Baroda’s batting juggernaut created history in Indore on Thursday, December 5, during the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, as they demolished Sikkim’s bowling attack to post an unprecedented 349/5 — the highest team score ever in T20 cricket. The two-time champions shattered Zimbabwe’s previous record of 344/4 and became the first Indian domestic side to breach the 300-run mark in the shortest format.
A Batting Masterclass
The star of the show was Bhanu Pania, who powered Baroda with an unbeaten 134 off just 51 balls, including a staggering 15 sixes and five fours. Pania’s fireworks not only anchored the innings but also placed him in elite company among Indian T20 batters, equaling the second-highest number of sixes in an innings by an Indian.
Supporting Pania in Baroda’s batting blitzkrieg were Abhimanyu Singh (53 off 17), Shivalik Sharma (55 off 17), and Vishnu Solanki (50 off 16). Together, they ensured that Sikkim’s bowlers had no respite, as Baroda batters unleashed 37 sixes — a record for the most sixes by a team in a T20 innings.
Record-Breaking Feats
The innings was a carnival of records:
- Most Sixes in an Innings: Baroda’s 37 maximums eclipsed Zimbabwe’s 27 sixes against Gambia earlier this year.
- Four Fifty-Plus Scores: For the first time in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, four batters from the same team crossed the fifty-run mark in a single innings.
- Highest Boundary Count: Baroda amassed 294 runs through fours and sixes, the most in any T20 innings.
T20 Cricket’s Highest Team Scores
- 349/5 – Baroda vs Sikkim (Indore, 2024)
- 344/4 – Zimbabwe vs Gambia (Nairobi, 2024)
- 314/3 – Nepal vs Mongolia (Hangzhou, 2023)
- 297/6 – India vs Bangladesh (Hyderabad, 2024)
- 287/3 – SRH vs RCB (Bengaluru, 2024)
Pania Joins Six-Hitting Greats
Bhanu Pania’s 15 sixes put him alongside Indian six-hitting legends in T20 cricket:
- 17 sixes – Punit Bisht (146* for Meghalaya, 2021)
- 15 sixes – Bhanu Pania (134* for Baroda, 2024)
- 15 sixes – Shreyas Iyer (147 for Mumbai, 2019)
A Team Effort
Remarkably, Baroda achieved this feat without star all-rounder Hardik Pandya in the line-up and with skipper Krunal Pandya not required to bat. The collective onslaught from the top and middle order overwhelmed a hapless Sikkim bowling attack, ensuring a comprehensive win for Baroda.
This historic performance solidifies Baroda’s dominance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and raises the bar for T20 cricket worldwide. With performances like these, Indian domestic cricket continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the shortest format of the game.
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