ICC WWT20, Ind vs NZ: Milestones achieved by Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur set the World T20 on fire as she blazed away to a blistering 103 of 51 deliveries against New Zealand on Friday at Guyana. Her maiden T20I ton helped India put up a daunting total of 194/5 in the allotted 20 overs to which New Zealand scored 160/9 in their 20 overs. India won the game by 34 runs and thus announced their arrival into the tournament in a grand fashion.

Electing to bat first, India got off to a wobbly start and were 41-3 by the end of mandatory power-play of 6 overs. The onus was on skipper Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues to steady the ship. The pair added a mammoth 134 runs for the 4th wicket in just 76 deliveries.

Rodrigues scored a scintillating 59, but it was Harmanpreet’s show as she smashed her way to a breath-taking century in just 49 deliveries. She showed no mercy on the Kiwi bowlers as they were clobbered all over the park. Her innings propelled India to a mammoth score of 194/5, which at one point looked unlikely.

In reply, New Zealand got off to a good start thanks to Suzie Bates and Anna Peterson. However, with the required run-rate climbing above, the Kiwis lost wickets quickly and fell short by 34 runs in the end.

In a game that had many records broken, let us look at 5 records that Harmanpreet Kaur broke in this game.

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#1. First Indian woman to score a century in a T20 International

Before this game, there were as many as 9 T20 International centuries scored in Women’s T20 International cricket.

Deandra Dottin from West Indies was the first woman cricketer to score a T20 century in the international stage. She achieved this feat against South Africa in the year 2010, when she scored 112* in 45 deliveries. She, along with Danielle Wyatt of England, holds the record for most number of T20I centuries in women’s cricket. Both have two T20I centuries to their name.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s 103 against New Zealand makes her the first Indian woman to score a century in T20 International cricket. She is also the first Asian woman cricketer to register a T20I century.

The previous highest score for India in women’s T20I was held by Mithali Raj. She scored 97*against Malaysia women earlier this year in the Women’s T20 Asia cup.

#2. Both Indian Men’s and Indian Women’s maiden T20I Centuries were scored in West Indies

Suresh Raina and Harmanpreet Kaur share few things in common, that is both their maiden T20I hundreds have come in the West Indies and in a World T20I tournament. Suresh Raina’s 101 dates back to 2010, when India clashed against South Africa in a group match encounter at Gros Islet.

Raina’s knock helped India win the match against South Africa and progress into the Super 8’s stages. Raina’s 101 consisted of 9 boundaries and 5 huge maximums. This century was the first by an Indian and the third overall in world cricket at that time.

Suresh Raina’s 101 off 60 deliveries was an innings that began scratchily but smashed his way in the latter half of the innings. His completed his century off 59 deliveries when he smashed a six off the bowling of Albie Morkel over the mid-wicket boundary in the last over of the innings.

Similarly, Harmanpreet’s century came up in the last over of the innings, when she knocked one for two runs towards the backward square leg fielder.

#3. Most sixes most by an Indian woman in a T20I inning

Harmanpreet Kaur is an aggressive batsman by nature. She loves to swing her bat and with her power, she could clear any fence in the world. We have seen her aggressive batting display last year when she scored a magnificent 171* against Australia in the 50 over World cup that helped India win the game.

This inning was no different either; she smashed the Kiwi bowlers right from the word go and continued it throughout the innings. Her innings comprised of 8 sixes, which is the most by any Indian women in a T20 Inning.

The second place for the most number of sixes in a T20I inning is 5 and incidentally, this record is also held by Harmanpreet Kaur, when she smashed 63 off 38 deliveries against Sri Lanka earlier this year in a T20I game in Sri Lanka.

The third highest sixes by an Indian in a T20I inning are 3 and this record is jointly held by Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur.

#4. Second cricketer to have scored a T20I century batting at number 5

In T20I cricket, it’s the openers and the number 3 batsman that have the opportunity of scoring a century. Also, the most number of T20I centuries have been scored by the opening batsman considering the number of overs and the mandatory power-play that they have as an advantage.

However, two cricketers have defied the odds and scored a century batting at number 5 position. South Africa’s David Miller and India’s Harmanpreet Kaur have a unique record of scoring a ton in a T20 game batting at number 5.

David Miller scored a breath-taking century off just 35 deliveries against Bangladesh at Potchefstroom last year in a T20I game. His knock of 101*comprised of 7 boundaries and 9 sixes and is the record for the fastest T20I hundred till date. He came into bat at number 5 position and blazed his way to a breathtaking 100, which was incidentally his first T20I hundred.

Similarly, Harmanpreet Kaur came into bat at number 5 before the end of mandatory power-play and carried her bat till the penultimate ball of the innings. Her century marks her as the second player to score a century batting at number 5 and the first women to do so.

#5. Fastest T20I century by an Indian and third overall

Harmanpreet’s century not only made her the fastest Indian to do so, but also made her the third fastest women T20I centurion in International T20 cricket. She notched up her century in just 49 deliveries. However, the fastest T20I century is by Deandra Dottin, when she scored the century off just 38 deliveries.

Dottin’s knock comprised of 7 boundaries and 9 sixes against South Africa Women in the year of 2010. Her knock is regarded as one of the best in the history of Women’s T20I cricket as she came into bat at number 6, with her side in deep trouble after being put in to bat first. Her knock helped West Indies Women put up a score of 175/5 in 20 overs to which South Africa Women could only reply with 158/4 in their 20 overs.

The record for second fastest women’sT20I century belongs to Tammy Beaumont of England when she smashed a century off 47 deliveries against South Africa Women in a T20 game in England earlier this year.

Tammy Beaumont’s innings of 116 consisted of 18 boundaries and 4 maximums, which helped England to put up a mammoth score of 250/3 in their 20 overs. South Africa Women could only manage 129/6 in reply.