BY SPORTSCAST WRITER

HARARE – Stephen Mangongo isn’t downplaying Zimbabwe’s win with a world-record international score over minnows Gambia on Wednesday, remarking that some “skill” is still needed to achieve such feats regardless of the opposition.

Once one of world cricket’s most respected nations, Zimbabwe have been reduced to playing in an African sub-regional qualifier in Kenya for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

On Wednesday, Zimbabwe set a world record for the highest score in men’s T20 international cricket by posting 344-4 against The Gambia in Nairobi.

Batting kingpin Sikandar Raza scored 133 not out from just 43 balls in Zimbabwe’s crushing 290-run win.

Mangongo, a stalwart of cricket development in his country and a former national team coach, said Gambia’s lowly status shouldn’t take the shine off Zimbabwe’s achievement.

“It’s in fact a skill to be able to predict where amateur bowlers will land the next delivery, then be able to execute a correct shot,” Mangongo told SportsCast on Wednesday.

“Raza butchered the Gambian boys.”

Mangongo however acknowledged Zimbabwe’s decline, remarking that the Chevrons needed to show the world in this Nairobi tournament that they are still far superior than the game’s newcomers.

“We are extremely cognizant that we should never have been in these murky dark waters, swimming with catfish,” said Mangongo.

“So being in there, our boys are duty-bound to extricate and clean our brand. So far the Chevrons have gone the professional way, annihilating the minnows. This is significant for the Chevrons to prove we don’t belong in these low standards we find ourselves in.”

Zimbabwe are playing hosts Kenya on the last day of the tournament on Thursday.

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