Melbourne Renegades star Harmanpreet Kaur became the first Indian player to be named the Women Big Bash League (WBBL). Player of the Tournament, while Phoebe Litchfield has been named the Young Gun of Weber WBBL|07. Harmanpreet Kaur enjoyed a dominant season in red, ending the regular season as her side's leading batter with 399 runs and bowler with 15 wickets. Kaur was voted as the competition's top player by the standing umpires at each match. Polling 31 votes to finish three clear of Perth Scorchers pair Beth Mooney and Sophie Devine on 28 votes each.
Grace Harris (25 votes) and Georgia Redmayne (24 votes), both of the Brisbane Heat, and Hurricanes batter Mignon du Preez (24 votes) round out the top six.
Kaur joins New Zealand pair Devine (twice) and Amy Satterthwaite as international players to be awarded the competition's top individual honour, with Mooney, Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry also previous recipients.
"We have a team that has gelled together. We support each other and that's what we have been doing. I haven't put any extra pressure on myself, I've just enjoyed being here and supporting my teammates," she added.
On the other hand, Sydney Thunder's Phoebe Litchfield was named Weber WBBL|07's 'Young Gun'. The Young Gun award is given to the best player under 21 years of age, as selected by Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel.
The 18-year-old juggled her NSW Higher School Certificate commitments throughout the campaign while starring at number three in an injury-hit Thunder outfit, scoring 263 runs in the tournament.
Previous winners of the award are Darcie Brown, Hannah Darlington, Georgia Wareham, Sophie Molineux, Ashleigh Gardner and Lauren Cheatle.
"It means a lot to be recognised with this award. It's a surprise, to be honest. I could think of a number of other young players who would be deserving of this award, which is really exciting for the future," said Phoebe Litchfield.
"Batting at No. 3 was a challenge but also a great opportunity. I was very privileged that Trevor Griffin trusted me with that spot and I hope I made the most of it," she added.
Esha Oza currently holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is, with four centuries in the format. Explore the list of players with such century records!
Scoring a century in any form of cricket is a moment of glory, but in the fast-paced format of T20s, it gets more exciting to watch. Numerous cricketers have consistently proved themselves in this format by delivering spectacular tons.
The list goes deep as we have such power-hitters from around the globe!
Join us as we explore the list of players with most centuries in WT20Is and celebrate their glorious innings.
1. Esha Oza (4 centuries) | UAE
Esha Oza in action against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup 2024. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The current captain of UAE, Esha Oza, holds the record for most centuries in WT20Is with 4 centuries in her T20 career so far. This Indian-born cricketer made her debut in T20Is in 2018 and reached this milestone extremely fast.
She is also the fastest player from UAE to reach 1000 runs in T20Is. Her fourth century in T20Is came against Qatar in the Asia Cup qualifier, where she led her team to a brilliant victory.
Chamari Athapaththu celebrating her 113 off 66 balls against Australia in 2019. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Chamari Athapaththu, the current captain of Sri Lanka national team, holds the 2nd position in this list with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is one of the finest cricketers from Sri Lanka and led them to win the 2024 Asia Cup.
Chamari scored her first hundred in T20Is in 2019 against Australia. She scored the other following centuries in 2024 against Scotland and Malaysia.
Fatuma Kibasu celebrating her century in 2019. Image | Facebook
The former captain of Tanzania, Fatuma Kibasu, holds the 3rd position with her 3 centuries in WT20Is. She is the only Tanzanian woman to score a century at international level so far, and holds the highest individual score for her country in WT20Is.
Fatuma made her T20 debut in 2019 and played magnificently ever since!
If anyone has followed cricket casually over the last decade, they're likely familiar with four key names: former Indian captain Virat Kohli, batting genius Steve Smith, English great Joe Root, and New Zealand's all-time leading run-scorer Kane Williamson.
They together are known as the 'Fab Four' in the modern era of cricket.
Each of them has set new benchmarks for performance, continually pushing one another to enhance their skills. These four batsmen have not only dominated the world of cricket but have also met the expectations of their respective nations.
In this article, we will examine the statistics of the Fab Four across all formats.
