The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies men’s team have congratulated Deandra Dottin on her amazing century for West Indies Women against South Africa Women in the opening match of the ICC World T20 Tournament. Playing at Warner Park in St Kitts, the 18-year-old right-hander from Barbados, hit nine sixes and seven fours in a record-breaking 112 not out off just 45 balls.
Deandra Dottin
She created history by becoming the first woman to make a T20 century. She also took the record for the fastest ever century by either a man or a woman in ICC World Twenty20 cricket beating Chris Gayle, who made a hundred in 50 balls also against South Africa in the opening match of ICC World Twenty20 in Johannesburg in 2007.
Dottin’s first 50 came in 25 balls – three more than her own record of 22 balls set last year – but the second 50 took just 13 balls. Dottin’s sixth-wicket partnership of 118 with Shanel Daley, is also the highest in any male or female Twenty20 match comfortably beating the record of 77 set by Australia’s Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.
Dr Julian Hunte, President of the WICB was at Warner Park to see Dottin’s display. He described the innings as “truly remarkable”. “On behalf of the WICB and all cricket lovers of the Caribbean I want to congratulate Deandra on this superb achievement. It was a truly remarkable display of power-hitting, but it was not swiping. She was controlled, poised and looked relaxed at the crease.”
Dr Hunte added: “It was a complete job. This will do a lot for women’s cricket in the Caribbean and all around the world. If there were any doubts about women’s cricket before, Deandra has erased all doubts. Women’s cricket is now truly on the map.”
Dottin is the cousin of West Indies Men’s Head Coach Ottis Gibson. The two spoke on the morning of the match and he wished her all the best. “When I got the news of Deandra’s knock I smiled. She had promised something special. She is a very confident young lady and I’m thrilled that she performed so well. She is a hard-worker and a positive thinker, so when you put those two together you will get success.”
West Indies Men’s Captain Chris Gayle said: “I want to ‘shout out’ to Deandra and congratulate her on her brilliant knock. I can only imagine what it must have been like seeing the ball disappearing to all parts of park. She took my record from me so I’m happy it stayed right here in the West Indies. I hope she keeps up the good work and plays more innings like that to help the girls to go all the way. We will be backing them.”