Rwanda's Hamza Khan smashes 164* for second-highest T20I score
Synopsis
A Rwandan batter most of the cricket world had never heard of just rewrote the record books. Hamza Khan's unbeaten 164 off 65 balls in Gaborone is the second-highest Men's T20I score in history — and the 271-run win that followed, with Ivory Coast skittled for 17, may be the most complete single-match performance a qualifier has ever produced.
Key Takeaways
Hamza Khan scored an unbeaten 164 off 65 balls for Rwanda against Ivory Coast on 24 May in Gaborone .
The innings is the second-highest individual score in Men's T20I history, behind only Aaron Finch's 172 for Australia in 2018.
Hamza hit 9 fours and 15 sixes at a strike rate of 252.30 , tying for the fourth-most sixes in a single T20I innings.
Rwanda posted 288/2 — the seventh-highest team total in Men's T20I history.
Ivory Coast were bowled out for 17 , equalling the joint fifth-lowest T20I total ever.
The 271-run winning margin is the third-largest in Men's T20I history.
Rwanda's Hamza Khan etched his name into cricket history on Sunday, 24 May, blasting an unbeaten 164 off 65 balls against Ivory Coast in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier in Gaborone — the second-highest individual score ever recorded in Men's T20 internationals. The innings, laced with nine fours and 15 sixes at a strike rate of 252.30, propelled Rwanda to a colossal 288/2 in 20 overs.
Where Hamza Stands in T20I History
Hamza's 164 not out is surpassed only by Aaron Finch's iconic 172 for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2018. In reaching that mark, he overtook Hazratullah Zazai's unbeaten 162 for Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019, which had held the second spot for six years. Mohammad Ihsan's 160 for Spain against Croatia in 2025 and Finch's earlier 156 against England in 2013 complete the top five. Hamza's 15 sixes also tie for the fourth-most hit in a single T20I innings.
A Tournament Already in Full Flow
Hamza arrived at the crease against Ivory Coast on the back of an unbeaten 60 in Rwanda's opening victory over Cameroon a day earlier. Against Ivory Coast, however, he elevated his game entirely, dominating from the PowerPlay through the final over with clean, aggressive hitting to all parts of the ground. Rwanda's 288/2 is the seventh-highest team total in Men's T20I history — a staggering collective effort built around one player's extraordinary afternoon.
Ivory Coast Collapse Seals a Historic Margin
If the batting display was historic, Rwanda's bowling was equally ruthless. Ivory Coast were bowled out for just 17 runs in reply — equalling the joint fifth-lowest total in Men's T20I history. The resulting 271-run victory is now the third-largest winning margin in Men's T20 internationals, cementing a landmark day for Rwandan cricket.
What This Means for Rwanda Cricket
Rwanda's performance in Gaborone signals a dramatic rise for a nation still establishing itself on the global cricket map. Hamza's display firmly places him among the most destructive batters in the shortest format. This is the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier, a pathway event to the global stage, and a performance of this magnitude will draw significant attention from the wider cricket world. Notably, this is the kind of qualifier innings that can define a programme's trajectory for years.
Point of View
But the fuller picture is more striking: a nation with minimal global cricket infrastructure just produced the second-greatest individual batting performance in the format's history. Rwanda's 271-run win — built on a record score and a collapse to 17 — is not a fluke of a weak opponent alone; it reflects a concentrated talent pipeline that ICC associate cricket has quietly been building. The risk is that performances like this remain curiosities rather than catalysts. Whether the ICC and national boards invest meaningfully in Rwanda's infrastructure off the back of this qualifier will determine whether Hamza Khan becomes a one-tournament wonder or a genuine trailblazer.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did Hamza Khan set in the ICC T20 World Cup Africa qualifier?
Hamza Khan scored an unbeaten 164 off 65 balls for Rwanda against Ivory Coast on 24 May in Gaborone, making it the second-highest individual score in Men's T20I history. Only Aaron Finch's 172 for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2018 ranks higher.
What is the highest individual score in Men's T20I history?
Aaron Finch holds the record with 172 for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2018. Hamza Khan's 164 not out now sits second, ahead of Hazratullah Zazai's 162 not out for Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019.
How did Rwanda perform as a team against Ivory Coast?
Rwanda posted 288/2 in 20 overs — the seventh-highest team total in Men's T20I history — then bowled Ivory Coast out for just 17, winning by 271 runs. That margin is the third-largest in Men's T20I history.
What was Ivory Coast's total in reply, and how does it rank historically?
Ivory Coast were bowled out for 17 runs, which equals the joint fifth-lowest total ever recorded in Men's T20I cricket. The collapse handed Rwanda a 271-run victory.
What form was Hamza Khan in before the Ivory Coast innings?
Hamza had scored an unbeaten 60 in Rwanda's opening win over Cameroon the previous day. His innings against Ivory Coast represented a significant step up in both scale and impact.
