Zimbabwe Women youngster Kelis Ndlovu created history last Sunday (24th April) as she became the youngest left-handed batter to score 50 or more runs in a T20 international innings, considering both men’s and women’s formats.
Zimbabwe Women faced the hosts Namibia Women during that eighth game of the Capricorn Women's Tri-Series 2022 at Windhoek. After the home team chose to field first, Zimbabwe Women scored 156/0 in 20 overs. It was the fourth time when a team batted the entire 20 overs of a Women’s T20I match without losing any wicket. Among those four totals, the latest 156/0 was the lowest total.
Kelis Ndlovu recorded her first WT20I half-century at the age of 16 years and 159 days
In that 156 runs unbeaten opening partnership, the 16-year-old left-handed batter Kelis Ndlovu scored 58 not out off 63 balls with the help of three boundaries and only over-boundary. Meanwhile, her right-handed opening partner Sharne Mayers remained unbeaten for 68 runs off 57 balls (9 fours and only six).
Kushal Malla was the previous record holder who created that record exactly a year ago
Ndlovu was only 16 years and 159 days old during her maiden WT20I half-century. Previously, the record holder of the youngest left-handed batter to score 50 or more runs in a T20 international innings was a male. Nepal cricketer Kushal Malla was holding that record when he scored 50 not out at the age of 17 years and 50 days against the Netherlands at Kirtipur. Interestingly, Ndlovu broke that record on the exact first anniversary as Kushal recorded on 24th April 2021.
In the meantime, UAE women cricketer Theertha Satish was previously holding the record of the youngest left-handed batter to score 50 or more runs in a WT20I match. She scored 64 not out at the age of 17 years and 223 days against Bhutan Women at ICCA 2 Dubai on 25th November 2021.
Youngest left-handed batter to score 50 or more runs in a T20 international innings (Men’s + Women’s)
Player (Team) | Gender | Runs scored | Age | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Kelis Ndlovu (Zimbabwe Women) | Woman | 58* | 16 years and 159 days | Namibia Women | Windhoek | 24th April 2022 |
Kushal Malla (Nepal) | Man | 50* | 17 years and 50 days | Netherlands | Kirtipur | 24th April 2021 |
Theertha Satish (UAE Women) | Woman | 64* | 17 years and 223 days | Bhutan Women | ICCA 2 Dubai | 25th November 2021 |
Bismah Maroof (Pakistan Women) | Woman | 50* | 17 years and 329 days | Sri Lanka Women | Taunton | 12th June 2009 |
Smriti Mandhana (India Women) | Woman | 52 | 18 years and 135 days | South Africa Women | Bengaluru | 30th November 2014 |
Maurice Castillo (Belize) | Man | 59 | 18 years and 276 days | Bahamas | North Sound | 11th November 2021 |
Saum Mtae (Tanzania Women) | Woman | 52 | 18 years and 307 days | Eswatini Women | Gaborone (Oval 1) | 14th September 2021 |
Junaid Siddique (Bangladesh) | Man | 71 | 19 years and 325 days | Pakistan | Cape Town | 20th September 2007 |
Afif Hossain (Bangladesh) | Man | 52 | 19 years and 356 days | Zimbabwe | Mirpur | 13th September 2019 |
Mohammad Naim (Bangladesh) | Man | 81 | 20 years and 80 days | India | Nagpur | 10th November 2019 |
Kelis Ndlovu is now the 5th youngest to score 50 or more runs in a WT20I innings
On the other hand, Kelis Ndlovu became the fifth youngest cricketer to score 50 or more runs in a WT20I innings.
Player (Team) | Runs scored | Age | Opposition | Venue | Date |
Kavisha Egodage (UAE Women) | 57* | 15 years and 267 days | Malaysia Women | Bangkok | 15th January 2019 |
Shafali Verma (India Women) | 73 | 15 years and 285 days | West Indies Women | Gros Islet | 9th November 2019 |
Shafali Verma (India Women) | 69* | 15 years and 286 days | West Indies Women | Gros Islet | 10th November 2019 |
Adri van der Merwe (Namibia Women) | 57 | 16 years and 78 days | Lesotho Women | Gaborone (Oval 1) | 23rd August 2018 |
Kelis Ndlovu (Zimbabwe Women) | 58* | 16 years and 159 days | Namibia Women | Windhoek | 24th April 2022 |
Zimbabwe Women won by 67 runs
Coming back to the game, Namibia Women only managed to score 89/6 in 20 overs as Zimbabwe Women won that game by 67 runs. Only the openers Sune Wittmann (23) and Jurriene Diergaardt (21) managed to reach the 20-run marks in that chasing.
Both Zimbabwe Women (10 points in six games) and Namibia Women (6 points in five matches) have qualified for the final of this WT20I tri-series, while the hosts Namibia Women still have to play against Uganda Women (0 points in five games) once more in the ongoing league stage of this tournament.
