In 2018, the landscape of T20I cricket experienced a significant shift as the number of competing teams surged from 18 to 104. This change came when the ICC extended international status to matches involving all of its Associate members. Since then, several cricketers from these teams have achieved remarkable milestones, setting a variety of records in men’s T20Is. Here’s a look at some of these standout performances.
Unbroken Winning Streak: 14 Victories
Spain etched their name in the history books by securing a seven-wicket victory over Greece during the T20 World Cup sub-regional Europe Qualifier. This triumph marked their 14th consecutive win, surpassing the previous joint record of 13 wins held by Malaysia and Bermuda. Throughout this streak, Spain outclassed teams like the Isle of Man, Jersey, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, and Greece. Their last defeat occurred in November 2022 when they were beaten by Italy by 33 runs.
Most Runs in a Single Over: 39
Darius Visser, a batter from Samoa, now holds the record for scoring the most runs in a single over, a feat previously shared by Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Nicholas Pooran. Visser achieved this milestone by hitting Vanuatu’s Nalin Nipiko for six consecutive sixes in an over that ultimately tallied 39 runs, aided by three no-balls. Visser finished with an impressive 132 runs off 62 balls, contributing to a team total of 174.
Maximum Sixes in an Innings: 18
Estonian batter Sahil Chauhan created waves by smashing 18 sixes during his unbeaten 144 off just 41 balls against Cyprus in June this year. During this explosive innings, Chauhan also set a new record for the fastest T20I century, reaching the milestone in just 27 balls. His remarkable performance helped Estonia chase down a target of 192 in a mere 13 overs.
Best Bowling Figures: 7 for 8
In July 2023, Malaysia’s medium-pacer Syazrul Idrus made headlines by becoming the first bowler to claim seven wickets in a T20I match. Idrus achieved this feat against China, where he posted figures of 7 for 8, leading to China’s dismissal for just 23 runs. Prior to this, Nigeria’s Peter Aho held the record with figures of 6 for 5 against Sierra Leone in 2021.
Quickest Half-Century: 9 Balls
Dipendra Singh Airee of Nepal shattered the record for the fastest T20I half-century, reaching the landmark in just nine balls against Mongolia. This achievement eclipsed Yuvraj Singh’s previous record of a 12-ball fifty against England in the 2007 T20 World Cup.
Highest Team Score: 314 for 3
Nepal’s powerful batting display saw them become the first team to cross the 300-run mark in a men’s T20I innings. They later bowled out Mongolia for 41, securing a victory by a staggering 273 runs.
Fastest Century: 27 Balls
Kushal Malla of Nepal initially broke the record for the fastest T20I century by reaching the landmark in 34 balls against Mongolia. However, Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton later bettered this by one ball, achieving the feat in 33 balls against Nepal. Sahil Chauhan then matched this achievement by reaching his century in just 27 balls against Cyprus.
Highest Score on Debut: 108 Not Out
Canada’s Matthew Spoors set a new benchmark for the highest score on debut, remaining unbeaten on 108 against the Philippines. This record surpassed Ricky Ponting’s 14-year-old mark of 98 not out, which had stood since the first-ever T20I.
Most Maidens in an Innings: 4
Lockie Ferguson’s four consecutive maiden overs during a T20 World Cup match against PNG sparked considerable attention. However, this feat was not unprecedented, as Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar had accomplished the same in a T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier match against Panama three years earlier.
Youngest Player to Debut: 14 Years, 16 Days
Romania’s Marian Gherasim marked his 14th birthday by making his international debut against Bulgaria, becoming the youngest player to appear in a T20I match, among those with an officially recorded date of birth.
Highest Career Batting Average: 63.35
Malawi’s Sami Sohail now holds the record for the highest career average in T20I cricket, a title previously contested by India’s Virat Kohli and Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan. Sohail’s average, calculated for a minimum of 1,000 runs, places him at the top of the list.