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Published 23 Feb, 2026 11:38pm

West Indies pile up records with 254-run blitz against Zimbabwe

West Indies rewrote multiple records with a dominant batting display against Zimbabwe in the Super Eight Group One match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The match, played on Monday at Wankhede Stadium, saw Zimbabwe win the toss and opt to field — a decision that proved costly.

West Indies unleashed a six-hitting onslaught, posting 254 for 6 in their 20 overs to set a daunting target of 255.

It stands as the second-highest total in T20 World Cup history.

The highest World Cup total remains Sri Lanka’s 260 against Kenya in the inaugural 2007 edition.

Overall, the third-highest T20I target was Ireland’s 235 for 5 against Oman in the ongoing tournament, while England had chased 229 against South Africa in the 2016 World Cup after scoring 230 for 8.

Aggressive batter Shimron Hetmyer led the charge with a blistering 85 off 34 balls, smashing seven sixes and seven fours. He reached his half-century in just 19 deliveries, equalling the World Cup record for fastest fifty jointly held by Aiden Markram and PathuThe m Nissanka.

Hetmyer’s effort also became the fastest T20 World Cup fifty by a West Indies batter, surpassing Chris Gayle’s 23-ball half-century against Australia in 2009. He also bettered his own previous best of a 22-ball fifty against Scotland.

Captain Rovman Powell contributed 59 runs and brought up his half-century in 29 balls, while Sherfane Rutherford added a valuable 31.

The fastest half-century in T20I history remains with India’s Yuvraj Singh, who reached the mark in 12 balls against England in the 2007 World Cup.

West Indies struck 19 sixes and 16 fours, equalling the record for most sixes in a T20 World Cup innings, previously set by the Netherlands against Ireland in 2014.

In the T20 World Cup 2026 so far, West Indies have hit 55 sixes, while the tournament-wide six count has climbed to 553.

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