Zimbabwe posted the highest team score in the history of T20Is as they posted a mammoth 344/4 from their 20 overs against Gambia in their T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier Group B at the Ruaraka Sports Club Ground in Nairobi on Wednesday.

Sikander top-scored with 133 from 43 deliveries, with the help of seven fours and 15 sixes, as Zimbabwe surpassed the previous record held by Nepal, who had scored 314 runs against Mongolia in 20 overs in 2023.

Zimbabwe also became the highest scoring team in a T20I among all Test playing nations, surpassing India’s 297 for 6 against Bangladesh posted at Hyderabad earlier this month.

Highest Team Totals in T20Is

They had entered the top five earlier this month when they made 286/5 against Seychelles. A week prior to that India had entered the list with a massive total of 297/6 against Bangladesh.

Raza’s century is the first by a Zimbabwe player in men’s T20Is with Dion Myers’ 96 last night against Rwanda the highest score so far for them. His 15 sixes in the joint-fourth-most by a player in men’s T20Is.

Raza, who came in at the fall of the second wicket in the seventh over, hit a total of seven fours and 15 sixes in his innings.

Raza’s 15 sixes, however, is not a world record for most number of maximums in a T20 innings, the record that belongs to Sahil Chauhan of Estonia for hitting 18 sixes against Cyprus.

Raza’s century came off just 33 balls, making it the joint-second fastest hundred in men’s T20Is. Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan holds the record for achieving the feat in just 27 balls.

Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton had also made a ton off just 33 balls earlier in 2024.

Zimbabwe’s record-breaking innings included 27 sixes, the most recorded ever in a men’s T20I, beating the 26 made by Nepal against Mongolia during their innings of 314/3 last year.

Australian opener Aaron Finch holds the record for highest individual score in T20Is with 172 against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2018.

Gambia’s Musa Jobarteh also earned the ignominy of being the most expensive bowler in the history of T20Is giving away 93 runs in his 4 overs which was worse then Kasun Rajitha of Sri Lanka, who had given away 75 runs in 4 overs.

The ICC has accorded T20I status to all its affiliated member nations which has led to records being broken like ninepins whenever some of the weaker nations are pitted against comparatively stronger international teams.

(With inputs from Agencies)