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SPORTS JULY 26, 2024 | The Indian Eye 42

Richa Ghosh sets new record as

Indian girls sit at the top of table in

women’s Asia Cup

The unbeaten 64 by Richa is the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter in women’s

T20Is, outdoing the 59-run knock of Sulakshana Naik back in 2010 against Sri Lanka,
which is the only other half-century by an Indian wicketkeeper in women’s T20Is

OUR BUREAU
Birmingham/Mumbai
ndian wicketkeeper-batter Richa
Ghosh brought down some big
Irecords with a fine batting display
during the women’s Asia Cup match
against UAE on Sunday. In the match,
Richa came to the crease with India at
106/4 in 11.4 overs and guided India to
their highest T20I total ever, 201/5. She
scored 64* in just 29 balls, with 12 fours
and a six. Her knock came at a strike
rate of 220.68, which is the highest
strike rate by an Indian player during
50-run plus score in women’s T20Is.
The previous high was by Smriti
Mandhana, who scored a 25-ball 51
against Sri Lanka in the 2022 Asia
Cup final at a strike rate of 204.
Richa took only 26 balls to reach
her maiden T20I fifty. Richa’s first-ev-
er T20I half-century is not only a
special personal milestone for her,
but also the second-fastest fifty in the
women’s Asia Cup, behind Mandha-
na’s 25-ball half-century in the 2022
final against Sri Lanka. India Women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and teammate Richa Ghosh celebrate their partnership during the Group A match against United Arab
The unbeaten 64 by Richa is the
highest by an Indian wicketkeep- Emirates Women in the Womens Asia Cup T20, 2024, at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla on Sunday (ANI)
er-batter in women’s T20Is, outdoing
the 59-run knock of Sulakshana Naik Harmanpreet Kaur (66 in 47 balls, with in three balls. 137 matches with 24 fifties).
back in 2010 against Sri Lanka, which seven fours and a six) and Richa (64* in Rodrigues also became the fourth The top-run-scorer in T20Is is
is the only other half-century by an In- 29 balls, with 12 fours and a six) helped Indian player to score 2,000 runs in New Zealand’s Suzie Bates, with 4,348
dian wicketkeeper in women’s T20Is. India post 201/5 in their 20 overs. T20Is during the match, also becom- runs at an average of 29.57, a strike
Richa also overtook Pakistan’s Earlier, Indian batter Jemimah ing the youngest Indian batter to reach rate of 108.97, a century, and 28 fifties
Nigar Sultana’s 53 against Malaysia Rodrigues expressed happiness fol- the milestone at the age of 23 years in 162 matches. Her best score is 124*.
back in 2022 to get the highest score lowing India’s win over Pakistan in and 318 days. After Pakistan elected to bat first,
by a wicketkeeper-batter in women’s their women’s Asia Cup title defence In 96 T20Is, Jemimah has scored wickets kept falling for them regular-
Asia Cup history. opener in Dambulla, saying that con- 2,003 runs at an average of 30.34, with ly, with Sidra Ameen (25 in 35 balls
In 52 T20I matches and 42 in- tributing to her team’s win is an “in- a strike rate of 113.09. She has scored with three fours), Tuba Hassan (22 in
nings, Richa has scored 824 runs at an credible honour”. 11 half-centuries, with the best score 19 balls with three fours) and Fatima
average of 28.41 and a strike rate of India’s title defence was off to a of 76. Among Indian players, above Sana (22* in 16 balls, with a four and
over 138, with a fifty. fine start as an all-round effort helped Jemimah are, Mithali Raj (2,364 runs two sixes) playing some decent knocks.
Coming to the match, UAE won them beat Pakistan by seven wickets at in 89 matches with 17 fifties), Har- India is at the top of Group A,
the toss and elected to field first. Dambulla on Friday. Notably, it was manpreet Kaur (3,349 runs in 170 with two wins in two matches. UAE is
Knocks from Shafali Varma (37 in 18 Jemimah who hit the winning runs for matches with a century and 11 fifties) at the bottom, having lost both of their
balls, with six fours and a six), skipper India and ended unbeaten at six runs and Smriti Mandhana (3,365 runs in matches so far.

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