Devine crashes record fast 50

The White Ferns made a spectacular record start to their threematch Twenty20 international series against India at Bengaluru, after stand-in captain Sophie Devine smashing the fastest T20 half-century in women’s cricket history.

Devine, who was deputising for regular captain Suzie Bates (out with a stomach bug), smashed her half-century off 18 balls en route to a career-best 22-ball 70, at a strike rate of 318.18. It was Devine’s second Twenty20 international halfcentury and broke West Indian Deandra Dottin’s fastest Twenty20 international 50 world record, which had stood at 22 balls, set in 2009.

Devine’s 89-run stand with Amy Satterthwaite for the second wicket was completed in just 4.4 overs, before Devine was caught in the sixth over by Sneh Rana -whose own bowling had been savaged for 32 runs per over.

Having dismissed India for 125 with one ball to spare, the destructive hitting ensured the White Ferns cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket victory with 45 balls to spare, Devine having blasted five boundaries and eight sixes -bettered in the women’s Twenty20 international records only by Dottin, who has struck nine sixes in an innings.

Earlier, Kate Broadmore and Twenty20 international debutante Leigh Kasperek (2-18) had put the brakes on India after captain and opener Mithali Raj had got off to a flier after being sent in, Raj scorching to 35 off 23 balls before she was run out by the New Zealand’s other Twenty20 international debutante Natalie Dodd.

Broadmore picked up 3-16 off her set of four overs while spinner Morna Nielsen wrapped up the innings with 3-30 off 3.9 overs.

‘‘The most important thing is we got the win after being pipped in the one-day international series,’’ said Devine afterwards. ‘‘It was my day today, everything I hit seemed to come off. There were a few hockey swings out there, but when it’s your day, you’ve got to make the most of it.’’

The second match of the series is on Monday at the same venue.