Scotland claimed another record-margin T20I win in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Region Qualifier 2023, while George Munsey equalled former Australian cricketer Aaron Finch’s record for most 120s in T20I cricket.
Munsey also recorded the second-highest individual score by a left-handed batter in T20I history.
After beating Italy by 155 runs, which was Scotland’s biggest T20I winning margin (by runs), the Scottish team broke that record on the next day with a 166-run victory against Austria.
Article contents
Scotland scored 232/2 in 20 overs
Austria were bundled out for 66 runs
T20I World record
>> Joint most T20I 120s by a player
>> Second highest T20I individual score by a left-handed batter
Scotland record
>> Joint fastest T20I fifty
>> Highest T20I individual score
>> Largest T20I winning margin (by runs)
Scotland scored 232/2 in 20 overs; George Munsey managed a new Scottish record of 132 runs
After Austria sent the hosts to bat first on Tuesday (25 July), Scotland managed the first innings total of 232/2 in 20 overs. Ollie Hairs, who scored his first T20I century on the previous day, scored 23 runs but had a 96-run opening partnership with the star of the match George Munsey.
Munsey completed his 50 runs in 22 balls, which was the joint-fastest T20I half-century by a Scottish player. The left-handed opening batter continued his smashes against the Austrian bowlers and completed his second T20I century in 50 balls.
Munsey didn’t stop with his century but batted till the 17th over before he was trapped for an lbw after scoring massive 132 runs in 61 balls with the help of 15 fours and six sixes. It is the new highest T20I individual score for Scotland.
Also, the Scottish captain Richie Berrington smashed 40 not out in just 19 balls.
Austria were bundled out for 66 runs
In reply, Austria were bundled out for only 66 runs as Scotland won by 166 runs. Only Jaweed Sadran (15) and the extras (12) managed double-digit figures in that chasing.
Among the Scottish bowlers, Michael Leask had three wickets (3/11), while Safyaan Sharif (2/22), Gavin Main (2/13) and Chris Greaves (2/2) got two wickets each.
T20I World record
Joint most T20I 120s by a player
Former Australian cricketer Aaron Finch was the first player to score more than one 120 in his T20I career. In his T20I career, the right-handed batter scored 156 (vs England at Southampton on 29 August 2013) and 172 runs (vs Zimbabwe at Harare on 3 July 2018).
George Munsey previously had the highest score of 127 not out against Netherlands at Dublin, Malahide, on 16 September 2019. Now, the left-handed opening batter scored 132 runs. After Finch, Munsey became the second cricketer to score two T20I 120s.
Second highest T20I individual score by a left-handed batter
Munsey’s 132-run was the second-highest T20I individual score by a left-handed batter. The record is 162 not out by the Afghan cricketer Hazratullah Zazai (against Ireland at Dehradun on 23 February 2019).
Scotland record
Joint fastest T20I fifty by a Scottish player
It was the second time Munsey scored a 22-ball T20I half-century (first one vs Netherlands at Amstelveen on 20 June 2018), while Ollie Hairs’ recorded a 22-ball 50 in the previous game against Italy. All these three are the fastest T20I fifties record by Scottish players.
Highest T20I individual score by a Scottish player
Munsey’s 132-run is the new record for the highest T20I individual score by a Scottish player. The previous joint record was 127 not out by Munsey (vs Netherlands at Dublin, Malahide on 16 September 2019) and Ollie Hairs (vs Italy at Edinburgh on 24 July 2023).
World status
On the other hand, Munsey recorded the seventh-highest individual score in T20I history.
Scotland’s largest T20I winning margin (by runs)
Scotland won the match by 166 runs, which is their new record for the biggest T20I winning margin (by runs). Just the previous day, they set their previous record for the largest T20I winning margin (by runs) with a 155-run victory against Italy.
World status
Meanwhile, Scotland’s 166-run victory was the joint 10th-largest T20I victory margin (by runs).
