In 36 balls, cricketer Sophie Devine hits fastest ton in women’s T20 history

First, it was Mohammed Azharuddeen who smashed a 37-ball hundred in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match to lead his team to victory and now, a day later, New Zealand women’s cricket team captain Sophie Devine, in a similar feat, hit a 36-ball century to help her team to victory. A first in the women’s T20 tournament.

Devine made light work of the Otago Sparks bowlers in a domestic match in Dunedin to set up a 10-wicket win for Wellington Blaze.

With nine maximums and seven boundaries, Devine remained unbeaten on 108 off 38 balls.

The innings beat previous record-holder Deandra Dottin’s 38-ball effort for the West Indies in South Africa in 2010.

It was also the fastest ever scored by any player on New Zealand soil and has been bettered only nine times by men’s cricketers worldwide.

The feat was all the more remarkable because it was Devine’s first match since she ended a fortnight’s COVID-19 quarantine four days ago following a stint playing with the Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League.

“I was really nervous this morning, whenever you have an extended break away from the game, you get nervous about whether you can come back into it,” she said.

“So it was nice just to spend some time in the middle.”

Devine’s achievement came as New Zealand Cricket announced the England and Australia women’s teams will tour in the coming months.

England will play New Zealand in three T20s and three one-day internationals between February 23 and March 7, with the Australians contesting a similar fixture list from March 28 to April 10.

Both teams will undergo 14 days of mandatory isolation after arriving in New Zealand.