An 18-ball half-century with some massive blows in the decider against the West Indies took India wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh alongside a record for joint-fastest fifty in women's T20I history. The fact that it is the first ever fifty scored by any Indian women's batter on an 18-ball assault into the shortest format.
At the DY Patil Sports Academy, Richa displayed fireworks that thrilled over 47,204 spectators when she blasted three fours and five sixes in an unbeaten 21-ball 54. Blistering knocks from herself, coupled with captain Smriti Mandhana's 77, powered India to 217/4 - which is now their highest ever total in women's T20Is.
It has easily beaten India's previous best T20I total of 201/5, which had come against the UAE in the Women's Asia Cup in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, last July. Richa batted thereafter after Smriti scored 77; her third successive fifty in the series and 30th ODI fifty in all T20Is, past Suzie Bates' record of 29 fifties of the format.
Richa was off the blocks right away, lofting her first ball for a six off Deandra Dottin and ended the over by slicing her through backward point for four more, before flicking Aaliyah Alleyne for a boundary.
From there, Richa was stern on Deandra, Aaliyah and Hayley Matthews before playing a flick on Aaliya for a six over the deep mid-wicket which earned her a sensational half-century in mere 18 balls. Sophie Devine of New Zealand and Phoebe Litchfield of Australia also enjoyed such a record in fastest T20I half-centuries.
Even though Richa's carnage, which came at a strike-rate of 257.14, ended a ball before India's innings got over, she ensured India had a good finish to reach 217/4 and invite West Indies to break their own record for the highest chase in women's T20Is.
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