On this day, Harmanpreet Kaur became first Indian woman to score T20I ton

Image Credits: Twitter/@ICC

On November 9 in 2018, Indian women T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur scripted history by becoming the first female cricketer from the country to notch up a century in the shortest format of the game.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) took to official Twitter handle to reveal its followers that Harmanpreet's historic century guided the Indian eves to a 34-run victory over New Zealand during a T20 World Cup clash on this day two years back.

Posting a short clip of Harmanpreet's impressive innings, the world's cricket governing body wrote that the Indian batswoman hammered seven boundaries and eight maximums in his 51-ball 103 runs.

"#OnThisDay in the 2018 @T20WorldCup, Harmanpreet Kaur became the first woman from India to score a T20I ton.She led India to a 34-run victory over New Zealand with a 51-ball 103, smacking seven fours and eight sixes," the ICC tweeted.

#OnThisDay in the 2018 @T20WorldCup, Harmanpreet Kaur became the first woman from to score a T20I ton 

She led India to a 34-run victory over New Zealand with a 51-ball 103, smacking seven fours and eight sixes  pic.twitter.com/lKsBYBx3mj — ICC (@ICC) November 9, 2020

During the first Group B match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2018, India won the toss and elected to bat first in Providence Stadium, Guyana on Friday.

After losing the openers Taniya Bhatia (9) and Smriti Mandhana (2) and Dayalan Hemalatha (15) cheaply, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front by not only notching up a blistering ton but also sharing a mammoth partnership of 134 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues for the fourth wicket to help India post a good total of 194 for five.

Harmanpreet eventually finished her innings at 103. En route to her blistering knock, she also brought up her maiden T20I century besides also becoming the first Indian woman to score a ton in the format.

It was during the same clash that Rodrigues etched her name in record books by becoming the youngest cricketer from the country to score a fifty.She finished her innings at 45-ball 59.

Lea Tahuhu bagged two wickets, while Sophie Devine,Jess Watkin and Leigh Kasperek chipped in with a wicket each for New Zealand.

In reply, Poonam Yadav and Dayalan Hemalatha grabbed three wickets each for India, while Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy took two and a wicket, respectively to help their side restrict New Zealand to a score of 160 for nine in their stipulated 20 overs.

Harmanpreet was declared 'Player of the Match' for her match-winning knock.

On a related note, India made it to the semi-final of the prestigious tournament, only to see themselves slump to an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound.