Pakistan Women captain Fatima Sana has set a new record in women’s T20I cricket. She has scored the fastest fifty in women’s T20Is.
In the third and final T20I of the series against Zimbabwe in Karachi on Friday, Sana, batting at No.6. scored her fifty off just 15 balls. Previously, the record of fastest fifty in women’s cricket was held by Sophie Devine of New Zealand, Phoebe Litchfield of Australia and Richa Ghosh of India. They had taken 18 balls for their half-century.
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There is more to Sana’s record. With that fifty off 15 balls, she became the joint-fastest fifty maker across all women’s T20s. Previously, Marie Kelly and Laura Harris had done the same. Marie scored for Warwickshire against Gloucestershire in England in 2022, while Laura scored for Otago against Canterbury in New Zealand last year.
As far as Pakistan’s previous fastest fifty is concerned, the record was held by Nida Dar who scored a fifty off 20 balls against South Africa in 2019.
India’s Richa had scored a fifty off 18 balls against the West Indies in 2024 in Navi Mumbai. Sophie had done it 11 years ago against India in Bengaluru. In 2023, Phoebe scored her fifty also against the West Indies in Sydney.
Thumping win and series for Pakistan
Thanks to Sana’s overall innings of 62 not out off 19 balls, Pakistan Women scored a mammoth total of 223/4. Ayesha Zafar and Sara Jabeen made important contributions of 45 off 28 balls and 50 not out off 32 balls respectively.
Sana joined Jabeen in the 17th over with 22 deliveries still remaining. She played 19 of them and smashed the Zimbabwean bowlers to every nook and corner of the ground. She, in all, hit 10 fours and two sixes. Lindokuhle Mabhero and Beloved Biza were the only visiting bowlers who bowled well. Lindokuhle retured 2/36, while Beloved came up with 1/35.
It proved to be one-sided contest. Zimbabwe were never in the chase. They lost three wickets inside three overs. Apart from opener Kellies Ndlovu, who scored 32 off 13 balls, none of the batters really got going. The visitors could not last the entire 20 overs and folded for 90 off the first ball of the 18th over to concede the contest by 133 runs and series 3-0.
Sadia Iqbal was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with figures of 3/20. Nashra Sandhu picked up two wickets and conceded just 21 runs in her four overs. After sparkling with the bat, Sana chipped in with her bowling too and picked up a wicket.