Nepal's Anjali rewrites T20I world record

Nepal's Anjali Chand scalped six wickets, including a hattrick, without conceding a single run in her 2.1 overs at the South Asian Games on Monday and setting a world record for best bowling figures in T20I.

Earlier, Nepal brushed aside the Maldives in the first match of the South Asian Games women's cricket competition on Monday. Maldives captain Zoona Mariyam won the toss and opted to bat but the decision backfired as the Maldives were bundled out for just 17 runs.

Anjali struck in her first over as she sent back the Maldives skipper for a duck and two deliveries later, the 24-year-old out foxed Latsha Haleemath to pick up her second wicket. Shaffaa Saleem, who came in to bat at number eight, failed to open her account as Anjali managed to get past her defence.

Eashal Ibrahim, Kinaanath Ismail and Shamma Ali also lost their wickets without troubling the scorers. Chasing a below-par total of 17, Kajal Shrestha hit two boundaries in the first over as Nepal finished the match in just five deliveries.

Previously, Mas Elysa of Maldives had held the record with figures of 6 for three against China in 2019. In men's cricket, Deepak Chahar of India holds the record for best bowling figures in a T20I. The fast bowler had picked up six wickets for seven runs against Bangladesh last month.