SMAT: Baroda Smashes T20 Records, Scores Highest Team Total of 349/5

Baroda etched their name in the record books on Thursday, December 5, in Indore by achieving the highest-ever total in T20 cricket during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group B match against Sikkim. Powered by Bhanu Pania’s explosive 51-ball 134, Baroda posted a staggering 349/5 in 20 overs, eclipsing the previous record of 344/4 set by Zimbabwe earlier this year.

Baroda also broke the record for the most sixes in a T20 innings, smashing an incredible 37 sixes. Pania contributed 15 of them, leading a collective batting onslaught that saw every batter scoring at a strike rate exceeding 200.

Despite resting star all-rounder Hardik Pandya, Baroda’s dominance was evident from the start. Skipper Krunal Pandya won the toss and opted to bat, setting the stage for a historic day.

Openers Abhimanyu Singh (53 off 17 balls) and Shahwat Rawat (43 off 16 balls) laid a fiery foundation, adding 92 runs in just five overs. Though both fell in quick succession, reducing Baroda to 108/2, Bhanu Pania and Shivalik Sharma took charge.

Pania’s masterclass featured 15 sixes and five boundaries, while Shivalik Sharma supported with a blistering knock of six sixes and three boundaries in their 94-run partnership, which came in just five overs.

Wicketkeeper Vikram Solanki added to the carnage with a scintillating 16-ball 50, hammering six sixes and two boundaries.

Baroda became the first team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy history to cross the 300-run mark, rewriting the record books in the process.

Highest T20 Team Totals:

• Baroda: 349/5 vs Sikkim, Indore, 2024
• Zimbabwe: 344/4 vs Gambia, Nairobi, 2024
• Nepal: 314/3 vs Mongolia, Hangzhou, 2023
• India: 297/6 vs Bangladesh, Hyderabad, 2024

Sikkim’s bowlers bore the brunt of Baroda’s batting assault, with Roshan Kumar enduring a particularly tough outing. He conceded 81 runs in four overs, breaking the Indian record for the most expensive spell in a T20 match. The previous record-holder, Mohit Sharma, had conceded 73 runs in four overs while playing for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2024.

Baroda’s monumental achievement has set a new benchmark in T20 cricket, with fans and pundits alike marveling at their historic feat.