2003 ICC World Cup semi-finalists Kenya recently scored a record-breaking T20 total of 270/6 in the ongoing World T20 Qualifier round, but it is not going to be recorded in the cricket books.
In the ongoing 2018 ICC World T20 African Sub-Regional Qualifier, Kenya achieved the total of 270/6 in 20 overs against the hosts Rwanda in the Eastern sub-region competition on last Sunday (July 8).
Currently, 263 is the highest score in the T20 cricket. On September 6, 2016, Australia scored 263/3 (20 overs) against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. Earlier, IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) also scored 263/5 (20 overs) against Pune Warriors India (PWI) at Bengaluru on April 23, 2013.
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Though Kenya surpassed that 263 total on last Sunday, it is not going to be recorded as the highest total in the T20I history as their T20I status will be available from January 1, 2019.
But most surprisingly, the African World T20 Qualifiers have not earned the T20 status either. That’s the reason the 270/6 also can’t be recorded as the highest total in the T20 cricket history.
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On the Sunday’s game, Kenya decided to field first after winning the toss. Their top-four batsmen played 50+ knocks while three batsmen had 200+ strike-rates. While the openers Dhiren Gondaria scored 56 off 31 balls (4 fours and 5 sixes; strike-rate 180.64) and Alex Obanda scored 63 off 22 balls (6 fours and 6 sixes; strike-rate 286.36), no.3 batsman Rakep Patel played 51 runs knock off 23 balls (5 fours and 3 sixes; strike-rate 221.73) and no.4 batsman Collins Obuya scored 63 off 25 balls (4 fours and 5 sixes; strike-rate 252.00).
Chasing down that mammoth 271-run target, hosts Rwanda only managed to score 147/8 in 20 overs. Skipper Shem Ngoche (4/23) picked up four wickets while Collins Obuya (2/16) and Elijah Otieno (2/14) bagged two wickets each.
Obuya won the Player of the Match award for his all-round performances.
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A day earlier, Kenya successfully chased down the 241-run target against Uganda in their tournament opener. After Uganda put a total of 240/3 on the board, Kenya successfully chased that target in 19.3 overs by losing six wickets, thanks to opener Dhiren Gondaria’s brilliant 90 runs innings.
Kenya is leading the points table after winning their first three games as they also beat Tanzania by 7 wickets on today (July 10). In this four-team competition, Kenya will meet once again these three teams for the second time.
The top two teams in the final points table will qualify for the regional finals where Ghana and Nigeria have already qualified from the North-Western sub-region.
