DUBAI: Baroda’s cricket team has set a new benchmark in T20 cricket, smashing the record for the highest team total with an extraordinary 349 for five against Sikkim in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
In a breathtaking display of power-hitting, Baroda’s batting lineup dominated the opposition and delivered a sensational performance.
Batting first, the top order was on fire, with Bhanu Pania taking center stage. Pania’s remarkable unbeaten 134 runs off just 51 balls included four boundaries and jaw-dropping 15 sixes.
Supporting Pania were Abhimanyu Singh, Shivalik Sharma, and Vishnu Solanki, each contributing with explosive fifties.
Singh’s quickfire 53 from 17, Sharma’s 55 from 17, and Solanki’s 50 from 16 ensured that Baroda set a formidable target.
On the bowling side, Sikkim struggled to contain Baroda’s attacking onslaught.
Roshan Kumar was the pick of the bowlers for his side, but even his two wickets were not enough to prevent a heavy toll on the scoreboard. Kumar ended with figures of 2/ 81 runs from his four-over spell.
Leeyong Lepcha and Palzor Tamang also faced the brunt of Baroda’s firepower, conceding 55 and 45 runs respectively, with Tamang picking up two wickets.
Baroda not only scored the most runs in the shorter format but also hit the most sixes in a T20 innings, with 37 sixes, surpassing Zimbabwe’s record of 27 sixes.
In pursuit 350, Sikkim could muster only 86 for 7 in their 20 overs, with just two batters managing to cross the 15-run mark.
Spinners Krunal Pandya, Ninad Rathva, and Mahesh Pithiya shared five wickets between them, helping Baroda secure a 263-run victory, which is the fourth-largest margin of victory in T20 cricket history.
The record for the highest team total was previously held by Zimbabwe. On October 23, 2024 Zimbabwe set a target of 344/4 against Gambia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier.
Skipper Sikandar Raza scored an unbeaten 133 off 43 balls, including seven boundaries and 15 sixes, making him the third-fastest centurion in the shorter format of the game.
