The Caribbean was fortunate to witness, in 2018, the most inspiring women’s tournament in the history of cricket — the first ever stand-alone Women’s World T20.
It was a record-breaking event compared to the previous five editions; and the dominant Australia team have stamped their authority on women’s cricket by winning the tournament for the fourth time.
The record that stood out was the number of sixes hit in this tournament. It proved that the women have developed their power-hitting skill enormously. Seventy-five sixes is the highest ever hit in a single edition, and every six that was hit resulted in one thousand US dollars (US$1000) being donated towards grassroots cricket.
Australia’s Alyssa Healy was the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 225 runs, but she simultaneously was four times awarded “player of the match” — the most by any player in a single edition. Healy, wife of Australia’s premiere fast bowler Mitchell Starc, also effected 12 dismissals, and has been awarded “Player of the Stand-Alone Women’s World T20 tournament”.
England’s Anya Shrubsole, who picked up a hat trick in this tournament, had won
Meg Lanning stands with the winning trophy
three “player of the match” awards in 2014.
India’s Harmanpreet Kaur’s 103 is the third Women’s WorldT20 century scored, after Meg Lanning’s 126 against Ireland in 2014, and Deandra Dottin’s unbeaten 112 against South Africa in 2010.
Incredibly, 48.51 per cent of runs scored in this tournament came from boundaries. Besides the seventy-five sixes hit in this tournament, 440 boundaries were also scored therein; as against the 42.61 per cent of runs scored in boundaries in the 2010 edition.
The teams’ batting run rate in this tournament has climbed to more than 6 runs per over, as compared to the previous editions wherein teams had managed to score below six runs per over. Additionally, 3.41 was the average number of sixes hit per match in this tournament, as compared to 1.87 sixes being hit per match in 2016.
In this tournament, it took 21 balls for Alyssa Healy and Sophie Devine to each reach fifty against Ireland. This was the fastest in the history of World T20 tournaments, and the second fastest overall in Women’s T20 Internationals. Devine had hit an 18-ball-50 in 2005 against India in Bengaluru.
Because of the slow pitches in the Caribbean, 140 wickets were taken by spin
Player-of- the-Tournament Alyssa Healy receiving her award from the WI great, Sir Vivian Richards
bowlers in this tournament, as compared to 134 wickets being taken in the 2016 edition in India. The spinners averaged a staggering 6.36 wickets per game, picking up wickets in every 18.3 balls; the best for any season. The pacers in this tournament picked up 120 wickets at an average of 17.7.
In this tournament, Megan Schutt, Deandra Dottin and Ashleigh Gardener were the top wicket-takers with 10 wickets each. Deandra Dottin has twice been among the leading wicket-takers; in 2016 she finished with 9. However, she inserted herself into the record books this time with the best-ever bowling figures of 5-5 against Bangladesh at the National Stadium at Providence on the East Bank of Demerara in Guyana.
Conclusively, 46 runs — compiled by Bangladesh against West Indies in Guyana — is the lowest team total in the history of the Women’s World T20 tournament; while India’s 194-5 is the highest runs scored in the history of the tournament.
A tournament of this calibre would inspire young girls around the globe to follow their dreams and play cricket at the highest level, to become the next Alyssa Healy, or Harmanpreet Kaur, or Deandra Dottin.
