The Zimbabwean cricket team shattered a plethora of T20 international records in their emphatic 290-run win over Gambia in the Africa Sub-Regional World Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday in Nairobi.
Zimbabwe posted an astonishing total of 344/4, the highest ever in a T20 international, beating Nepal’s 314/3 against Mongolia in 2023. It was an astonishing innings that comprises 27 sixes-highest so far-, breaking the previous record of Nepal, 26 sixes, against Mongolia.
Apart from the domination with sixes, Zimbabwe also equalled the record for most fours in a T20I innings. 30 boundaries came off their bats, a record which earlier was the sole property of Sri Lanka during a match against Kenya in 2007.
The team managed 282 runs from boundaries, bettering the previous highest of 216 set by Punjab against Andhra in India’s domestic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In T20Is, the previous record for amassing most runs from boundaries was 212 by Nepal, in an Asian Games match against Mongolia.
Raza’s innings contained a 33-ball century, which brought him level with Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton for the second-fastest T20I century. The fastest T20I century remains 27 balls by Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan against Cyprus.
In response, Gambia were bowled out for a paltry 54 runs to seal a record 290-run victory for Zimbabwe. It also set a new record for a victory margin of 290 runs in T20 internationals, beating Nepal’s 273-run win over Mongolia.
