ZIMBABWE set a world record for the highest score in men’s T20 international cricket by posting 344-4 against The Gambia in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sikandar Raza scored 133 not out from just 43 balls. Zimbabwe won Wednesday’s match, part of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, by 290 runs after bowling out their opponents for 54.
Zimbabwe’s record smashes the previous world record of 314-3 set by Nepal against Mongolia last year in Hangzhou, China. Raza reached his century in 33 balls, equalling Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton as the second fastest in T20I cricket. Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball hundred for Estonia against Cyprus in June remains the fastest T20I century.
On top of Raza’s century, Tadiwanashe Marumani (62 off 19 balls), Clive Madande (53 not out off 17 balls) and Brian Bennett (50 off 26 balls) all posted half-centuries during Zimbabwe’s record-breaking innings.
With the ball, Brandon Mavuta (3-10) and Richard Ngarava (3-13) took three wickets each. Zimbabwe’s victory guarantees they will advance into the final round of Africa qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, taking place next year.
Five of the other seven spots have also been decided, with Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya also advancing. It has been a chaotic tournament for Gambia, who became an Associate member of the ICC in 2017 and are ranked 95th in the world.
They became the first team in cricket history to lose two T20 internationals by walkover earlier in the tournament having been unable to fulfil matches against Rwanda and Seychelles. The Gambia Cricket Association told BBC Sport that “issues with getting the appropriate documentation to enter Kenya” meant they turned up to the event late. — BBC