Highest and Lowest totals of the Top 10 T20I teams

3. New Zealand

Highest score – 243

Another team that has always failed to rise up to the lofty expectations of the cricketing world is New Zealand. The side has always looked promising, but hasn’t won the 50-over World Cup or T20 World Cup even once yet.

In the space of two months, in the year 2018, the Blackcaps recorded their joint highest ever total in T20I cricket against two opponents, Australia and the West Indies. On 3rd January 2018, Colin Munro went berserk, smashing 10 sixes on his way to a devastating 104 off just 53 balls against the West Indies. His century propelled the New Zealand side to a total of 243/5, and allowed them to beat the ‘Men in Maroon’ by 119 runs.

The second occasion that New Zealand amassed 243 runs on the board was against Australia a month later, on 16th February 2018. On a ground that had extremely small dimensions, where even mishits could sail into the crowd, New Zealand batted first and scored 243/6. It was Martin Guptill who was the man in the driver’s seat this time, as he blazed his way to a 54-ball 103.

However, the Kiwis were in for a surprise, as Australia produced a stunning counterattack with the willow, and accomplished the highest ever successful run chase in T20Is.

Lowest score – 60

On the flip side, New Zealand’s fortunes plummeted in the year 2014, when they were bowled out for just 60 by Sri Lanka during the 2014 T20 World Cup. Even though the Kiwi bowlers managed to restrict Sri Lanka to a gettable total of 119, the Kiwi willow wielders failed to rise to the occasion. In fact, such was the sorry state of affairs for New Zealand that 42 out of the 60 runs they scored came from the willow of Kane Williamson. Rangana Herath was virtually unplayable, and picked up a fifer, giving away just 3 runs from his 3.3 overs.