Richa Ghosh Records Joint-Fastest Fifty In Women T20I Cricket
Richa Ghosh scored the joint fastest-fifty in women's T20Is taking India to their highest-ever total in the format during 3rd T20I vs West Indies Women's.
Richa Ghosh smash fastest T20I fifty in women cricket in 18 balls against West Indies in 3rd T20I (IANS)
Navi Mumbai: India's wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh smashed the joint-fastest fifty in the women's T20Is on Thursday, 19 December. Ghosh achieved the significant milestone during the third and final T20I of the series between India women and West Indies women at the DY Patil Stadium here.
Richa Ghosh came out with an intent and displayed it right from the first ball. Ghosh reached her second T20I fifty in just 18 balls, matching New Zealand captain Sophie Devine and Australia's Phoebe Litchfield's record. Devine had scored 18-ball fifty vs India women at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2015 while Litchfield scored it against West Indies in Sydney last year.
Richa went all guns blazing against the Windies as she whacked 3 fours and 5 sixes to reach the milestone in record time. Richa broke her ODIs opening partner Smriti Mandhana's five-year old record to become the fastest half-centurion in WT20I by Mandhana had slammed her half-century in 24 balls against New Zealand in February 2019.
Richa's quickfire innings combined with Mandhana's fireworks at the top helped India to record their biggest total in the WT20Is. The Indian team scored 217 runs from their 20 overs, after losing 4 wickets.
Mandhana initiated the attack at the start of the innings, scoring 77 runs off just 47 balls. After her dismissal, Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 39 runs off 28 balls, Raghvi Bist scored an unbeaten 31 runs off 22 balls, and Richa Ghosh made a remarkable 54 runs off just 21 balls. India managed a total of 7 sixes, with Richa hitting 5 of them. She was out in the penultimate ball of the final over while attempting to hit a six against Aaliyah Alleyne.