Six months too soon: Kenya denied record

Kenya have blasted the highest score in Twenty20 history, but will be denied an official world record because recently-announced International Cricket Council rules are yet to take effect.

Playing in a World T20 qualifying match at the brand new Gahanga Cricket Stadium in Kigali, tournament hosts Rwanda could do little to stop Kenya piling on 6-270 from their 20 overs on Sunday. 

The Kenyans sent 20 sixes sailing over the picturesque venue's boundary rope, with four batters passing 50 in the onslaught as the visitors romped to a 123-run victory.

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In April, the ICC announced that all matches played between member countries will be recognised as 'T20 Internationals', increasing the number of teams with that status from 18 to 104. 

But those changes do not come into effect for men's games until January 1, 2019, meaning Kenya's 270 will not go down in the books as T20 cricket's new benchmark total.

Somewhat confusingly, games played at the African WT20 qualifiers are not granted T20 status (the rung below 'T20I' status) either.

Australia equalled the record for the highest ever total in a T20 – international or domestic – when they racked up 3-263 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2016 thanks to Glenn Maxwell's 65-ball 145 not out.

That tally matched the 5-263 Royal Challengers Bangalore scored against the Pune Warriors in Bengaluru during the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League.

Kenya remain undefeated after their two matches at the ICC event, with the top two sides from the tournament (which also features Tanzania and Uganda) earning qualification for the African regional finals. 

The top two sides from those finals will then progress to another tournament, this one called the 'ICC World T20 Qualifier', which will give nations a shot at making the cut for the 2020 WT20 to be held in Australia. 

The ICC announced the increase in teams afforded international T20 status after meetings in Kolkata earlier this year, with the move part of a "wider strategic aim of using the T20 format to globalise the game".

A global rankings system will also be introduced as part of the changes.

“We are particularly pleased with the unanimous agreement to award all T20 bilateral games international status," ICC chief executive David Richardson said in April. 

"We are committed to growing the game and T20 is the vehicle through which we’ll do this and removing restrictions and having all Members ranked is a positive step forward.

"We have already introduced a regional qualification pathway for the ICC World T20 in 2020 which is now underway and we will continue to evolve our qualification structures across all three formats to enable Members to play regular cricket and grow the game."

The move to grant all international T20s official status came into effect in women's cricket on July 1.