In a major cricket embarrassment on Thursday, the Mongolian cricket team collapsed for just 10 runs against Singapore in the 14th match of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier A. The loss also meant that the Mongolia cricket team matched the lowest total record set by Isle of Man against Spain last year.
As many as five batters scored ducks for Mongolia, who now have three of the four lowest totals in men's T20Is, all of which have come in 2024. Mongolia batted for ten overs, playing out three maidens. Their partnerships for the fourth and the last wicket - each lasting 11 balls - were the longest in the game.
For Singapore, Harsha Bharadwaj recorded the second-best figures in a men's T20I. The 17-year-old finished with figures of 6 for 3 in four overs. The 17-year-old legspinner struck twice in the opening over and picked up five of the six wickets Mongolia lost inside the powerplay.
Akshay Puri (2-4), Rahul Sheshadri (1-2) and Ramesh Kalimuthu (1-1) also chipped in with key wickets. Singapore chase down the target in just 5 balls which marked the second fastest successful run-chase in the history of men’s T20I cricket, finding themselves only behind Spain’s two-ball win in Cartagena from February 26, 2023.
Mongolia hold record for conceding 300 runs in T20I cricket
Before registering the lowest batting total, Mongolia had the distinction of conceding the highest total in T20I cricket. Back in last year's Asian Games, Nepal became the first men’s team in the history of cricket to score more than 300 runs in a T20 international against Mongolia.
Nepal bludgeoned 314 for three in their 20 overs in Hangzhou last year, surpassing the previous highest of 278 for three by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019.
Kushal Malla, batting at number three, scored the fastest T20 international century – off just 34 balls.
