In a special moment for Ireland women’s cricket, 24-year-old captain Gaby Lewis stepped onto the field on August 10 for her 100th T20 International (T20I), becoming only the second female Irish cricketer after Laura Delany to reach the landmark. The historic occasion came in the third and final T20I against Pakistan in Dublin, capping off a series in which Lewis has already led her side to an unassailable 2-0 lead.
For Irish fans, this isn’t just a statistic; it’s a timeline of a prodigious talent maturing into one of the most influential figures in Irish women’s cricket.
Lewis’s journey began in extraordinary fashion. At just 13 years and 166 days old, she made her international debut in a T20I against South Africa on 9 September 2014 in Solihull, immediately etching her name among the youngest ever to play the format. Over the next decade, she would become the heartbeat of Ireland’s batting order and now, the face of its leadership.
Across her 100 T20I matches, Lewis has amassed 2,530 runs in 99 innings, making her Ireland’s all-time leading run-scorer in the format. Her runs have come at an impressive average of 29.41 and a strike rate of 117.45, underlining her balance of consistency and aggression.
Her record includes 15 half-centuries and two centuries, milestones that speak to both her ability to anchor an innings and dominate attacks. The crowning jewel of her batting career so far came on 13 August 2024 against Sri Lanka at Dublin, when she produced a sublime 119 off 75 balls, a knock that bristled with 17 boundaries and 2 sixes, at a strike rate of 158.66. That innings propelled Ireland to victory and earned her both Player of the Match and Player of the Series honours, after she compiled 158 runs across the two-match series.
While Lewis is predominantly a batting powerhouse, she has also chipped in with the ball when called upon. In the T20I format, she has taken 3 wickets in seven bowling innings, with an average of 40.00 and an economy rate of 8.00, a testament to her all-round commitment to the team cause.
Since assuming the captaincy, Lewis has led with both performance and poise. In the series against Pakistan, captained by Fatima Sana, Lewis has already ensured a series victory with an 11-run win in the opener and a 4-wicket triumph in the second match at Clontarf.
Her leadership has been more than tactical; it has been inspirational, especially for the young talents rising through the Irish ranks.
Gaby Lewis’ 100th T20I appearance is not just a number; it’s the culmination of over a decade of dedication, resilience, and evolution. From a teenage debutante stepping nervously onto a field in England to a captain leading her country to series wins, she has embodied the growth of Irish women’s cricket itself.
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