Gaby Lewis, the 23-year-old Irish cricket prodigy, has already spent nearly a decade on the international stage, achieving remarkable feats at an age when many are just starting their careers. Her journey began with a T20I debut against South Africa on September 9, 2014, when she was merely 13 years old. Now, ten years on, Lewis has evolved into one of the most elegant right-handed batters, amassing an impressive record that speaks volumes about her dedication and talent.
In T20Is, Lewis has accumulated 2,183 runs across 89 innings, with a personal best of 119 against Sri Lanka. Notably, she is one of only 11 female cricketers globally to have scored multiple T20I centuries, her other being an unbeaten 105* against Germany. Her prowess extends to ODIs, where she ranks fourth on Ireland’s all-time run-getters list for the ODIs despite having played just 43 matches. She has 1,184 runs to her name, with 228 runs separating her from overtaking Miriam Grealey to become Ireland’s leading run scorer, Lewis is on the brink of making her dream a reality.
But Lewis’ ambitions don’t end there. The determined opener has set her sights on becoming the best female player Ireland has ever produced. For her, it’s not just about reaching milestones but dominating against the world’s best teams on the grand stage of ICC tournaments. “My goal is to be the greatest Irish player that’s ever played,” Lewis declared in an interview with the ICC 100% Cricket Superstars. “To do that, I think I need to take the opportunities for when we do play against those higher-ranked teams.”
Her leadership qualities came to the fore when, at just 21, she became the youngest Irish captain ever, leading the team against South Africa. More recently, she stepped into the captaincy role during the Sri Lanka series when regular skipper Laura Delany was sidelined due to an ankle injury, although Lewis herself was soon benched due to a quad injury.
Balancing cricket with academics has been no easy feat for Lewis, but she has recently completed her radiography degree at University College Dublin. With her academic commitments behind her, she is now eager to channel all her energy into cricket. “My greatest challenge, definitely over the last four years, has been trying to balance cricket and my degree in radiography,” she reflected. “And I’m really excited to have that in the bank and really put all my focus into cricket over the next couple of years.”
The future looks incredibly bright for Lewis. Her journey is a testament to what can be achieved with talent, hard work, and unyielding ambition. With her eyes set on becoming Ireland’s all-time greatest player, Lewis is not just a cricketer but a beacon of inspiration for aspiring athletes everywhere. The world of cricket will be watching closely as she continues to carve out her legacy, one run at a time.
(Quotes sourced from ICC)