Fav Four in cricket: How many runs & centuries have they scored in International Cricket?
Virat Kohli has been the most prolific all-format batter among the fav-four. Kohli, till now in his 550 international games, has scored 27,599 runs with an outstanding average of 52.27. His record of 82 international centuries is only second to Sachin Tendulkar's 100 international centuries.
Joe Root comes in second among them with 20,724 runs so far for England across formats. However, undoubtedly, he has been the best test batter of his generation with 12972 test runs, which sets him as the highest test run scorer for England. Root has also scored 53 international hundreds, of which 36 came in tests only.
Kane Williamson, New Zealand's highest runscorer in international cricket, comes at number three in terms of international runs among the fav four. The former Kiwi leader has scored 19,086 runs so far in his career at an average of 48.56. Kane is now only two short of reaching 50 international hundreds.
Aussie great Steven Smith comes at four with 17,165 runs at an average of 47.81. A late bloomer with the bat, Smith has been outstanding for Australia in tests and ODIs. Along with Root, Smith has also been one of the greatest test batters of this generation.
Here is a comparison of international stats of the fav four.
Deandra Dottin's iconic century off 38 balls is the fastest in the history of Women's T20Is. Here are the phenomenal top 10 fastest centuries in women's T20Is.
Centuries in T20Is are a treat to watch. Over the years, some incredible cricketing talents across the globe have set the bar high with their records. This article celebrates the art of power-hitting by logging the top 10 fastest centuries in Women's cricket.
Check out the Top 10s that left the fans and bowlers amazed in the competitive T20 format.
10. Hayley Matthews | (53 balls) vs Australia, 2023
Hayley Matthews celebrating her fastest T20 century against Australia in 2023. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The West Indies captain Hayley Matthews scored a crucial ton in their record-breaking run chase against Australia. She is known for excelling in the T20 format. They succeeded in defeating Australia on their home soil with the help of this knock in 2023.
Matthews has scored 2 centuries in T20Is so far. It took her only 53 balls for this, which makes it one of the fastest centuries in Women's cricket.
9. Meg Lanning | (53 balls) vs Ireland, 2014
Meg Lanning, the former Australian captain, holds the ninth position with her timeless century against Ireland in the Women's T20 World Cup, 2014. Lanning is one of the finest cricketers of all time, with seven World Cup titles under her name.
She scored 125 runs off 65 balls in this innings and was also the top run-scorer of the tournament.
The former captain of the Nepal Women's Team, Rubina Chhetry, scored a record-breaking century in a match of ACC Women's Premier Cup against Maldives in 2024. She hit 10 fours and 5 sixes, leading the team to a total of 227 runs on the board.
Her century off 52 balls paved the way to achieve one of the highest totals of Women's T20Is by an Asian country.
7. Danni Wyatt-Hodge | (52 balls) vs India, 2018
Danni Wyatt-Hodge after her record-breaking ton against India in 2018. Image | BBC
The attacking opener of England Women's Team, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, scored a magnificent century from just 52 balls against India in 2018. She’s widely known for her composed batting style in this format, providing a headstart to the team.
Wyatt helped England reach the milestone of one of the highest successful run chases in the history of Women's T20Is with her vital knock.
This is yet another ton from the Australian legend that became one of the fastest centuries in women's cricket, making her appear on the list twice. She took 53 balls to score the century, and was also unbeaten in the inning.
Lanning also holds the record for most centuries in Women's ODIs, which says a lot about her exceptional abilities.
5. Fargana Hoque | (51 balls) vs Maldives, 2019
Fargana Hoque celebrating her maiden T20 century off 51 balls against Maldives. Image | Sports Tak
Fargana Hoque, the right-handed Bangladeshi batter scored her maiden T20 century off 51 balls in 2019, which was fastest in a lot. With this remarkable century against Maldives, Hoque became the second woman from Bangladesh to score a T20 century.
4. Harmanpreet Kaur | (49 balls) vs New Zealand, 2018
Harmanpreet Kaur, the current Indian captain, secured the fourth position with her maiden T20 century in 2018. She scored this off just 49 balls during the ICC Women's World T20, against New Zealand.
