In the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifiers, Zimbabwe created history by registering the highest scores in T20Is: 344/5 against Gambia. Zimbabwe’s skipper Sikandar Raza led from the front by becoming the first-ever centurion for Zimbabwe in T20Is. Zimbabwe won this match by 290 runs and also broke the record for the biggest win margin in T20I cricket. Â
The match took place in Nairobi, where Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bat first, and the decision of Raza proved to be a historic one as Zimbabwe etched its name on the records book by registering the highest score in T20I matches. Zimbabwe’s openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave Zimbabwe a thunderous start with a 98-run opening stand in 5.4 overs.
Bennett played a 50-run inning in 26 balls, and Marumani scored 62 runs in 19 balls. Raza scored a blistering century in just 33 balls and remained not out with a score of 133 in 43 balls. Clive Madande provided a late thrust to Zimbabwe’s innings by scoring 53 runs from 17 balls.
Zimbabwe smashed 27 sixes during their inning, which is also a world record for the highest number of sixes in an inning in a T20I match. Sikandar Raza hit 15 sixes in his inning: joint third-highest in a T20I match. Raza also registered the record of joint second-fastest T20I century in his name.
In response to Zimbabwe’s world record total of 344/4, Gambia bundled out on just 54 runs, handing Zimbabwe the biggest victory by a margin of runs in T20Is.
Top 10 Highest Team Scores in T20Is
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 344/4 | Gambia | Nairobi (Ruaraka) | 23 Oct 2024 |
| Nepal | 314/3 | Mongolia | Hangzhou | 27 Sep 2023 |
| India | 297/6 | Bangladesh | Hyderabad | 12 Oct 2024 |
| Zimbabwe | 286/5 | Seychelles | Nairobi (Gymkhana) | 19 Oct 2024 |
| Afghanistan | 278/3 | Ireland | Dehradun | 23 Feb 2019 |
| Czech Republic | 278/4 | Turkey | Ilfov County | 30 Aug 2019 |
| Malaysia | 268/4 | Thailand | Hangzhou | 2 Oct 2023 |
| England | 267/3 | West Indies | Tarouba | 19 Dec 2023 |
| Australia | 263/3 | Sri Lanka | Pallekele | 6 Sep 2016 |
| Sri Lanka | 260/6 | Kenya | Johannesburg | 14 Sep 2007 |
| India | 260/5 | Sri Lanka | Indore | 22 Dec 2017 |
| South Africa | 259/4 | West Indies | Centurion | 26 Mar 2023 |


