes on to win the series 2-1, they will retain their position as the No. 1 ODI team.

Pakistan women’s cricket team clinched the T20I series by successfully chasing down 151 runs against South Africa in the second T20I match. This remarkable victory marks Pakistan’s second bilateral T20I series win against South Africa, with the previous one dating back to March 2015 when Pakistan won 2-1.

Captain Nida Dar’s strategic move to field first after winning the toss set the tone for the match. South Africa’s batting in this match resembled their performance in the first T20I, with the visitors making a strong start by reaching 46-0 after the powerplay. However, Pakistan’s left-arm spin duo of Nashra Sundhu and Sadia Iqbal once again proved to be game-changers, stifling the run flow and breaking crucial partnerships. Nashra dismissed South African captain Laura Wolvaardt, while Sadia claimed Tazmin Brits’ wicket. Debutant Umm-e-Hani also bowled tightly, preventing any leaks in runs. South Africa’s first innings concluded at 150-3, mirroring their score in the first T20I.

Despite the early dismissal of young opener Shawaal Zulfiqar, experienced players Bismah Maroof and Sidra Amin built a steady and dominating partnership of 68 runs. This set the stage for a game-defining partnership between Muneeba Ali and Aliya Riaz, where they added 54 runs in just 29 balls. Pakistan’s fearless and aggressive batting approach ensured that they maintained control throughout the game.

Unlike the first T20I, where Pakistan won on the last ball, this time Pakistan secured victory comfortably, with Aliya Riaz confidently hitting the winning runs with five deliveries remaining. The jubilation was evident as Aliya embraced Muneeba at the other end, celebrating their second series-clinching victory.

The third T20I between Pakistan and South Africa is scheduled for September 4, 2023, at 7:30 pm.