Kaur showcased some fearless cricketing class and became the first Indian woman to score a century in a T20 International.
3. Tamsin Beaumont | (47 balls) vs South Africa, 2018
Tamsin Beaumont, the right-handed English batter, scored an impressive century off 47 balls against South Africa in 2018. She is known for her ability to score runs in all cricketing formats and noteworthy fielding.
2. Alyssa Healy | (46 balls) vs Sri Lanka, 2019
The current Australian captain, Alyssa Healy, scored her maiden T20 century off 46 balls against Sri Lanka in 2019. In this inning, she played a spectacular knock of 148* from 61 balls, which is the highest individual score in women's T20Is by an Australian.
This performance brings her to the second position in the table of fastest centuries in Women's cricket of all time.
1. Deandra Dottin | (38 balls) vs South Africa, 2010
Deandra Dottin smashing the fastest century in the history of Women's T20Is in 2010. Image | Associated press
As we come down to the final name, Deandra Dottin’s extraordinary century off 38 balls is the long-standing record that has remained in the no. 1 rank for over a decade. This West Indies all-rounder scored her groundbreaking maiden century against South Africa in 2010.
Dottin is the first woman to score a century in the history of T20 cricket. She is widely recognised for her explosive batting power and has set an unforgettable benchmark worldwide.
Ranji Trophy was founded as the 'Cricket Championship of India' at a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India in July 1934. The first Ranji Trophy fixtures took place in the 1934-35 season.
Mumbai are the most successful state in Ranji's history, winning 42 titles, including 15 consecutive trophies between 1958 and 1973. Here is the Ranji Trophy winners list since the inaugural season.
Mumbai - The most successful team in the Ranji Trophy
Mumbai with the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy. Image | PTI
Mumbai are the most successful first-class team in Indian domestic cricket across different competitions. They have won the Ranji Trophy title a total of 42 times and also won the inaugural season of this prestigious tournament.
Mumbai won seven out of the first 20 seasons and then between the 1950s and 1970s, they won 20 out of 22 titles in the Ranji Trophy. Mumbai's latest title came in the 2023-24 season.
Karanataka players after winning their second consecutive Ranji Trophy title in 2014-15 season. Image | PTI
After Mumbai, Karnataka have won the most Ranji Trophies (8) followed by Delhi (7), Baroda (5), and Madhya Pradesh (5). Karnataka have been part of the tournament since the inaugural season. They had to wait until the 1973-74 edition to lift their maiden title. Their latest win came in the 2014-15 edition.
Delhi won their maiden Ranji title in 1978-79 and their most recent win came in the 2007-08 edition while Baroda made their first-class debut in 1937 and won their maiden title in 1942-43.
Madhya Pradesh have also won five titles after their debut in the 1941 season. They won their first Ranji title in 1945-46, defeating Baroda in the finals.
How Technology is Revolutionizing Cricket and Football Training
Modern technologies have often significantly impacted sports, especially benefitting two of the most popular sports, Cricket and Football. Sportz Point explores how technology revolutionized cricket and football training.
Technology is quickly changing how players train in football and cricket, transforming conventional practices for these games and it is redefining human performance.
The role of technology in these two popular sports is visible, from relying on sensors which monitor all activity; to virtual reality simulations that aid decision-making,
In recent years, technology has become smaller, more robust, and versatile, and thus new opportunities, especially in sports, have emerged. At the moment, updates are provided through smartphones, wearable functionality is used to avoid injury, GPS is used to track movement, and players are outfitted with sensors that send real-time information to a coach's device.
This article addresses the state-of-the-art equipment and approaches that are changing the paradigm of training, player development, and the game itself.
How Technology is Changing Cricket and Football Training
1. Wearable Technology
Whoop, a wearable fitness device worn by athletes. (Image Credit | The Indian Express)
Trainers can invoke sensors wired to the body or some portion of "smart clothing" for measurement and monitoring in real-time. The real-time displays can be used to help the trainer determine what every sportsperson should push more. During training practice, trainers can use real-time measures to inform when to stretch, rest, or make training more challenging.
