Prema Rawat hits 14-ball fifty, fastest in women’s T20 cricket

Prema Rawat reached her fifty off 14 balls for Uttarakhand against Hyderabad in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy at the MCA Stadium in Gahunje, Pune. Wisden describes it as the fastest half-century in women’s T20 cricket, and a second site confirms the report.

Batting at No. 4, she hit six fours and four sixes. She then took 2 for 12 from her four overs as Uttarakhand won by 89 runs.

The innings

Rawat’s 14-ball fifty went past the previous best of 15 balls, which Wisden lists as shared by Marie Kelly, Laura Harris and Fatima Sana. ThePrint’s report puts her strike rate in the innings at 357.

Uttarakhand finished on 187 for 2 in their 20 overs. Captain and opener Raghvi Bist stayed not out on 72 off 50 balls.

With the ball

Rawat is a spinner, and she followed the batting with figures of 2 for 12. Hyderabad were held to 98 for 8 in reply.

Who is Prema Rawat

Rawat is 24. She was picked as an uncapped leg-spinner for India’s Women’s T20 World Cup match against South Africa, in place of Radha Yadav, according to Wisden.

The BCCI’s Women’s Selection Committee has also named her in India’s T20I squad for the series against Zimbabwe, with the T20Is to be hosted in Raipur.