5 Highest Team Totals In T20I Cricket

Aakash Saini

Top 5 highest team totals in T20I cricket [Source: @BCCI/x]Top 5 highest team totals in T20I cricket [Source: @BCCI/x]

The hard-hitting nature of T20I cricket continues to evolve, with batters consistently pushing boundaries and upgrading their game. In a format where high totals often define success, mounting mammoth team scores have become crucial in securing big victories.

Remarkably, three of the five highest T20I totals of all time were achieved in the space of just two weeks of October 2024. Here we take a look at five of the biggest team totals ever recorded in T20I history.

5. Afghanistan 278-3 vs Ireland, Dehradun 2019

Afghanistan 278-3 vs Ireland, Dehradun 2019 [Source: @ICC/x]Afghanistan 278-3 vs Ireland, Dehradun 2019 [Source: @ICC/x]

Afghanistan batters carted 278-3 against Ireland in the second T20I of their three-match ‘home’ series back in February 2019. Turning up at Dehradun’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in India, Afghan opener Hazratullah Zazai belted 16 sixes to tonk an unbeaten 162* from just 62 balls. Zazai even formed a colossal 236-run opening partnership with half-centurion Usman Ghani (73 off 48) at the top of the order. Afghanistan’s blistering batting effort helped them secure a huge 84-run win and a 2-0 lead in the series.

4. Zimbabwe 286-5 vs Seychelles, Nairobi 2024

Zimbabwe mounted 286-5 against an inexperienced Seychelles line-up in the second match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier Group B on October 19, 2024. Batting first, openers Brian Bennett (91 off 35) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (86 off 37) smeared attacking half-centuries and shared 145 runs together for the opening wicket in less than 10 overs. Captain Sikandar Raza also flogged 36* from 13 balls while Ryan Burl (23 off 11) and Tashinga Musekiwa (12* off 4) provided the finishing touches to the high-scoring innings. Zimbabwe went on to win the match by 76 runs (DLS method) after a rain-marred run-chase.

3. India 297-6 vs Bangladesh, Hyderabad 2024

India 297-6 vs Bangladesh, Hyderabad 2024 [Source: @BCCI/x]India 297-6 vs Bangladesh, Hyderabad 2024 [Source: @BCCI/x]

Team India went berserk against Bangladesh in the third T20I of their three-match home series in October 2024. Opening batter Sanju Samson belted 111 of those runs from just 47 balls with 11 boundaries and eight sixes to top-score in the innings. Captain Suryakumar Yadav notched up 75 blazing runs off 35 deliveries, while Riyan Parag (34 off 13) and Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) also chipped in swift runs in the slog overs.

Smacking 25 boundaries and 22 sixes in the process, the Indians ended up listing their highest-ever T20I total, and the third highest of all time in the format.


2. Nepal 314-3 vs Mongolia, Hangzhou 2023

Nepal amassed 314-3 against Mongolia in the opening match of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. Even though opening batters Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh failed to get going in the innings, number three Kushal Malla capitalized over Mongolia’s inexperienced attack by making 137* runs off just 50 deliveries with eight boundaries and 12 sixes. Captain Rohit Paudel also chipped in with a swift 27-ball 61 while Dipendra Singh Airee shattered numerous batting records in his 10-ball 52*. Moreover, Nepal batters were also assisted with the 29 extras sent down by Mongolia bowlers.

Apart from racking up the highest T20I total at the time, Nepal’s 273-run win also marks the second largest margin of victory in the history of the format.

1. Zimbabwe 344-4 vs Gambia, Nairobi 2024

Zimbabwe 344-4 vs Gambia, Nairobi 2024 [Source: @ICC/x]Zimbabwe 344-4 vs Gambia, Nairobi 2024 [Source: @ICC/x]

On October 23, 2024; i.e., mere days after racking up 286 against Seychelles in Nairobi, Zimbabwe batters blasted 344-4 in 20 overs against Gambia at the city’s Ruaraka Sports Club Ground. Mounting up the highest T20I total, and two of the four highest team scores in the space of a week, Zimbabwe raced to 100 of those runs within the opening powerplay itself.

Openers Brian Bennett (50 off 26) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (62 off 19) unleashed blistering half-centuries and shared 98 runs together in just 5.4 overs. Captain Sikandar Raza, meanwhile, lifted up the pace even further by launching 15 sixes and seven boundaries to haul 133* runs from just 43 balls. Clive Madande also clobbered 53 unbeaten runs from just 17 balls and shared an unbroken 141-run stand with his skipper for the fifth wicket.

Zimbabwe’s record-shattering day was far from over as their bowlers also skittled Gambia for just 54 to secure a huge 290-run win, the highest in the history of T20Is.