In an extraordinary display of cricket, Argentina’s women’s team catapulted themselves into the history books, setting a new T20 international record by scoring a monumental 427 for one against Chile in Buenos Aires.
Two players, Lucia Taylor and Albertina Galan, were particularly instrumental in this historic victory, each securing centuries during the game. Their skillful performance helped Argentina shatter the previous record by a staggering 109 runs. Remarkably, the team achieved this without hitting a single six, capitalizing on the opportunity presented by Chile’s inexperienced squad that bowled 64 no-balls, contributing to a total of 73 extras.
This feat dwarfed the prior record of 318/1 set by Bahrain’s women against Saudi Arabia in March 2022 and made the game a spectacle of strategic batting and relentless scoring.
Records Tumble Amidst Argentine Dominance
The partnership between Taylor and Galan was breathtaking, with the duo putting up 350 runs for the first wicket in just 16.5 overs, establishing a new T20I record partnership. Both players demolished previous individual scoring records, with Taylor’s 169 off 84 balls setting a new benchmark for the highest score in a women’s T20I. Galan was equally impressive, scoring 145 not out.
The Chilean team, particularly beleaguered by their debutants’ performance, struggled throughout the match. Emilia Toro and Florencia Martinez, both 15-year-olds playing for the first time, encountered daunting overs, with Toro bowling 21 no-balls and Martinez’s single over costing her team 52 runs.
A Tough Day for Chile
Chile’s response underscored their challenging day, with seven batters returning to the pavilion without opening their accounts. Their innings concluded at 63 in 15 overs, making Argentina’s victory margin of 364 runs the largest ever seen in T20I cricket history for either women’s or men’s teams.
This match, the first in a series of three T20s, highlighted Argentina’s growing prowess in the cricketing world, especially considering their ranking of 66th in the International Cricket Council’s standings. Conversely, Chile’s performance reflected their absence from the international T20 since 2019, a factor evident in their current lack of ranking.