Women’s cricket has been steadily moving up the ranks over the years, with many stars of the game having gone on to script history. After Australia's Belinda Clark scored the first-ever double century in Women's ODI during the 1997 Women’s World Cup held in India, it took 21 years for the second 200+ score to be achieved, as the national teams got more competitive.
With New Zealand's Amelia Kerr celebrating two years of her stupendous innings wherein she hit an unbeaten 232 against Ireland, we look at five of the highest individual scores in Women ODI history:
173* Charlotte Edwards vs Ireland (December 1997)
England's Charlotte Edwards went on to score what would later become the fifth-highest individual score in Women’s ODI when England faced off against Ireland in the 1997 Women's World Cup in Pune. The skipper, who opened the batting for her side, carried the bat for her team as she went on to score an unbeaten 173 off 155 balls at a strike rate of 111.61. England went on to score 324 at the loss of just three wickets. In response, Ireland could just manage 116 runs, with England winning the game by 208 runs.
178* Chamari Jayangani vs Australia (June 2017)
Squaring off against the mighty Aussies during the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England, top-order batswoman Chamari Jayangani scored an unbeaten 178 as her other teammates collapsed around her. Only two other Sri Lankan players managed to reach the double figures, as Chamari went on to hit her third ODI century. She singlehandedly led her team to 257/9, which was easily chased down by the Aussie stars, courtesy some strong batting from Nicole Bolton and skipper Meg Lanning.
188 Deepti Sharma vs Ireland (May 2017)
Then just 19, India's Deepti Sharma took the cricketing world by storm when she scored what is now the third-highest individual score in Women's ODI history.
India were taking on Ireland in the Quadrangular Series in South Africa and went on to register a 320-run opening wicket partnership, the highest in Women’s ODIs. Smashing every ball thrown at her way, Deepti scored 188 off 160 deliveries, which included 27 fours and two sixes. India went on to score 358 runs, losing just two wickets, while Ireland only managed to score 109 runs.
229* Belinda Clark vs Denmark (December 1997)
During the 1997 Women’s World Cup, Australian skipper Belinda Clark scripted her own place in history when she went on to score an unbeaten 229 against a lowly Denmark side. Clark scored the landmark total in just 155 balls at a strike rate of 147.74. With the support of her opening partner Lisa Keightley and then Karen Rolton, Clark led her side to a mammoth total of 412 runs. In response to this, Denmark were bowled out for just 49 runs.
Australia registered the third-highest ODI victory by 363 runs on the way to their fourth ICC title in six World Cups.
232* Amelia Kerr vs Ireland (June 2018)
When Amelia Kerr broke Belinda Clark’s 21-year-old record during New Zealand’s tour of England and Ireland in 2018, little did she know the significance of the score.
New Zealand had already scored the highest ever total in ODI history in the first match of the series, but when Kerr was sent in to open against Ireland, she went on a rampage, scoring an unbeaten 232 off 145 balls, at a strike rate of 160. She led her team to their third 400+ score of the series, as New Zealand piled up 440 runs for Ireland to chase. Ireland only managed 135 and Kerr picked up five wickets as well, establishing her place as one of the best all-rounders in Women’s cricket.
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @T20WorldCup
