Women’s T20 Challenge 2022: Kiran Navgire and the art of power-hitting
India Today
Kiran Navgire has grabbed the headlines in the last two months and is currently playing for Deepti Sharma's Velocity in the Women's T20 Challenge 2022.
Indian women’s cricket has mostly been about the Mithali Rajs, Smriti Mandhanas and Harmanpreet Kaurs. In the last three years or so, the likes of Yastika Bhatia and Shafali Verma have come to the fore. However, all of the above are either top-order batters or someone who bats at No.4 or 5.
However, if three to four early wickets go down, India face trouble with their batting lineup. Even as the likes of Richa Ghosh and Pooja Vastrakar can play the big shots, India have lacked a genuine power-hitter.
Deandra Dottin, Chamari Athapaththu, Marizanne Kapp, Ashleigh Gardner, Nat Sciver and Sophie Devine can clear the ropes at will. After years of search, India might just have unearthed someone who can, maybe, score at a strike-rate of above 200.
Back in 2019, the Women’s T20 Challenge gave rise to a 15-year-old Shafali. This time around, it’s 27-year-old Kiran Navgire, who has taken fairly rapid strides.
The Senior Women’s T20 Trophy is yet to garner enough fandom to gain the required attention. But it’s the same tournament that gave Navgire’s career a new lease of life. After not being able to play for Maharashtra, the right-hander made a shift to Nagaland and from there on, she hasn’t looked back.
More than scoring 525 runs at a strike rate of 173, it’s her ability to generate serious power that hogged the headlines. Not even the 162 not out that she scored against Arunachal Pradesh - the highest individual scorer by an Indian batter in a T20.
It didn’t spring a surprise that she found a spot in the Women’s T20 Challenge and made her debut in the game against Harmanpreet Kaur’s Supernovas. She didn’t bat in that game even after the Velocity lost three wickets in their run-chase.
