2026 Males’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 set a world report for the best rating in males’s T20 worldwide cricket by posting 344-4 in opposition to The Gambia in Nairobi, Kenya.
Sikandar Raza scored 133 not out from simply 43 balls.
Zimbabwe received Wednesday’s match, a part of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, by 290 runs after bowling out their opponents for 54.
Zimbabwe’s report smashes the previous world record of 314-3 set by Nepal in opposition to Mongolia final yr in Hangzhou, China.
Raza reached his century in 33 balls, equalling Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton because the second-fastest in T20I cricket.
Sahil Chauhan’s 27-ball hundred for Estonia in opposition to Cyprus in June stays the quickest T20I century.
On prime 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 throughout Zimbabwe’s record-breaking innings.
With the ball, Brandon Mavuta (3-10) and Richard Ngarava (3-13) took three wickets every.
Zimbabwe’s victory ensures they are going to advance into the ultimate spherical of Africa qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, going down subsequent yr. 5 of the opposite seven spots have additionally been determined, with Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya additionally advancing.
It has been a chaotic event for Gambia, who grew to become Affiliate members of the ICC in 2017 and are ranked ninety fifth on the earth rankings.
They grew to become the primary workforce in cricket historical past to lose two T20 internationals by walkover earlier within the event having been unable to fulfil matches in opposition to Rwanda and Seychelles.
The Gambia Cricket Affiliation instructed BBC Sport that “points with getting the suitable documentation to enter Kenya” meant they turned as much as the event late.
