Zimbabwe secured a commanding victory on Wednesday, defeating Gambia by 290 runs in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match, after bowling out their opponents for just 54 runs.
Zimbabwe’s total shattered the previous T20 world record of 314-3, set by Nepal against Mongolia in Hangzhou, China, last year.
Sikandar Raza hit a stunning century in just 33 balls, tying Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton for the second-fastest century in T20I history. Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan still holds the record for the fastest T20I century, achieved in 27 balls against Cyprus in June.
Alongside Raza’s century, Tadiwanashe Marumani (62 off 19 balls), Clive Madande (53* off 17 balls), and Brian Bennett (50 off 26 balls) all contributed half-centuries to Zimbabwe’s record-breaking total.
Brandon Mavuta (3-10) and Richard Ngarava (3-13) each took three wickets to dismantle Gambia’s lineup.
Zimbabwe’s win secured their place in the final round of Africa qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Kenya have also advanced.
Gambia, ranked 95th in the world and Associate members of the ICC since 2017, have had a tumultuous tournament. Earlier, they became the first team in cricket history to forfeit two T20 internationals by walkover, after failing to appear for matches against Rwanda and Seychelles due to issues with travel documentation.