Czech Republic thrashed many T20I records during a recent T20I match against Bulgaria. Some of those notable were the first-ever two centuries in a T20I innings, most fours in a T20I innings, first team to record two 250+ T20I totals, first European cricketer with two T20I centuries etc.
It was the eighth game of the six-nation Valletta Cup 2022 in Malta, where the Czech Republic faced Bulgaria at Marsa Sports Club (Marsa). After the Czech Republic team won the toss and chose to bat first, the Lions managed to score 258/2 in the first innings. Later, Bulgaria fought hard and managed to score 170/7 (20 overs) as the Lions won by 88 runs.
In the first innings of that innings, openers Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn set up a 220-run partnership for the first wicket. While Steyn scored 106 off 55 balls (17 fours and 2 sixes), Davizi remained not out on 115 runs off 59 balls (7 fours and 8 sixes). Later, Sudesh Wickramasekara scored 20 off just five balls with a strike rate of 400 (2 fours and 2 sixes) before he lost his wicket through the hit wicket.
Hristo Lakov (2/49) took both the wickets for Bulgaria.
In the second innings, Hristo Lakov and Ishan Aravinda De Silva set a 123-run partnership for the opening wicket. While Lakov scored 61 runs and De Silva scored 59 runs, Asad Ali Rehemtulla was the only other Bulgarian batter to manage a double-digit score (11 not out).
Among the Lions bowlers, the centurion Sabawoon Davizi (1/25) broke the century-opening partnership. Then, Naveed Ahmed scalped three wickets (3/29) and Ritik Tomar (2/18) bagged two wickets.
Here are some crucial records of the match:
First T20I innings with two centuries
While both the Lions openers Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn scored centuries in the first innings of the match, it was the first time in T20I history where more than one century was recorded in an innings.
Most fours in a T20I innings
Czech Republic opener Dylan Steyn recorded new history in T20I cricket with the most fours in a T20I innings. During his 106 runs knock, Steyn smashed 17 fours and 2 sixes. The Australian captain Aaron Finch was previously holding the record for most fours in a T20I innings with 16 fours during his 172 runs knock against Zimbabwe at Harare on 3rd July 2018.
Sabawoon Davizi became the first European cricketer with two T20I centuries
Czech Republic opener Sabawoon Davizi became the first European cricketer and 11th overall cricketer to score at least two centuries in a T20I career. Before his latest T20I century against Bulgaria, he also scored 101 runs against Malta at Marsa on 20th October 2019.
While the Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma has scored four T20I centuries, Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell and New Zealand cricketer Colin Munro have also recorded three T20I centuries each.
3rd highest partnership in T20I history
While the Lions’ openers Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn had the opening partnership of 220 runs, it was the third-highest partnership for any wicket in T20I history. The top two records in this list are 236 runs opening partnership between Afghanistan batters Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani (vs Ireland at Dehradun on 23rd February 2019) and 223 runs opening partnership between Australian openers Aaron Finch and D'Arcy Short (vs Zimbabwe at Harare on 3rd July 2018).
First T20I hit wicket in 2022
The Lions’ cricketer Sudesh Wickramasekara became the first batter to get hit wicket in 2022. Overall, he became the 19th batter to record a hit wicket in a T20I career.
Also Read | Rashid Khan records fastest 450 T20 wickets
Czech Republic became the first team to record two 250+ T20I totals
Czech Republic became the very first team to score more than one 250+ total in T20I matches. Before their latest 258/2, they also recorded the present second-highest T20I total of 278/4 in 20 overs against Turkey at Ilfov County on 30th August 2019.
6th highest T20I total
Czech Republic’s 258/2 was also the sixth-highest T20I total.
Second most aggregated runs by the openers in a T20I match
While all the openers managed to score 50+ runs in this T20I, their aggregated score in that game was 341 runs. It was the second most aggregated runs by the openers in a T20I match. The record is 363 runs (one century and two half-centuries) during a T20I match between Afghanistan and Ireland at Dehradun on 23rd February 2019.
Fourth time when all the four openers scored 50+ runs in a T20I match
It was the fourth time in T20I history when all the four opening batters scored 50+ runs in a T20I match. Previously it happened in the T20I matches between New Zealand vs Australia (at Auckland on 16th February 2018), Ireland vs Scotland (at Al Amerat on 15th February 2019) and South Africa vs Pakistan (at Centurion on 14th April 2021).
Fifth to score a century, pick at least one wicket and take at least one catch in the same T20I match
Apart from scoring a century, Czech Republic opener Sabawoon Davizi also took a catch and picked up a wicket in that game. After Shane Watson (Australia), Colin Munro (New Zealand), Glenn Maxwell (Australia), and Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal), Davizi became the fifth cricketer but first European to score a century, pick at least one wicket and take at least one catch in the same T20I match.
