Brought in superb form, Jemimah Rodrigues etched her name into the record books when India faced the West Indies during the very first T20I of the three-match series held at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai. The 15th of December, Sunday, was the date when this fine right-handed batter scored her fastest fifty in T20I matches, coming off just 28 balls, as India went on to score their best-ever runs against the West Indies in Women’s T20I matches.
Scoring 195 for four after being asked to field, India achieved over 185 for four in November 2019 in Gros Islet. Third on India’s T20I team score chart, behind 201 for five against the UAE in the Asia Cup earlier this year, and the old score created out of an ODI against England in 2018. Ind. 198 for four at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.
After batting at No.3, Jemimah did not put a foot wrong. Scoring 73 runs from 35 balls with an astonishing strike rate of 208.57, thanks to their nine fours and two sixes, Jemimah lit up the scene. After Uma Chetry and Smriti Mandhana provided the perfect foundation with a fine partnership of 50 runs for the opening wicket in just 6.3 overs, Jemimah came to the party.
Jemimah and Mandhana combined to add 81 runs for the second wicket at a blistering pace of 44 balls, which Jemimah got out in the last over of Indian innings being run out at the striker’s end, but by then had already taken India to a huge total.
Having completed 105 T20Is so far, Jemimah has scored 2215 runs at an average of 30.34. Her highest score was 75 not out against the UAE in the Asia Cup 2022. A meteoric rise in her career since making her debut as a school kid, Jemimah has played three Tests and 36 ODIs to date for India.