What is the Highest Score in T20 History?

Chris Gayle holds the record for the highest score in T20 history. Gayle smashed 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Pune Warriors in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL). The former West Indies opening batsman’s mammoth unbeaten century is the highest individual score in any form of professional men’s Twenty20 cricket.

There has been many big hundreds scored in Twenty20 cricket around the world, and with the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on the horizon, SportsBoom decided to delve deep into the archives to find out which batsmen hold the records for the highest scores in T20 cricket history.

The Highest Score in T20 Cricket History?

Gayle blasted Pune Warriors to all parts of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore during the sixth edition of the IPL. Gayle’s incredible innings is remarkable for many reasons. Not only is it the highest ever score in franchise Twenty20 cricket, but it is also the highest score in all forms of men’s T20 cricket, including List A and international. 

The self-anointed “Universe Boss” batted for 66 balls to score 175, and he carried his bat. Pune’s bowlers had no answers for the cavalier West Indies legend’s destructive power-hitting. The opener scored at a strike rate of 265.15, hitting 13 fours and 17 sixes as he bludgeoned the fastest hundred in Twenty20s at the time. 

Gayle reached his century off only 30 balls, which is the quickest ton in any form of men’s professional twenty-over cricket. RCB’s 263/5 total was also the biggest score in T20 cricket at the time, but more than a dozen teams have since made higher totals. 

The two-time T20 World Cup-winner is an ambassador for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies and United States of America. The month-long tournament will take place across seven countries from June 1 to 29. Matches will be played in three southern states of the USA and across six Caribbean islands. 

What is the Highest Score in T20 International History?

Aaron Finch has twice held the record for the highest Twenty20 international (T20I) score. He currently owns the record outright, only three runs fewer than Gayle’s record across all formats. 

Finch first held the record in 2013 after scoring 156 from 63 balls versus England. He hit 11 fours and 14 sixes at a strike rate of 247.61 against the “Old Enemy” at The Rose Bowl in Southampton, 11 years ago. 

Five years later, Finch walloped 172 for Australia versus Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club, Harare, in 2018. Like Gayle, The Australian opened the batting for the visitors, which gave him the opportunity to amass his massive twenty-over century. 

Finch tanked the Zimbabwe bowlers to all parts of the ground. He hit 16 fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 226.31 off 76 balls, 10 more than Gayle faced during his T20 opening innings. The big-hitting Aussie also has the third-highest score in T20I cricket history. His innings is still the highest-ever scored by an international captain. 

Top 10 Highest Scores in T20 History

What is the Highest Score by an Indian Player in IPL History?

The highest score by an Indian batsman in Indian Premier League history is 132 not out, scored by KL Rahul. Rahul’s unbeaten century ranks fifth-highest overall in IPL history. The wicketkeeper batsman faced 69 balls for his 132 playing for Kings XI Punjab (now called Punjab Kings) against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Dubai in 2020. 

Rahul hit 14 fours and seven maximums at a strike rate of 191.30 at the Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium. Like Gayle and Finch, Rahul opened the batting for the Kings XI, and he also faced more than 50% of the balls in his team’s 20-over innings. 

Rahul’s 132* ranks forty-first in the all-time highest scores in the history of T20 cricket. While Gayle’s 172* ranks top in T20 history, Finch’s two “Daddy Hundreds” rank second and ninth all-time in the shortest format of the game. 

Gayle and Finch are two of only three batsmen to score two or more 150+ scores in the history of T20 cricket. New Zealand’s Brendan McCullum is the other player. Both McCullum’s highest T20 scores are 158 not out. The Kiwi wicketkeeper batsman scored one IPL century and one ton for Warwickshire in England’s domestic T20 league. 

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