Australia captain Aaron Finch raises his bat on reaching his century during the third match played between Australia and hosts Zimbabwe. (AFP)
Aaron Finch set a new world record for the highest individual T20I score as he blasted his way to 172 from 76 balls against Zimbabwe in Harare on Tuesday and guided Australia to a 100-run win in their second tri-series encounter. In a ferocious display of batting, the Aussie took his team to a mammoth 229/2 after being put in to bat. With this effort Finch broke his own record set in 2013 when he smashed 156 against England.
In reply, Zimbabwe could only manage 129/9 in their allotted 20 overs and succumbed to their second straight defeat of the series.
On the small Harare ground, Finch took attack to the opposition bowlers and struck 10 sixes and 16 fours in his innings. The 31-year-old just needed 50 balls to bring up his hundred, his second in T20Is.
Along with his partner D’Arcy Short (46), Finch also registered the first 200-run stand in T20I history. He was finally dismissed hit wicket in the last over for 172 in just 76 balls, smashing a total of 16 fours and 10 sixes. Finch, though fell short of the highest score in all T20s – 175* by Chris Gayle for RCB vs Pune Warriors – in the 2013 season of the IPL
After toying with Zimbabwe bowlers, Finch told the host broadcaster, “It feels good. The wicket played a lot better than we thought. It's coming on the bat quite nicely. Yeah, I did know about it (holder of two highest individual T20I scores), it's just one of those days where few things went my way. I took the strike from Short a bit, but that kind of innings for him will also help.
“I was the captain of the opposition when he got that (On Chris Gayle's 175). The wicket's very good as we know the ball travels here.”
With a mountain to climb, Zimbabwe openers, Chamu Chibhabha and Solomon Mire started cautiously and put on a stand of 42. But after the departure of the two openers, the Australian bowlers picked regular wickets to ensure a comfortable win. Andrew Tye was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 3/12 in his four overs.
GET APP
Australia vs Zimbabwe, 3rd T20I in Harare, Highlights: As It Happened
Live TV