Rwanda batter Hamza Khan etched his name into the record books with a sensational unbeaten 164 against Ivory Coast during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier in Gaborone on Sunday, registering the second-highest individual score in Men’s T20 International history.
The explosive opener produced a breathtaking assault off just 65 deliveries, hammering nine fours and 15 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 252.30. His 15 maximums are now tied for the fourth-most sixes hit in a single T20I innings.
Hamza’s incredible knock now sits behind only Aaron Finch’s iconic 172 for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2018 — still the highest individual score in Men’s T20Is. In the process, the Rwanda star surpassed Hazratullah Zazai’s unbeaten 162 against Ireland in 2019.
Powered by Hamza’s brilliance, Rwanda piled up a mammoth 288/2 in 20 overs — now the seventh-highest team total in Men’s T20I history. The right-hander dominated throughout the innings, attacking relentlessly from the Powerplay to the death overs as Ivory Coast’s bowlers struggled to contain him.
Hamza had already shown glimpses of form earlier in the tournament with an unbeaten 60 against Cameroon, but this innings elevated him into elite territory in international cricket.
Rwanda then completed a crushing all-round performance by bowling Ivory Coast out for just 17 runs, sealing a staggering 271-run victory. The margin is now the third-biggest win in Men’s T20I history, while Ivory Coast’s total ranks among the joint fifth-lowest scores ever recorded in the format.
The innings has attracted widespread attention across the cricketing world, especially as it came from an emerging associate nation. Hamza’s record-breaking effort also underlined the rapid growth and improving standards of cricket in Africa and the wider associate circuit.
