HARARE- Sikandar Raza blasted 133 not out off just 43 balls with 15 sixes as Zimbabwe racked up a record total in T20Is in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier B game against Gambia in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe’s total of 344/4 eclipsed the previous high of 314/3 by Nepal against Mongolia in 2023.
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 on Tuesday 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’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. – ICC