Nairobi : Zimbabwe created history by registering the highest-ever team total in T20I cricket, smashing an astonishing 344/4 against Gambia during a Group B match at the T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier on Wednesday.
Leading the charge was skipper Sikandar Raza, who hammered an unbeaten 133 off just 43 balls, featuring a breathtaking 15 sixes. Zimbabwe’s record-breaking total surpassed Nepal’s 314 against Mongolia during the 2023 Asian Games. Across 20 overs, Zimbabwe’s batters sent the ball flying for 27 sixes and 30 boundaries.
Though Raza’s 15 sixes lit up the scoreboard, it fell short of the individual T20I record for most sixes, held by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan with 18 maximums against Cyprus.
Zimbabwe’s Feat Among Test Nations
With this achievement, Zimbabwe also became the highest-scoring Test-playing nation in T20Is, overtaking India’s 297/6 against Bangladesh, achieved earlier in Hyderabad this month.
Gambia’s Musa Jobarteh Records Worst T20I Bowling Figures
The match was a nightmare for Gambia’s bowlers, with Musa Jobarteh conceding a staggering 93 runs in four overs—an unwanted record that overtook Sri Lankan bowler Kasun Rajitha’s 75 runs in four overs, previously the most expensive figures in T20I history.
Rising Records in T20I Cricket
The ICC’s decision to grant T20I status to all its affiliated member nations has paved the way for new milestones, especially when weaker teams face off against more established sides. Zimbabwe’s performance is a prime example of how dominant teams can rewrite record books against lower-ranked opponents.
This emphatic display reinforces Zimbabwe’s T20 prowess and sets a new global benchmark that will challenge other teams in the coming tournaments.
