54 off 21 balls: Richa Ghosh sets world record ‘fastest 50’ as India post 217/4 against West Indies

Richa Ghosh (54) set a world record for the fastest fifty in a women’s T20I (18 balls) after Smriti Mandhana(77) fireworks as India registered 217 for 4 in the deciding third and final match against the West Indies here on Thursday. It was also India’s highest ever score in the shortest format, surpassing the 201/5 against UAE in the Asia Cup earlier this year. The 21-year-old Ghosh scored 54 runs in just 21 balls (3×4, 5×6) and also set the record for the fastest fifty players jointly set by Team New Zealand. Sophie Devine and Australia Phoebe Litchfield.

Ghosh’s blitz comes after Mandhana emerged as the leading run-scorer in the format this year, amassing 763 runs in 23 T20Is while also scoring his third consecutive fifty in the series and his eighth highest of the year.

She is ahead of Sri Lankan captain Chamari Atapatta in the list of top scorers.

After making a mistake in the second game for not putting enough runs on the board, India took advantage of Mandhana’s attack to score nearly 10 runs in the over.

Her shots were as convincing as her offside shots, at times effortlessly clearing the field of play to bolster her authority.

Mandana’s fireworks on and off the power play eclipsed Uma ChhetriA two-ball duck in the first over and a slow start from Rodriguez in which she also survived a pre-match review against Hayley Matthews.

However, Rodriguez rallied well from a slow start and scored a 28-ball 39 with four boundaries, setting the stage for a big score as the two scored 98 off 55 balls.

At number 4, Raghvi Bisht (31 not out from 22 balls, 2×4, 1×6) made her first international impression when she danced on the track to bowl the ball. Karishma Ramharak for her first career milestone – six – and scored runs on both sides of the wicket.

Bisht played the perfect second fiddle to both Mandhana and Ghosh, adding 44 and 70 runs respectively with the senior partners while gaining crucial experience.

But Mandhana missed a hundred again while returning to the hut, making 77 off 47 balls with 13 fours and a six. This was her highest score of the series and she was dismissed in 15th place. Deandra Dottin.

India then made the right move by sending power forward Ghosh up front. Deepti Sharmaand the young wicketkeeper-batter dazzled again.

Ghosh demonstrated her prowess in the game with powerful shots, with the ball landing almost on the stands, especially on the leg side, with over 40,000 people present at the DY Patil Stadium.