Laser and GPS are both being used more and more in different aspects of sports preparation. Instead of looking only at times and splits, coaches can measure athletes' exact position, distance, velocity, and acceleration, to better analyze their areas of improvement.
2. Video Analysis Tools
(Image Credit | SkySports)
Modern-day football is becoming faster and more tactical. Athletes have to acquire both their athleticism and tactical awareness to enhance their decision-making process in the course of play. Video analysis is used for both individual and team tactical development.
In football, video analysis usually consists of a careful analysis and examination of game matches, practice, and player activity, to assess player performance, tactics, and strategies. Advanced technologies such as wearable tracking units and video analysis techniques are used in the process of achieving these things to capture and analyze critical elements of data, e.g., player location, combinations of teams, and player movements.
Video analysis can be used by coaches, analysts, and players to obtain a more complete picture of what goes on around the ball by giving a graphical representation of the game happening around them.
Video analysis can help a group of individuals to recognize the points of improvement, e.g., to enhance the winning approach and cope with different match situations effectively as the tool between the raw performance data and useful insights.
3. Virtual Reality (VR) Training
(Image Credit | The Telegraph)
Virtual Reality (VR) applications have been of considerable interest in many high-performance and entertainment applications over the past few years with advances in technology, increased availability, and the mobility of VR systems.
More precisely, by embedding environmental constraints within an interactive virtual space, VR can also be used to train in motor, mental, and cognitive skills, strategy, and tactics.
VR offers promising novel solutions to many professional high-pressure, high-skill environments, especially for the training, and learning of difficult skills in otherwise expensive and/or hazardous settings. When properly used, VR provides complete control over the training environment, including cues and challenges, along with safe and reproducible training tasks.
Because of this, it is designated as a promising instrument, which could help increase athletes' performance.
4. Biomechanical Analysis
(Image Credit | jpmer.com)
The scientific study of biomechanics focuses on the physics and mechanics of how organisms move. In its general sense, it may include anything from knowing how a dancer entirely moves the whole body to the microscopic muscle cell-level response and observing the posture of an active horse.
Biomechanics is a narrower area in sports, which can offer helpful input to sportsmen, trainers, and sports medicine professionals who can help to enhance performance and decrease the chance of injury.
All of these biomechanical tests, including poor kinematics, rotational forces in specific joints, muscle imbalances, fatigue monitoring, and the quality of the movement being rehabilitated, may be detected.
5. Data Analytics
(Image Credit | Mad About Sports)
Data analytics has optimized athletes' performance by identifying previously unknown factors and related events. Those actions include, for example, leg motion, dive angle, rotational speed, and fluid motion.
Trainers can help players to successfully use this type of sophisticated movement tracking. If it is on the order of milliseconds, it can be the deciding factor for a race win or loss.
6. Recovery Technology
(Image Credit | DigitalDefynd)
A significant reduction in injury levels and faster detection times demonstrates how technology greatly benefits sports training. Performance monitoring, movement processing, and improving communication are not only advantages but also contribute to making less susceptible environments.
Trainers and coaches can use training management software to monitor the specific training-based elements related to, for example, energy, nutrition, and sleep, that constitute the training process. Individualization of practices by trainers or coaches to optimize results helps prevent fatigue and self-inflicted injuries.
Besides the unavoidable external factors, injury-free sports may eventually be realized as a future scenario.
7. Communication and Collaboration Tools
(Image credit | Faster Capital)
Training communication has been enhanced by tools such as YouTube. YouTube contains millions of minutes of exercise and entertainment that are available to, and easily shared by anyone.
Physicists, especially in the area of sport and motor control, need to put much more emphasis on teaching sport and motor control with play debates or footage from films for their continuing education.1 Athletes and coaches can load and view the required films during sports practice or leisure time.
Other communication technologies have further been developed, namely My Fitness Pal, computer or mobile-phone journals on food and exercise, and personal digital health. My Fitness Pal enables trainers to monitor athletes' everyday diets, and players would be responsible for their training.
Follow Us
/sportzpoint/media/post_attachments/eee8f85c838365031898986fc057fd933c5d11d60a1ed5cc5435ab4a5bd5c864.jpg)
