Sikandar Raza made history on Wednesday with a record-breaking century in the T20I match against Gambia. The Zimbabwean all-rounder smashed a 33-ball century in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier Group B match, the fastest century by a Test-playing nation’s player.
After opting to bat first, Raza led his team from the front and smashed the Gambia bowlers all around the park during his unbeaten 133-run knock. His 43-ball stay in the middle was embellished with 7 fours and 15 sixes.
He completed his century in the 18th over and registered his name in the record books.
Fastest T20I century by a Test-playing nation player
1. Sikandar Raza – 33 balls vs Gambia
2. David Miller – 35 balls vs Bangladesh
3. Rohit Sharma – 35 balls vs Sri Lanka
4. Johnson Charles – 39 balls vs South Africa
5. Sanju Samson – 40 balls vs Bangladesh
With 15 sixes, he also joined another tally of the most sixes smashed by a player in a T20I.
Most sixes in an innings in T20s
18 – Sahil Chauhan – vs Cyprus, Episkopi, 2024
16 – Hazratullah Zazai – vs Ireland, Dehradun, 2019
16 – Finn Allen – vs Pakistan, Dunedin, 2024
15 – Sikandar Raza vs Gambia, Nairobi, 2024
15 – Zeeshan Kukikhel – vs Austria, Lower, Austria, 2022
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe also posted the highest-ever score in a T20I with 344/4 in 20 overs. T Marumani (62 off 19 balls) and Brian Bennett (50 off 26) set the foundation of a massive total for Zimbabwe while Wesley Madhevere contributed 47. Clive Madande provided the finishing touch to the Zimbabwe innings alongside Raza as the former smashed 53 runs off 17 balls laced with three fours and five sixes.
Here’s the list of the highest men’s T20I totals in the history of the game
Zimbabwe – 344/4 vs Gambia, 2024
Nepal – 314/3 vs Mongolia, 2023
India – 297/6 vs Bangladesh, 2024
Zimbabwe – 286/5 vs Seychelles, 2024
Afghanistan – 278/3 vs Ireland, 2019
Zimbabwe have won all of their three matches in the African Sub-Regional qualifier for the T20 World Cup, and will be hoping to keep their winning streak intact to ensure a place in the 2026 tournament, which takes place in India.
