HARARE – Brendan Taylor became the oldest batter from a Full Member nation to hit a men’s T20I hundred as Zimbabwe beat Botswana by 170 runs at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Zimbabwe amassed 259-5 after Botswana captain Karabo Motlhanka won the toss and opted to field in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier.
Coming at 29-1 in the third over, Taylor biffed his way to 54-ball 123 with 16 fours and five sixes before retiring out after 18 overs. He needed only 46 balls to bring up his hundred.
Taylor’s was only the second hundred in the format for Zimbabwe, after Sikandar Raza’s 133 not out against The Gambia in 2024. He was only 11 runs away from Raza’s national record.
Brian Bennett also joined in, smashing 65 in 33 balls with seven fours and four sixes. Bennett and Taylor put on 112 for the second wicket in a mere 62 balls.
At 39 years 234 days, Taylor is now the oldest to score a men’s T20I hundred from a Full Member nation, beating Raza’s record by more than a year’s margin. In fact, Avinash Pai of Gibraltar is the only batter to have hit a hundred in the format at an older age: Pai was only 38 days older than Taylor is today.
After serving a ban, Taylor returned to international cricket in July after nearly four years. Since then, he has played all three formats.
Botswana were 89-8 at the end of the 20 overs as Zimbabwe won by 170 runs.
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