Cricket has been traditionally termed as the game of batters. At times, on a flat track, it feels that bowlers are meant for hardships. This is not to hide that a good green top can help the ball to move and the batting side to face dugout. Cricket is a great leveler. Nonetheless. Some performances have a special place in hearts. We shall dive deeper into batting as of now.
Out of all sixes, fours or fancy modern sweeps that a batter plays, it all counts down to the runs. And on top of those runs, the best contribution that a player can gift his or her team is a century. Centuries are celebrated on a field more than anything. In longer formats of the game, they test the skills and temperament of a player to the core. However, things heat up when a side has 120 legal balls to face. In the early days of T20 cricket, a score of 160 at the run rate of 8 was satisfying for the team batting first. Naturally, it was not expected for players to score 100 individually.
It was hard hitters like Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle that made people believe in these heroics. However, the game of female cricketers is conceived as a game with lesser aggression and scoring. The average score of an innings in women’s T20 matches supports the notion but there are innings from players that may shock fans and so-called pundits.
Let us recall the centuries from stars in the shortest format of the game.
1) Deandra Dottin (38 Balls)
The fastest century in a T20 game came from the hand of a Caribbean. The power striking ability of West Indian player Deandra Dottin came to a new high when the top order failed against the South African team. She scored 112 runs from 45 balls alongside a whopping strike rate of more than 210. She got to her century after 38 balls. Her team scored 175 which included a century from Dottin. Her team stopped the opposition from chasing the total.
2) Alyssa Healy (46 Balls)
After Dottin, the Aussie power hitter Alyssa Healy comes into the frame. She has a massive score of 141 in T20s under her name. At Sydney in 2019, she played for 61 balls and reached 100 off 46 balls. She took her team to 226 and dominated the chasing Sri Lankan side. The most powerful phase of her inning came after she crossed the century mark. She scored with a strike rate of nearly 300 after reaching the milestone.
3) Tammy Beaumont (47 Balls)
The third-fastest century came from the English opener. In a game against South Africa, Beaumont smashed 116 off 52 deliveries. Her innings had 18 fours and 4 sixes which took her team’s total to 250. It was at Taunton in 2018. She took 47 balls to reach three figures. With a total like this, the English side won the match with a comfortable margin and the aggressive opener placed hr name above all.
4) Harmanpreet Kaur (49 Balls)
Harmanpreet from Indian team is the player to have scored the fourth fastest century. He did her show against New Zealand. Her century came in a pressure situation where the top order of the team had failed, and it was on her to give a fight. She took 49 balls to raise her bat for a century. She took the team to 194 which was too much to leak for the bowlers. Her century came at the Providence on 9th November 2018.
5) Meg Lanning (51 Balls)
A century off 51 balls from Meg Lanning comes at the fifth position. She scored a mind-blowing 133 off 63 balls. Her strike rate was 210. Her century came in 51 balls with the team scoring 226. The English side were stopped at 133. Her innings came in Chelmsford which makes it special for all Aussie fans.
6) Danielle Wyatt (52 Balls)
D. Wyatt smashed her fastest century against Indian bowlers. This was in Indian home ground too. In 52 balls, she brought up her century and while chasing a mammoth total of 199. She played for 64 balls and got her team over the line and gained 124 runs. The team won with more than an over to spare. She single-handedly won the match for her side.
7) Meg Lanning (53 Balls)
It is very difficult to sit down to remember the best and leave Aussies. The next fastest ton from a lady in the shortest format of the game came after a long wait of 4 years from the first. The Aussie skipper Meg Lanning smashes the Irish team and scored 126 off 65 balls. Her inning came with a strike rate of 195. She was batting in the middle order and took her team away from a possible collapse or an upset. Ireland could not come close to the target of 192 with 113 off their 120 balls.
8) Beth Mooney (54 Balls)
Next, we have another Aussie in the list of fastest centurions. While batting against Sri Lanka, the English openers thrashed Lankan bowlers and scored with great strike rates. Healy was attacking but it was the Mooney show. She scored 113 off 61 balls. She reached her three figures in 54 balls. This knock came in Sydney. Aussies posted a massive total of 217 which was too much for Sri Lankans.
9) Danielle Wyatt (56 Balls)
Ninth fastest century came in a game that a lot of cricket fans will have close to their hearts. Two centuries came in the match. While batting for England, Mooney got 117 off 70 odd deliveries. However, it was not only her day and there was something for Danielle Wyatt fans. She scored exact 100 off 57 balls and got the crowd at Canberra cheering. Her innings had 13 fours and 2 sixes. Nonetheless, Mooney got yet another ton to her tally and took her team home.
A student who enjoys studying cricket more than anything else, keen to learn the insights of the women’s game.