Cricket cracker to hammer blow

Nepal breaks T20 cricket record with the score of 314-2 against Mongolia

CHINA:

The Asian Games wrapped up on Sunday after two weeks of thrilling sporting highs and lows in Hangzhou.

AFP Sport highlights five memorable moments from the Olympic-sized event, which features 12,000 athletes in 40 sports across 54 venues:

Nepal became the first men's team to score more than 300 runs in T20 international cricket as they rewrote the record books against part-timers Mongolia.

They bludgeoned 314-3 in their 20 overs, beating the previous highest of 278-3 by Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019.

Teenager Kushal Malla crashed the fastest T20 international century, off 34 balls, and ended up 137 not out off 50.

Dipendra Singh Airee finished the innings in ridiculous fashion. He raced to his fifty off nine balls, another T20 world record, with eight sixes.

Nepal's 26 sixes were also the most scored in a T20 innings.

ESports made its debut as a medal event at the Asian Games -- a key step that could lead to inclusion in the Olympics.

Audiences of overwhelmingly young spectators packed out a 4,500-capacity arena in the hope of catching one of their heroes, with the most popular undoubtedly South Korea's Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok.

China made history with the first eSports gold, beating Malaysia in the smartphone game Arena of Valor.

"The audience who loves eSports and the veterans in the eSports industry have been looking forward to this for a long time," said China's captain Luo Siyuan.

South Korea's red-faced rollerskater Jung Cheol-won had nowhere to hide after coasting into an early celebration, a "big mistake" that cost gold.

As Jung, the anchor in the 3,000m relay, raised his arms to celebrate, Taiwan's Huang Yu-lin lunged his skate forward to cross the line first by one-hundredth of a second for what he called a "miracle" victory.

"While you were celebrating, I was still fighting," said Huang.

"I made a rather big mistake," said a sheepish Jung. "I am very sorry. I apologise to my teammates and to our fans who supported us. It's all my fault."

China's Wu Yanni went into the women's 100m hurdles final as one of the favourites in front of a packed home stadium on the country's national day.

But a false start earned her a red card that she furiously protested, along with India's Jyothi Yarraji, who was also ejected for reacting to Wu and moving before the gun.

Both hurdlers were eventually allowed to race, with Wu finishing second behind teammate Lin Yuwei and Yarraji coming third.

Wu was then disqualified long after the celebrations in the stadium had ended, with Yarraji upgraded to silver.

"It's completely messy," said Yarraji.

An athletics official suffered a broken leg after being hit by a hammer hurled during competition by Kuwait's Ali Zankawi.

Huang Qinghua was sitting on a chair outside the throwing circle when Zankawi aborted his attempt, with his 7.26kg (16lb) hammer flying into the protective netting and smashing into the official's right leg.

Huang was carried out of the arena on a stretcher and had surgery in hospital.

Zankawi visited the unfortunate Huang the next day in hospital to apologise.

"Thank god the hammer hit the ground before it hit his leg," told AFP.