Stats: Afghanistan smash the highest total in T20 history
Afghanistan have created history by breaking the record for the highest T20 total of all time. They smashed a jaw-dropping 278/3 against Ireland in the second T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Dehradun.
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Afghanistan got off to an explosive start as their openers Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani belted the Irish bowlers to all corners of the ground. At the end of the Power Play overs, they reached 64.
Zazai registered his fifty off just 25 balls. At the half-way mark, Afghanistan were sitting pretty at 122/0. Catches went down and Ireland felt the pressure under the batting duo's relentless onslaught.
Ghani brought up his half-century off 31 balls. However, it was Zazai who was the star of the show. He kept going from strength to strength and reached his century off only 42 balls. Only David Miller (35 balls) and Rohit Sharma (35 balls) have scored faster T20I centuries than the left-hander from Afghanistan.
From their first 15 overs, Afghanistan had compiled 192 runs. With all wickets at hand, the opening duo of Zazai and Ghani went hammer and tongs in the death overs. The former smacked four sixes off Kevin O'Brien in the 17th over of the innings.
By the time Ireland got their first wicket, the damage had already been done. Boyd Rankin dismissed Ghani for 73 off 48. However, Afghanistan were not done yet. Zazai brought up his 150 with a towering six off Rankin.
Fittingly, Zazai plundered a boundary off the final ball of the innings. The belligerent southpaw remained unbeaten on 162 runs from 62 balls. His astonishing knock comprised 11 boundaries and 16 sixes.
In all T20 cricket, only Chris Gayle (175*), Aaron Finch (172) have registered higher individual scores than Zazai. Of those, Finch's knock came in a T20I between Australia and Zimbabwe while Gayle's effort was in an IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors.
Afghanistan's score of 278 is the highest ever team total in a T20 match. They broke the previous record of 263 jointly held by Royal Challengers Bangalore and Australian national team.
Highest team totals in T20 history
278/3 - Afghanistan against Ireland at Dehradun in 2019
263/5 - Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors at Bengaluru in 2013
263/3 - Australia against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2016
262/4 - North West against Limpopo at Paarl in 2018
260/6 - Sri Lanka against Kenya at Johannesburg in 2007
260/4 - Yorkshire against Northamptonshire at Leeds in 2017
260/5 - India against Sri Lanka at Indore in 2017
Highest individual scores in T20 history
175* - Chris Gayle - Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors at Bengaluru in 2013
172 - Aaron Finch - Australia against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2018
162* - Hazratullah Zazai - Afghanistan against Ireland at Dehradun in 2019
162* - Hamilton Masakadza - Mountaineers against Eagles at Bulawayo in 2016
161 - Adam Lyth - Yorkshire against Northamptonshire at Leeds in 2017
158* - Brendon McCullum - Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Bengaluru in 2008
158* - Brendon McCullum - Warwickshire against Derbyshire at Edgbaston in 2015