Lowest scores in women’s T20I cricket: Mali, Maldives share unwanted record

The Mali women’s cricket team and the Maldives share the record for the lowest score in women’s T20I cricket.

Mali were the first country to be dismissed for the lowest T20 score, as Bangladesh women bowled them out for just six runs in their match at the 2019-20 South Asian Games. In all, Mali batted for 12.1 overs. 

Opting to bat first, Bangladesh hit 255/2 in 20 overs. Mali, in turn, had eight batters out for zero runs, with Ritu Moni and Salma Khatun grabbing three wickets each for the Bangla women.

The Maldives women’s cricket team matched Mali’s unwanted total when they were restricted to six runs by Rwanda women in their 2019 Kwibuka Women's Twenty20 Tournament match.

The Maldives batted first, with opener Mariam Samake the only batter to register a single run on the scoreboard. With five extras (two byes, two leg-byes and one wide), the Youma Sangare-led team managed six runs after nine overs.

Rwanda, in turn, chased the seven-run target just four deliveries into their innings.

Two days later, Maldives women would again be dismissed for a team score under 10 runs.

Facing Nepal women, Maldives were bowled out for eight runs in 11.3 overs, with Anjali Chand grabbing four wickets for one run.

The Mali women’s cricket team’s scores of 10 and 11 against Uganda women and Tanzania women in June 2019 complete the top five list for the lowest score in women’s T20I cricket.

Among Test-playing nations, the lowest T20I score has been registered by the Netherlands women’s cricket team.

Chasing 134 in a 2019 T20I against Thailand women, Juliët Post’s Dutch team were reduced to 40 all out in 12 overs. Thailand’s Suleeporn Laomi and Ratanaporn Padunglerd were the wrecker-in-chiefs as they registered three-wicket hauls in their respective spells.

Meanwhile, the Indian women’s cricket team’s lowest score in T20 is 62 all out against Australia in 2011.

In their 2011 quadrangular series match at the Toby Howe Cricket Ground in Billericay, Jhulan Goswami’s team were put to bat first and were bowled out in 18.2 overs.

Harmanpreet Kaur was the top run-getter for India, with 41 runs in 49 balls, as Australia’s Sarah Coyte registered a match-winning spell of four wickets at the cost of a mere five runs.

Lowest score in women’s T20I

Author: William Paul

Featured photo: AFP / JACK TAYLOR