A spectacular 49-ball century from captain Harmanpreet Kaur, followed by a wicket-laden display from the spinners, took India to a 34-run win against New Zealand in the opening game of the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 in Guyana.
Kaur’s record-breaking hundred – first by an India in women’s T20Is – set India on their way in the tournament opener, as her team finished at 194/5, the highest total in Women’s World T20 history.
The Indian total proved a little too much for New Zealand, who ended on 160/9 despite a 50-ball 67 from former skipper Suzie Bates at the top of the order.
Earlier, the 29-year-old Harmanpreet smashed 103 off just 51 balls, with the help of seven fours and eight sixes. Along with the Indian skipper, 18-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues played with a maturity above her years as she became the youngest player to score a fifty at the Women’s World T20, in what was her maiden appearance at the ICC event.
Jemimah and Harmanpreet added a 134-run partnership for the fourth-wicket, India’s highest for any wicket in all T20Is.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
What performance by Indian Team and a special knock by @ImHarmanpreet 💯🎉 Great Start to #WT20. Keep Going 💪 #WomenInBlue
— IamKedar (@JadhavKedar) November 9, 2018
Fantastic start to the tournament for our girls. Brilliant innings from Harmanpreet Kaur and @BCCIWomen will be delighted with this great start to the Wimen’s #WT20 #IndvNZ
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) November 9, 2018
Congratulations skipper @ImHarmanpreet and whole team for win the first t20 World Cup match against NZ 🇮🇳⭐️👏👏👏😊 #WWT20 #IndVsNZ @BCCIWomen
— Rahul Sharma (@ImRahulSharma3) November 9, 2018
What a brilliant start to the #WWT20. This is a big win for India's women cricketers. Just the kind of game to draw more girls in.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 9, 2018
It was a clinical allround show. Aggressive show of @ImHarmanpreet combined with an amazing footwork of #JemimahRodrigues stolen the early show. It was followed by brave spin bowling effort from #TeamIndia that nailed @WHITE_FERNS in #WT20 opener by 35 runs. #CloseViews #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/00VeUgQjFZ
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) November 9, 2018
UNSTOPPABLE@ImHarmanpreet #GoGirlsinBlue 💥💫🏆
— Sushma Verma (@ImSushVerma) November 9, 2018
A captain's knock from @ImHarmanpreet. First 💯 for India in T20Is & that too at the biggest stage. Well played! 👌 @BCCIWomen @WorldT20 #WT20 pic.twitter.com/XvB0uve32U
— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) November 9, 2018
Harmanpreet Kaur , wonderful hundred. Great bat swing in a really zordaar innings pic.twitter.com/lTfG5hsSkD
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) November 9, 2018
Whatever BCCI are paying Harmanpreet Kaur, the ICC should pay twenty times that. She’s slapping women’s cricket into people’s houses. #harmonster
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) November 9, 2018
Mind. Blown. Six months ago Harmanpreet was struggling for consistency. Now, in what could be a virtual quarter-final, she turns it on like this. What a player. #harmanpreetkaur #WT20#WatchThis #NZvIND
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) November 9, 2018
Jemimah Rodrigues 18y-65d now fifth youngest to register a fifty in women's #WT20 👏👍👌 and by far the youngest Indian to do so!#INDWvNZW
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) November 9, 2018
Already a fan of the use of feet from young Jemimah Rodrigues…all the good things we heard about her are not misplaced one bit. More power to you. #IndWvsNZW #WWT20
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 9, 2018
Fifty on World Twenty20 debut for India: (Men/Women)
Virat Kohli (50 v AFG, 2012)
JEMIMAH RODRIGUES (59 v NZ, 2018)#INDWvNZW #WWT20— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) November 9, 2018
That's Harmanpreet Kaur for you.#INDWvNZW #ICCWT20 #WWT20 #WT20 #NZWvINDW #Cricket #TheCricketTimes pic.twitter.com/pSflrq2AWV
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) November 10, 2018
Well done Harmanpreet!! Well played👏👏👏 #WT20
— merissa aguilleira (@mraguilleira) November 9, 2018
Wow! @ImHarmanpreet 💯 not a bad way to start the World T20 https://t.co/FHL0cn2Ue0
— Alex Blackwell (@AlexBlackwell2) November 9, 2018
3 from 15 to 103 from 51! 😳@ImHarmanpreet maiden T20 💯 was all class and has set the tone for the #WT20. #HarmanpreetKaur 👊🏽👏🏽💪🏽
— Mel Jones (@meljones_33) November 9, 2018
Wow! @ImHarmanpreet lighting up the tournament first game @WorldT20 @ICC @BCCIWomen 💯 🔥🔥 #bosh
— Isa Guha (@isaguha) November 9, 2018
She’s Harmanpreet Kaur of Indian Women’s Team. 😊🙌 https://t.co/v52iKMncfX
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 9, 2018
Well played Kaur 👏🏽 Amazing innings and great start to the #WT20 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
— Hayley Matthews (@MyNameIs_Hayley) November 9, 2018
The India bench applaud a fantastic century from captain @ImHarmanpreet! 👏 👏 👏#NZvIND #WT20 pic.twitter.com/E0ee6ZvcQ8
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 9, 2018
What a magnificent 💯 by @ImHarmanpreet 🔥
#applause 👌#WatchThis— Kainat Imtiaz (@kainatimtiaz16) November 9, 2018
What a start to women’s t20 cricket World Cup.Brilliant batting by @JemiRodrigues to keep things calm in the middle & supporting @ImHarmanpreet who played an unbelievable knock to become 1st Indian women to score t20 hundred 👏👏.I’m sure bowlers can pull things off from here👊
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) November 9, 2018
Great innings from @ImHarmanpreet. This is what we expect from the @WorldT20.
All the best to @windieswomen for their game against Bangladesh later tonight. #WT20
— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards) November 9, 2018
It wasn't exactly a difficult decision 😎
Congratulations @ImHarmanpreet 👏#WatchThis #WT20 pic.twitter.com/Yo9pVDACXp— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 9, 2018
