Standout knocks in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history
From Harmanpreet Kaur’s rescue act to Deandra Dottin’s historic blitz, we revisit the innings that defined the tournament’s biggest stages.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup has consistently delivered moments where individual brilliance meets the weight of the occasion. Across editions, it has been a stage where players have stepped up under pressure to produce innings that have gone on to define both matches and memories.
With the next edition set to take centre stage from June 12, we take a look back at some of the best knocks in the tournament’s history.
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Deandra Dottin raises her bat after a sensational century at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2010 // Getty Images
Deandra Dottin - 112 v South Africa, 2010
The first-ever century in Women’s T20 internationals, and one that completely rewrote expectations. Coming in at 52 for 4 in the 10th over, Deandra Dottin produced a breathtaking unbeaten 112 off just 45 balls to turn the game on its head.
What made it even more remarkable was the pace of her scoring. She reached three figures in just 38 balls, with her second fifty coming off only 13 deliveries.
Her innings featured nine sixes and seven fours, an onslaught that lifted West Indies from trouble to a match-winning position.
In doing so, she mirrored Chris Gayle’s feat of scoring the first men’s T20I hundred in 2007, also against South Africa, but this time, West Indies ended on the winning side.
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Meg Lanning in action during her stellar knock at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2014 // Getty Images
Meg Lanning - 126 v Ireland, 2014
A record-breaking effort that still stands as the highest individual score in Women’s T20 World Cup history, Meg Lanning’s 126 off 65 balls was a masterclass.
She dictated the innings from the onset, shaping Australia’s 191 for 4 almost entirely on her own terms and ensuring the contest never drifted away.
Lanning built her knock with precision before shifting gears seamlessly. She brought up her fifty with a six off her 33rd ball at the 11.4 over mark, and once set, shifted gears to reach her century in just 53 deliveries.
Staying on the crease till the penultimate ball, her innings which was laced with 18 fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 193.84 was the match-winning deal.
NZ v IND: Harmanpreet Kaur's fantastic 103
Watch the highlights of India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's blistering knock of 103 off 51 balls against New Zealand at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2018.
Harmanpreet Kaur - 103 v New Zealand, 2018
Opening match of the 2018 edition, and a proper statement from the Indian skipper.
Walking in at 40 for 3 inside the Powerplay, Harmanpreet Kaur turned a shaky start into one of the most explosive innings in the tournament's history. Battling hot, sticky conditions, along with back issues and stomach cramps that restricted her running, she found a way to dominate.
Her innings began cautiously, with just 5 off her first 13 balls, before she launched into monster mode. From there, she smashed 98 runs off her next 38 deliveries at a strike rate of 257.89.
The death overs saw her at her most destructive with 52 runs off 17 balls at a strike rate of 305.88, including four sixes and four fours.
She brought up her hundred off 49 balls and finished with eight sixes in total, powering India to 194 for 5 – their then second-highest T20I total. It was not just a century, but a defining rescue act under pressure.
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Heather Knight's starring century in 2020 | Women's T20 World Cup
Heather Knight's stellar ton against Thailand at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020.
Heather Knight - 108 v Thailand, 2020
With England under early pressure at 7 for 2 inside the first 10 balls, Heather Knight stepped in to stabilise and then completely take control.
Her unbeaten 108 off 66 balls not only secured a 98-run win but also made her the first woman to score centuries across all three international formats. Alongside Nat Sciver-Brunt, she added an unbroken 169-run stand for the third wicket.
Knight was on 97 at the start of the final over and briefly lost the strike, but once back on it, she carved a brace through backward point to bring up her hundred off 63 balls, before marking the milestone with a towering fourth six over long-on.
From a position of vulnerability, Knight ensured England never looked back.
Alyssa Healy celebrating her half-century against India at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2020 Final // Getty Images
Alyssa Healy - 75 v India, 2020
Big finals demand big performances, and Alyssa Healy delivered one that set the tone from the very first ball. Charging down the track to Deepti Sharma and finding the boundary, she made her intent clear immediately.
An early dropped chance only added to India’s troubles as Healy raced away, striking five boundaries inside the first two overs. By the end of the Powerplay, Australia were firmly in control at 49 for 0.
Her acceleration was relentless. A 30-ball fifty included towering sixes, notably off Rajeshwari Gayakwad and three consecutive strikes against Shikha Pandey.
Her 75 off 39 laid the foundation for Australia’s fifth T20 World Cup title, earning her the Player of the Match award in the Final.