Cricket has witnessed countless extraordinary records, but some achievements stand so tall that they appear nearly impossible to break. One such record belongs to Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee, who stunned the cricketing world with a blistering half-century off just 9 balls—a feat that may remain unmatched for generations.
This wasn’t a local club game or a franchise T20 league, but an official international cricket match. Airee’s strike rate on that day soared to an astonishing 520, as he unleashed a storm of sixes that left bowlers and fielders helpless. His whirlwind innings also included six sixes in an over, equaling Yuvraj Singh’s famous record, while surpassing Yuvraj’s milestone of the fastest T20 International fifty (12 balls).
The Record-Breaking Knock
The remarkable innings came during the 2023 Asian Games in a clash between Nepal and Mongolia. Batting at number five, Dipendra Singh Airee walked in during the 19th over when Nepal had just 11 deliveries left. What followed was pure carnage.
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In his first five balls, Airee smashed five consecutive sixes, racing to 30 runs in no time.
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In the final over, handed the strike, he continued his assault—hammering more sixes, picking up a couple of runs, and eventually racing to 50 in just 9 deliveries.
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He finished unbeaten on 52 from 10 balls, etching his name into cricket’s history books.
Nepal’s Record-Breaking Total
Airee’s explosive cameo wasn’t the only highlight of the game. Nepal amassed 314 runs, then the highest team total in T20 International history. Though Zimbabwe later broke the record with 344, Nepal’s innings remains iconic.
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Kushal Malla smashed 137 off just 50 balls, hitting 12 sixes and 8 fours.
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Skipper Rohit Paudel added 61 runs from 27 deliveries, including 6 sixes.
On the back of these power-packed performances, Nepal registered a mammoth 273-run victory—one of the biggest winning margins in T20I cricket.
A Record for the Ages
Dipendra Singh Airee’s 9-ball fifty stands as one of cricket’s most unbreakable records. While T20 cricket continues to evolve, few believe this monumental feat will ever be surpassed—even a century from now.