Cricket fans witnessed an incredible display of batting prowess as Maharashtra’s Kiran Navgire rewrote the record books in women’s T20 cricket. During a recent Women’s T20 Trophy match against Punjab in Nagpur, Navgire blasted the fastest century ever, reaching the milestone in a mere 34 balls. She remained undefeated on a spectacular 106 runs from just 35 deliveries, spearheading her team to a comfortable victory with eight overs to spare.
Navgire’s breathtaking innings eclipsed the previous record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine, who had achieved a 36-ball hundred for Wellington in January 2021. With an astonishing strike rate of 302.86, Navgire’s century stands as the only one in women’s T20 history to surpass a strike rate of 300, highlighting the sheer dominance of her performance.
The powerful opener took complete control of the chase, forming an unbroken 103-run partnership for the second wicket. Remarkably, her batting partner, Mukta Magre, contributed only six runs to this stand, underscoring Navgire’s individual brilliance. Her magnificent knock was peppered with 14 fours and seven colossal sixes, leaving the opposition bowlers shell-shocked.
Maharashtra’s successful chase of 113/1 in just eight overs also marked another significant record: the lowest team total in women’s T20 history to feature an individual century. This achievement surpassed the previous record of 123, which saw Annerie Dercksen score an unbeaten 106 in a CSA T20 match.
Hailing from Mire in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, Navgire first caught the national eye during the 2022 Women’s T20 Trophy while representing Nagaland. In that tournament, she showcased her remarkable power by hitting 35 sixes and became the first Indian woman to score over 150 in a T20 match, with an incredible 162 against Arunachal Pradesh.
Despite her domestic heroics, Navgire’s international career has seen limited opportunities. She made her India T20I debut against England in Chester-le-Street in 2022 but has not featured for the national team since the Women’s Asia Cup later that year. In her six T20I appearances, she has batted four times, accumulating 17 runs from 19 balls, with one not-out innings.
Navgire openly credits MS Dhoni as her cricketing idol, drawing inspiration from his legendary career. She attributes her exceptional power-hitting abilities to her formative years spent working on her family’s farm and actively participating in multiple sports, which honed her strength and athleticism.
In the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Kiran Navgire has been a crucial asset for the UP Warriorz. She has amassed 419 runs across 24 innings at an impressive strike rate of 140.13, solidifying her reputation as a dynamic and impactful player in the league, even as her average remains under 18.