T20 World Cup 2026 : In the very first Super 8 match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the West Indies produced a stunning performance that will be remembered for a long time. In this match against Zimbabwe, the Caribbean team posted a mammoth total of 254 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs. This is one of the highest scores in T20 World Cup history.
England’s record broken
With this innings, the West Indies surpassed England’s record of 230 runs, which was the third-highest score in the tournament’s history. West Indies have now become the team to score 200 or more runs four times in the T20 World Cup.
South Africa leads the list, having crossed the 200-run mark six times. India and West Indies have now achieved this feat four times each, while England and Sri Lanka have each scored more than 200 runs three times.
Had the West Indies team scored seven more runs, they would have surpassed Sri Lanka’s historic total of 260 against Kenya in 2007.
Start faltered, then storm struck
After losing the toss and opting to bat first, the West Indies had a mediocre start. Brandon King departed for 9 off 12 balls, while captain Shai Hope also failed to score more than 14 runs.
But then Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell completely changed the course of the match.
Hetmyer’s explosive innings
Shimron Hetmyer smashed a half-century in just 19 balls. He scored 85 runs off 34 balls, including 7 fours and 7 sixes. His batting displayed a perfect blend of aggression and timing.
Hetmyer’s innings disrupted the Zimbabwean bowlers’ rhythm and the scoreboard began to rise rapidly.
Strong partnership between Powell and Rutherford
Captain Rovman Powell also scored a brilliant half-century. He scored 59 runs in 35 balls, including four fours and four sixes.In the final overs, Sherfane Rutherford smashed 31 runs in 13 balls to take the team past 250. Jason Holder also bolstered the innings by adding 13 runs in 4 balls.
Zimbabwe’s bowling ineffective
For Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava took 2 wickets for 47 runs in 4 overs. Blessing Muzarabani also took two wickets. However, captain Sikandar Raza proved expensive, conceding 52 runs in 3 overs.
An innings etched in history
This innings for the West Indies is not just a victory, but an achievement destined for the record books. By scoring such a big score at the beginning of Super 8, the Caribbean team has given a clear message to the other teams that it is a strong contender for the title.