Zimbabwe shattered the record for the highest total in T20 cricket on Wednesday when they ran up 344 for 4 against Gambia in the men’s T20 World Cup Africa sub-regional qualifier tournament played in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sikandar Raza spearheaded the effort with a century – Zimbabwe’s first one ever in the format – off just 33 balls. He eventually finished unbeaten on 133, with 15 sixes. His team-mates hit 12 more to set that record as well. Until now, Nepal had been the holders of the highest total (314) and the most sixes hit in an innings (26). Gambia in return were bundled out for 54 as Zimbabwe also posted the biggest-ever win (in terms of runs) in T20s.
Raza, though, was the star of the show. He came into bat at the end of the seventh over, after the fielding restrictions had been relaxed, but it made no difference. He struck the third ball he faced for six and went on a run-scoring spree that made him the owner of the second-fastest century in T20I cricket.
His 33-ball effort equalled Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton’s, for Namibia against Nepal in February 2024.
Gambia, which is the smallest country in continental Africa, located to the west, could do very little to stop the run flow.
Scores
Zimbabwe: 344/4 in 20 overs (Brian Bennett 50, Tadiwanashe Marumani 62, Sikandar Raza 133 n.o. Clive Madande 53 n.o.)
Gambia: 54 in 14.4 overs (Richard Ngarava 3/13, Brandon Mavuta 3/10)
