Sikandar Raza's 33-ball 100 helps Zimbabwe post highest T20I ...

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza helped his team post the highest T20I score ever as he scored a breathtaking 33-ball hundred helping Zimbabwe post 344/4 in 20 overs vs Gambia.

Sikandar Raza's 33-ball 100 helps Zimbabwe post highest T20I score of 344 vs Gambia (Photo by MUNIR UZ ZAMAN / AFP)

Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza went berserk during the Group B fixture of the ICC Mens T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier as he helped his team post the highest score of 344 on Wednesday, October 23 at Ruaraka Sports Club Ground, Nairobi. Raza brought up his maiden T20I hundred which was also the joint second-fastest ever in the format as he reached the landmark in just 33 balls.

The 38-year-old was seen at his belligerent best as he smashed seven fours and 15 monumental sixes during his innings of 133* (43) leaving the spectators gasping. Raza’s tally of 15 sixes is also the joint third-highest in a T20I innings along with Hungary’s Zeeshan Kukikhel who achieved the feat against Austria on 5th June 2022.

Courtesy of Raza’s breathtaking batting display, Zimbabwe posted a gigantic score of 344/4 in their allotted 20 overs breaking Nepal’s record of 314/3 which they achieved against Mongolia in Asian Games 2023.

The platform was set for Raza as openers Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani got their team off to a blistering start adding 98 runs off just 34 balls. Marumani brought up his half-century off just 13 balls registering the joint third-fastest fifty in the format.

He was finally dismissed for 62 (19) as he smashed nine fours and four sixes in his innings. Bennett brought up his fifty off 25 balls with the help of seven fours and one six. Dion Myers departed cheaply for 12 (5) but Raza and Ryan Burl (25 off 11) added 60 runs for the fourth wicket off just 24 balls.

Burl fell prey to Abubacarr Kuyateh leaving Zimbabwe on 203/4 after 13.2 overs which brought Clive Madande to the crease. Raza brought up his half-century off 20 balls and pressed on the accelerator in the 17th over smashing Musa Jobarteh for 35 runs which included four sixes and two boundaries.

He brought up his century in the very next over smashing Ismaila Tamba for a maximum. Clive Madande also brought up his maiden T20I fifty on the last ball of the innings as he whacked Musa Jobarteh for consecutive sixes. The duo added 141 runs for the fifth wicket off just 40 balls.

Zimbabwe also registered most sixes ever in a T20I innings as their batters launched the ball over the fence a whopping 27 times surpassing Nepal’s record of 26 sixes. They also levelled Sri Lanka’s record for most fours in a T20I innings scoring 30 fours during their innings. Sri Lanka achieved the feat against Kenya during 2007 T20 World Cup.