Dehradun: Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai was in form of his life on Saturday as he smashed unbeaten 162 on just 62 balls to guide his team to 84 runs victory against Ireland in the second T20I and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium here.
Exclusive interview with Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai Zaza, who was awarded Man of the match for his outstanding effort, put up a 236-run opening partnership with Usman Ghani and Afghanistan ended its innings on 278/3, surpassing the record for highest T20I score by a team.
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In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Zazai said that records are meant to be broken. However, the 20-year-old revealed that he was not thinking about breaking any records and his only aim was to deliver the best performance for the team.
When asked about Afghanistan's future prospects, Zazai said that the team's focus is on 2019 World Cup.
"The team is in a good shape now and we have been performing well. Now, the focus is on the 2019 world cup and we have started preparing for it," said the Afghan batsman.
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Meanwhile, Zazai's innings in the second T20I against Ireland, during which he smashed 16 sixes and 11 fours, saw him becoming the second highest run scorer in T20I.
Take a look at various records which were broken during the match:
- 278/3 by Afghanistan is the highest ever total in all T20 cricket. They surpassed the previous best of 263 each by Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in 2013 and by Australia against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2016.
- The unbeaten knock of 162 by Hazratullah Zazai is the second-highest individual score in a T20I after Aaron Finch's 172 against Zimbabwe in Harare last July and the joint third highest in all T20 matches.
- The opening stand of 236 between Zazai and Usman Ghani is the highest partnership for any wicket in the history of T20 cricket.
- Zazai took 42 balls to reach his maiden T20I century, which is the third fastest in terms of balls faced after 35-ball tons by David Miller against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom and by Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka in 2017.
- Zazai smashed 16 sixes in his 62-ball knock - the most ever in a T20I surpassing 14 maximums by Aaron Finch against England in Southampton in 2013.
- Total 22 sixes were smashed during Afghanistan's innings, which is the most ever in a T20I, bettering 21 each by Windies against India in 2016 and by India against Sri Lanka in 2017.
- Afghanistan's spinning wizard Rashid Khan, who has till now picked 24 wickets against Ireland in T20Is, now boast of the record for most number of wickets against an opponent in T20I. Rashid's 24 wickets against Ireland have come in just nine matches at an average of 7.58
