Indian cricketer Kiran Navgire grabbed the headlines after she smashed the fastest fifty in the 2022 edition of the Women’s T20 Challenge.

Representing team Velocity on her Women’s T20 Challenge debut, Kiran Navgire achieved the feat in just 25 balls against defending champions Trailblazers. Navire broke the previous record held by teammate Shafali Verma, who had notched a fifty in 30 balls while playing against Supernovas.

Navire’s swashbuckling innings included five fours and five sixes including an 89-meter huge maximum.

Born in Solapur, a city located in the south-western region of the Indian state of Maharashtra, Navire represented Pune University in athletic events in disciplines such as javelin throw, shot put and relay running. She won several medals and trophies.

However, in 2016, Navgire decided to leave athletics and pursue her career in cricket.

MS Dhoni inspired Navgire to become a cricketer 

Having invested most of her time in athletics, Kho-Kho and Kabaddi during her formative years, MS Dhoni’s match-winning six in 2011 World Cup final inspired Navgire to become a cricketer.

“I watched the 2011 World Cup final and Dhoni sir's winning sixer is something that impresses me even now. That six inspired me to hit sixes that way and it has inspired me in every match, that I can hit a six like that and finish matches," Navgire told her teammate Yastika Bhatia in a video on bcci.tv.

Impressing in Senior Women’s T20 Trophy

Despite starting her cricketing career with Maharashtra, Kiran Navgire switched to Nagaland in search for greener pastures.

While playing for Nagaland, Navgire stole the limelight after she clobbered 162 off just 76 balls against Arunachal Pradesh in her very first match of Senior Women’s T20 Trophy in 2022. During her incredible innings, she became the first Indian, male or female, to score over 150 runs in a T20 match.

Navgire finished as the highest run-scorer in the tournament, amassing 525 runs for Nagaland, smashing 35 sixes and 54 fours. 

Apart from her destructive batting capabilities, she also claimed seven wickets in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy.

Having showcased her power-hitting credentials and all-round capabilities in the two T20 tournaments, Navgire has a strong case to be picked in the Indian women’s cricket team and fulfil her dream of lifting the World Cup.

“My aim is to guide India to a World Cup title and I am working hard to make it to the Indian team. I hope my performances will help,” she told Sportstar.

Featured photo: Indian T20 League