5 times when the previous record holder broke their own record

Records are meant to be broken. Sometimes that takes just a few hours, at other times it takes a few days, months, years or even decades. However, irrespective of what the record is, nothing is safe in the game of cricket.

So, when a player breaks a record set by someone, there can be little doubt that he is special. But, when a player breaks a record set previously by themselves, you know they are in a league of their own.

It was the latter list that Aaron Finch joined today as he registered the highest score by an individual in a T20I, against Zimbabwe. As unique as that might have seemed, he is far from the first player to achieve that feat. In fact, there have been several instances where a player or a team have broken their own record.

Extra Cover: List of highest individual scores in T20Is

Here, we take a look at some players, or in a couple of cases, sets of players, who broke their own records to set a new benchmark.

#1 Aaron Finch

Starting with the latest- Aaron Finch. Aaron Finch's 76-ball assault at Harare blew Zimbabwe away, and in the process he set the world record for the highest individual score in T20Is- 172, breaking the mark of 156 that he himself had set against England at Southampton in 2013.

In the process, he scored his second T20I 150, making him the only batsman to reach the landmark twice. It was also the second-highest score in the history of T20s.

His 172 comprised of 10 sixes, making him the second man, along with Chris Gayle, to achieve the feat of hitting 10 or more sixes in two T20I innings. When did he last hit 10 sixes or more in an innings? During that 156 against England, of course!

#2 England Cricket Team

England put on an unbelievable total of 481 against Australia at Trent Bridge

This one belongs to a team, rather than a player. June 2018 was the month of world records. The world record for the highest women's ODI Total was broken on June 8. The record for the highest total in a women's T20I was broken on June 20, before it was broken again on the same day.

That all happened the day after England broke the record for highest ODI total. The previous record was set by England against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in 2016 when they scored 444/3. However, their tally of 481/6 against the Aussies at the same venue broke their own record, which also happens to be the world record.

In fact, England would have been tad disappointed afterwards, for, at one point of time, it looked like they would break the 500-run barrier- a feat no one had imagined until recently! Alex Hales, playing on his home ground, top-scored for England in both the instances.

#3 Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers set the record for the highest partnership in T20s

This record belongs to a pair- probably the most destructive one in this era - Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. If the Gujarat Lions were elated at the dismissal of Chris Gayle early in the innings, it was only because they weren't aware of what was to follow.

Out walked Abraham Benjamin de Villiers to join the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain, Virat Kohli, and the pair smashed a world record T20 partnership of 229, with each of them helping themselves to a century.

In the process, they broke the previous record of 215, that they themselves had combined to create the previous year. The Lions went on to lose the game by 144 runs- the then largest IPL defeat in terms of runs.

#4 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar became the first man to score an ODI double hundred

February 24, 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar became the first male cricketer to score an ODI double hundred, pulverizing a South African attack, and finishing unbeaten on exactly 200 at Gwalior.

While this was a world record for highest ODI sore previously held by Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry, Sachin Tendulkar was the holder of the national record for the highest ODI score by an Indian, which he also broke that day.

Before that knock, no Indian had managed to breach Sachin's mark of 186*, compiled against New Zealand in 1999, for more than a decade, until he himself broke the record.

Since then, Rohit Sharma has gone past Tendulkar's record thrice!

#5 Ajantha Mendis

Ajantha Mendis spun a web around Zimbabwe at the World T20 in 2012

Enough of the batsmen. Let's bring in a bowler. When the entire cricketing world was grappling to come to terms with the mystery spin of Ajantha Mendis, what chance did poor Zimbabwe have at the World T20 in Sri Lanka?

Chasing a massive 183 to win, the African side had motored along to 37/0, before a disaster, in the form of Mendis, struck. By the time Mendis was done, Zimbabwe had been reduced to 87/8, and he had world record figures of 4-2-8-6, surpassing his own record tally of 4-1-16-6, achieved against Australia the previous year.

That still remains the world record for the best bowling figures in a T20I.