2026 Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier, Nairobi
Zimbabwe 344-4 (20.0): Raza 133* (43); Jarju 2-53
The Gambia 54 (14.4): Jarju (12*); Mavuta 3-10
Zimbabwe win by 290 runs
Zimbabwe have set a new world record for the highest score in men’s T20 international cricket, posting 344-4 against The Gambia in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sikandar Raza ended his innings not out on 133 runs, having faced just 43 balls.
Zimbabwe won the match, part of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, by 290 runs. In the second innings, they bowled The Gambia all out 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 off 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.
