Australia breaks world record with swashbuckling T20I batting against Scotland

Travis Head reached half-century in 17 balls, making him the join quickest for Australia in T20Is alongside Marcus Stoinis. The left-handed batsman departed after scoring 80 off 25 balls, smashing 12 fours and five sixes. 

Australia broke world record en route to their  seven wicket T20I victory against Scotland on Wednesday. The Aussies scored the most runs ever in a T20I powerplay, smashing 113/1, and achieved the target of 155 from 9.4 overs, winning with 62 balls to spare, equaling the previous record set by Sun Risers Hyderabad in Indian Premier League. 

Scotland came out to bat first and the home side scored 154/9 from the allotted 20 overs. Sean Abbott was the pick of the Australian bowlers taking 3 wickets for 39 runs from four overs. In reply, the visitors came out all guns blazing. Though opener Jake Fraser-McGurk departed for zero, Travid Head and captain Mitchell Marsh piled up 113 runs in first six overs.

Head reached half-century in 17 balls, making him the join quickest for Australia in T20Is alongside Marcus Stoinis. The 30-year-old struck 73 runs in the powerplay, the highest by a batter from a Full member nation inside in the Powerplay in T20Is, surpassing Paul Stirling's 67 off 25 balls for Ireland against West Indies in 2020. The left-handed batsman departed after scoring 80 off 25 balls, smashing 12 fours and five sixes. 

Before Wednesday, South Africa was the only team to have crossed 100-run mark in T20I powerplay. Meanwhile, in the 2024 IPL, SRH openers Head and Abhishek Sharma had achieved the target of 166 against Lucknow Super Giants with 62 balls to spare.