The stage is set for the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 which is set to be played in South Africa from February 10 to February 26. The marquee tournament will see 10 teams, including three former champions, battling out for the coveted title. In the eighth edition of the tournament, the ten teams will be divided into two groups of five and each team will face each team of their respective group in single round-robin format with the top two teams progressing to the knock-out round. Defending and record champions Australia have been drawn alongside hosts South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Group 1, while India are grouped along with 2009 winner England, 2016 winner West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland in Group 2.
With marquee tournament around the corner, let's walk down the memory lane and talk about a historical women's T20I match which shattered all records to storm into the book of world record. Back in March 20, 2022 history was made when Bahrain, a nation with a population of 14 lakh, scripted a world record after smashing the highest total in women's T20I innings against Saudi Arabia.
World record of 318/1
Bahrain Women posted a monstrous total of 318/1 against Saudi Arabian women in the GCC Women's T20I Championship which was played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman, on March 20, 2022.
Saudi Arabia won the toss and opted to field first. Bahrain women smacked the Saudi Arabian bowlers right from the beginning, especially Tharanga Gajanayake. While Rasika Rodrigo only scored 13 off 11 balls, Tharanga continued to smack the bowlers from the other end. Deepika Rasangika joined Tharanga and the duo added 255 runs in 16.4 overs - the highest partnership for the second wicket and second-highest partnership in a women's T20I match. Tharanga remained unbeaten at 94 off 56 with the help of 17 fours.
Deepika's towering 161 hogged limelight
Deepika, on the other end, scored 161 from 66 balls with the help of 31 fours to becomes the first woman cricketer to score 150-plus runs in a T20I game.
Bahrain scored 318 runs in the 20 overs, but interestingly they didn't hit any six through the innings but a record 50 boundaries were hit in the inning. Saudi Arabia conceded 50 extra runs, 34 wides, 13 no-balls, 2 byes, and a leg bye. Before this, the highest total scored in a T20I inning was by Uganda Women, 314 vs Mali in 2019. Maira Khan conceded the most runs for Saudi Arabia, 68 in four overs. Emaan Ejaz took the sole wicket of the inning but conceded 63 runs in her fours overs. There was a clear contrast between the two bowling cards. The best Saudi Arabian bowler conceded 13 runs an over and the worst bowler for Bahrain conceded 3.5 runs an over.
In reply, Saudi Arabia women could only score 49/8 as they lost the match by 269 runs and handed Bahrain the second-highest win in terms of runs in a women's T20I game.
