Mumbai, February 23 (NationPress) Shimron Hetmyer delivered a remarkable display of power hitting, scoring 85 runs off just 34 balls, including a flurry of sixes, while forming a century partnership with Rovman Powell, who contributed 59 runs. Together, they propelled the West Indies to a staggering total of 254/6 against a clearly outmatched Zimbabwe in a Group 1 encounter during the Super 8 phase of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday.

This impressive score marks the highest team total recorded in the T20 World Cup 2026 and stands as the second-highest in the entire history of the tournament.

Opting to bat first, Hetmyer achieved the fastest fifty by a West Indies player in T20 World Cup history, reaching the half-century in just 19 balls with four boundaries and five sixes, surpassing his own previous record.

Earlier in the tournament, Hetmyer had also made headlines with a half-century off 22 balls against Scotland, breaking Chris Gayle's long-standing record of fifty in 23 balls set in 2009.

Powell played a more measured role, reaching his own fifty in 29 balls, as they put together a monumental 122-run partnership for the third wicket, leading the West Indies to the biggest total seen at Wankhede Stadium during this World Cup.

Hetmyer came to the crease following the dismissal of Brandon King by Richard Ngarava, returning to the lineup after an injury, with the team at 17/1. He formed a 37-run partnership with captain Shai Hope (14), who was dismissed by a stunning one-handed catch from Brian Bennett off Brad Evans.

The 29-year-old left-handed batsman from Guyana initially started cautiously but was granted two lifelines, being dropped by the same fielder on either side of his fifty. He then unleashed a breathtaking array of shots, leaving the Zimbabwean fielders stunned.

Hetmyer began his assault with a boundary off Richard Ngarava in the third over, followed by another off Blessings Muzarabani. He was given a reprieve when Tashinga Musekiwa dropped a straightforward catch at long-leg while attempting a swivel pull off Muzarabani.

At that point, Hetmyer was on 10 runs, but shortly thereafter, he exploded, hitting back-to-back boundaries off Ngarava in the fifth over and sending sixes soaring off Graeme Cremer in the seventh over, with one landing in the deep mid-wicket stand and the other over cow corner.

In the following over, he dispatched Zimbabwe's captain Sikander Raza for three sixes in four legitimate deliveries, propelling the West Indies to 92/2 in the eighth over as he reached his half-century in a mere 19 balls.

Continuing his aggressive approach, Hetmyer hammered Raza for a colossal 108-metre six into cow corner in the tenth over, followed by a four off the next delivery. He amassed 33 runs off Raza in just nine balls. He was once again dropped, this time at 72 runs by Musekiwa.

Powell joined in the fireworks, hitting a series of big shots of his own, including four fours and three sixes, reaching his fifty off 29 balls. They reached the century mark of their partnership in 45 balls. Just when it seemed Hetmyer was on course for a century, he misplayed a shot off Cramer and was caught by Bennett for 85 runs in 34 balls, featuring seven fours and an equal number of sixes. Powell followed suit shortly after, being caught by Musekiwa off Muzarabani for 59 runs in 35 balls (4x4, 4x6).

With both Hetmyer and Powell in full swing, the West Indies scored 139/2 in the middle overs, marking the second-highest total at this stage of a match, only behind the 141/3 posted by Sri Lanka against Kenya in 2007.

To compound Zimbabwe's troubles, captain Raza had to leave the field due to an injury while trying to evade a powerful full-toss hit back at him by Powell.

Sherfane Rutherford (31 not out off 13 balls) and Jason Holder (13 off four balls), who struck consecutive sixes off Muzarabani in the final over, helped the West Indies secure a colossal total, leaving Zimbabwe with a daunting task in their chase.

Summary of scores:

West Indies 254/6 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 85, Rovman Powell 59, Sherfane Rutherford 31 not out; Blessing Muzarabani 2-42, Richard Ngarava 2-47) versus Zimbabwe