Explosive India and Maharashtra opener Kiran Navgire has made her mark on cricket history with the smash of the fastest-ever century in women’s T20 cricket. Navgire created a new record with a 34-ball century in the Women’s T20 Trophy.
Navgire’s Record-Breaking Performance
Navgire’s record-breaking feat happened while Maharashtra was thrashing Punjab on Friday in Nagpur. She smashed an unbeaten 106 runs from only 35 balls, chasing her side to a devastating victory with eight overs remaining.
Not only did this record-breaking innings seal victory for Maharashtra, but Navgire also broke the earlier record for the fastest century in women’s T20 cricket held by Sophie Devine, which was established in January 2021 with a 36-ball century.
A jaw-dropping strike rate of 302.86, Navgire’s 106 stands alone so far in women’s T20 history as the only century with a strike rate in excess of 300. Her innings also smashed the record for the lowest score to feature a single hundred in women’s T20s. Maharashtra’s score of 113 for 1 in eight overs beats the former record of 123 in a CSA T20 game.
Navgire’s Unstoppable Batting
In a record-breaking second-wicket stand of 103 runs, Navgire ran through the show, scoring 14 fours and seven sixes. Her partner, No. 3 Mukta Magre, scored only six runs as Navgire single-handedly demolished the Punjab bowling unit. Her phenomenal exhibition of hitting was a T20 batting masterclass, displaying her gigantic power and talent.
The Journey of Kiran Navgire
Navgire, who is from Mire village in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, gained her first fame in the 2022 Women’s T20 Trophy. She became the cricket world’s hot topic during that season after scoring an incredible 35 sixes while playing for Nagaland. She also created history by being the first Indian female to score a 150-plus score in a T20 game, with an incredible 162 runs from 76 balls against Arunachal Pradesh.
In an interview, Navgire revealed that she took inspiration from cricket icon MS Dhoni and attributed her power-hitting skills to the physical labour involved in working on the family farm and playing multiple sports as a kid. Her power-hitting skills saw her get a call-up to the India T20I team during their 2022 tour of England but has not been able to find a place for himself in the national team ever since.
T20I and WPL Career
Navgire played her India T20I debut for England in 2022 but has since not been able to find a regular spot in the national team. In six India games, she has contributed only 17 runs from four matches, with a top score of 11. However, domestically she remains impressive.
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In the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Navgire has been a steady performer for UP Warriorz with 419 runs in 24 innings over three seasons. Although she can hit big, her WPL average has been less than 18, albeit her strike rate of 140.13 is impressive.
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