Baroda scripted history on Thursday, December 5 in Indore as they smashed the record for the highest total in T20 cricket in a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Sikkim. Riding on Bhanu Pania’s 51-ball 134, Baroda posted 349 for 5 in their quota of 20 overs, going past the previous best tally of 344 for 4 in 20 overs.
Baroda also broke the record for the most sixes in an innings, hitting 37 of them. Bhanu Pania hit 15 of them as Baroda became the first team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to post a total of 300 or more.
All the batters who scored at least 10 runs for Baroda struck at a rate of over 200 as Baroda tore into the Sikkim bowling attack.
Baroda rested Hardik Pandya for the Group B tie. When Krunal Pandya won the toss, he opted to bat.
Openers Abhimanyu Singh (53 off 17 balls) and Shahwat Rawat (43 off 16 balls) added 92 runs for the opening partnership in just five overs.
However, Baroda lost both batters in quick succession as they slipped to 108 for 2.
Bhanu Pania and Shivalik Sharma then went after the Sikkim bowlers, who had no answers to the onslaught. PBhanu hit 15 sixes and five boundaries while Shivalik hit six sixes and 3 boundaries in their partnership of 94 runs that came in just five overs.
Baroda raced past the 300-run mark in record time after their top-order fired big time.
Vikram Solanki, their wicketkeeper, chipped in with a sensational cameo of 50 from just 16 balls, smashing six sixes and two boundaries.
HIGHEST TEAM TOTALS IN T20 CRICKET
Roshan Kumar of Sikkim conceded 81 runs in his quota of four overs. He broke the Indian record for the most expensive spell in a T20 game, going past Mohit Sharma’s 73 runs in 4 overs against Delhi Capitals while playing for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024.
