Scoring a huge score in the T20I format is itself a huge achievement, given batters have to start hitting from the word go. Moreover, when a batter hammers a big knock in a T20I match, that puts the batting team as the favourites to win the match.
However, such heroics have fallen on the wrong side on some occasions, with teams suffering defeats. Here are the top 10 highest individual scores that came in losing causes in T20Is.
Highest Individual Scores in Losing Cause in T20I
| Player | Score ( Balls) | Innings | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Watson (AUS) | 124* (71) | 1 | India | Sydney | 31 Jan 2016 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (IND) | 123* (57) | 1 | Australia | Guwahati | 28 Nov 2023 |
| Babar Hayat (HKG) | 122 (60) | 2 | Oman | Fatullah | 19 Feb 2016 |
| Faf du Plessis (SA) | 119 (56) | 1 | West Indies | Johannesburg | 11 Jan 2015 |
| Johnson Charles (WI) | 118 (46) | 1 | South Africa | Centurion | 26 Mar 2023 |
| Izaz Ali (SVN) | 118 (45) | 2 | Serbia | Belgrade | 7 Jun 2025 |
| Chris Gayle (WI) | 117 (57) | 1 | South Africa | Johannesburg | 11 Sep 2007 |
| Leslie Dunbar (SRB) | 117 (50) | 1 | Bulgaria | Sofia | 26 Jun 2022 |
| Suryakumar Yadav (IND) | 117 (55) | 2 | England | Nottingham | 10 Jul 2022 |
| Dharma Kesuma (INA) | 115* (71) | 1 | Philippines | Bali | 10 Jul 2025 |
Key Insights on the Highest Individual Scores in T20I Defeats
Record Individual Centuries in a Losing T20I Cause
Shane Watson holds the record for smashing the highest individual score in a losing cause in T20Is with an unbeaten 124 against India.
Watson’s 124 is also the highest individual score by a captain and an opener in a T20I defeat.
Hong Kong’s Babar Hayat has the highest score in an unsuccessful T20I run chase. His 122, the first hundred in the T20 Asia Cup, couldn’t help his side chase 181 against Oman in 2016.
Leslie Dunbar (Serbia) and Darius Visser (Samoa) are the two batters with two tons in losses. There are over 30 instances of batters scoring T20I centuries in losing causes.
Dunbar’s both knocks came as a wicketkeeper, with his 117 against Bulgaria being the highest in a T20I loss by a keeper-batter. His other knock of an unbeaten 104 came against the same opposition in his first-ever match in 2019, making him the only debutant to score a T20I century in a losing cause.
Fastest Century and Team Performance Records in T20I Losses
Johnson Charles has smashed the fastest century in a T20I loss, bringing up his 100 off 39 balls against South Africa in 2023.
Charles’ knock helped the Windies post 258 runs, which is the highest team total in a defeat. Quinton de Kock’s 100 helped South Africa chase down 259, which is the highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Century in the T20 World Cup Loss
Universe Boss Chris Gayle’s 117 against South Africa in 2007 is the only century in a losing cause in the T20 World Cup. This was, in fact, the first-ever century in the T20I format.
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