Harmanpreet Kaur became the first Indian to hit a century in the Twenty20 International in women’s cricket, when she smashed a 51-ball 103 against New Zealand in the opening game of the Women’s World T20 at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.
Notably, India registered a comprehensive 34-run win over New Zealand in the very first match of ICC Women’s World T20 2018 campaign.
Indian women team won the toss, elected to bat first and were in a spot of bother at 40 for 3 when skipper Kaur came to the crease. She joined Jemimah Rodrigues and both combined to a stitch a mammoth 134-run stand to take India to their highest ever total in the World T20.
Kaur was struggling with cramps and battled through the pain. She took her time but soon found her range. She hit seven fours and eight sixes during her 51-ball stay and refreshed memories of her knock against Australia in the semi-final of the 2017 World Cup.
Kaur now has the most number of sixes for India in a T20 inning, beating her own record of five which came against Sri Lanka in September this year.
On the other hand, New Zealand came out swinging in chase of a target of 195. Suzie Bates especially looked in ominous touch and kept her side ahead of the par score. They had added 52 in 6.2 overs when debutant Dayalan Hemalatha got the breakthrough, and Poonam Yadav further turned the screw with the wicket of the dangerous Sophie Devine.
The Indian spinners kept at it, with Yadav’s leg-spin and Hemalatha’s off-spin chipping away at the line-up. Katey Martin and Leigh Kasperek played cameos, but none of the White Ferns could kick on for the big innings that this chase needed, and they could get no further than 160/9.
Meanwhile, the cricket community took to social media to express their elation on the Indian skipper getting a ton.
Also Read: Harmanpreet Kaur to lead India in women’s World T-20