At the iconic Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Stretford, during the ENG vs SA 2nd T20I 2025, the England national cricket team displayed their power and did absolute destruction of the Proteas. The Three Lions scored 304/2 in the first innings, the highest by them ever in T20I cricket, beating the 267/3 against West Indies in 2023. They became the first team to score 300 runs or more against a full-member nation in a T20I. Yes, youĀ read that correct! England have become the first to do so against a full-member nation, but not the first side in T20I cricket to post 300 or more; rather, they are also not the first Test-playing side to smash 300 or more in a T20I. A nation from Africa has already done that. List of Records Achieved As England Becomes First Team To Score 300 Against Full Member Team in T20Is After Phil Saltā€™s Unbeaten 141.

The Three Lions, as mentioned above, posted a mammoth total of 304/2. The big total was set as a result of some explosive knocks. Riding on the 141 not out off 60 balls by their opening batter Phil Salt, the 83 off 30 balls by an even destructive Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell (26 runs off 14 balls), captain Harry Brook (41 runs off 21 balls), and 13 extras, the England cricket team achieved the feat. It's a unique one, a 300 in a T20I coming against a Test-playing country, that too, stalwarts like the South Africa national cricket team. But they aren't the first side to do it in men's T20I; two sides have done it in the past. One of them is a full-member nation, which is permitted by the ICC to play the classic Test cricket format.

Which Test-Playing Full Member CountryĀ Was First To ScoreĀ 300 in T20Is?

Much ahead of the 304/2 smashed by the England cricket team in the ENG vs SA T20I 2025, two sides have posted 300 or more in a T20I. The Nepal national cricket team achieved the feat first, scoring 314/3 against Mongolia, becoming the first side (September 27, 2023) in T20I to smash 300 or more in an innings. But neither Nepal nor Mongolia is a full-member Test-playing nation. Then, Zimbabwe national cricket team from the continent of Africa scored 344/4 against Gambia. Therefore, Zimbabwe, a Test-playing nation stands as the first full-member country to score 300 or more in a T20I. Highest Scores in T20Is: Check List of Highest Team Totals in T20I Cricket History.

Zimbabwe's 344/4 came in Nairobi on October 23, 2024. This total stands as the highest in T20I cricket history to date. The Zimbabwe cricket team won that T20I by 290 runs, after bundling Gambia for 54. This 290-run win is also the biggest margin in T20I ever. Since Gambia is not a Test-playing full member nation, England has the record of becoming the first nation to strike 300 or more in a T20I against a full-member nation during the ENG vs SA 2nd T20I 2025 against the Proteas.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2025 10:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).