Bhanu Pania scored an unbeaten 134 off just 51 balls on Thursday as Baroda etched their name in history books for the highest team total in a T20 match, surpassing Zimbabwe’s 344/4. Playing against Sikkim in a Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 (SMAT) tournament match, Baroda rode on Pania’s magnificent hundred and half-centuries from Abhimanyu Singh Rajput, Shivalik Sharma and Vishnu Solanki to post a record 349/5 in 20 overs. Zimbabwe’s total came against Gambia in a T20 World Cup African qualifying match earlier this year.
Opting to bat first, Baroda went off to a flier with Shashwat Rawat and Abhimanyu putting on 92 runs in just 5.1 overs. While Abhimanyu perished after a 17-ball 53, including four fours and five sixes, Rawat followed suit scoring 43 off just 16 balls.
While Sikkim looked to turn the momentum into their way, Pania and Shivalik smashed the opposition all round the park, scoring 94 runs together in just five overs. While Shivalik was dismissed for 55 in 17 balls (3 fours and 6 sixes), Pania continued his onslaught, smashing 15 sixes and five fours in the process.
Pania then added 88 runs with Solanki, who scored a 16-ball 50 to take the core past 300-run mark. However, world no.1 all-rounder Hardik Pandya didn’t feature in the game. The youngest of Pandya brothers, Hardik has been in tremendous form in SMAT scoring 74 not out, 41 not out, 69, 47 and 0 in five matches for Baroda.
Zimbabwe’s then-record-breaking feat came two months back in October in Nairobi. Opting to bat first, Zimbawe rode on an unbeaten 133 from captain Sikander Raza which included 15 sixes and seven fours. Brian Bennett (50) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (62) also scored half-centuries for Zimbabwe. In reply, Gambia were all out for just 54.
