"Celebrating women's day in style!" - Fans erupt as Sophia Dunkley smashes fastest fifty for GG vs RCB in WPL 2023
Gujarat Giants batter Sophia Dunkley smashed the fastest fifty in the ongoing Womenβs Premier League (WPL 2023) on Wednesday, March 8.
After failing to deliver against the UP Warriorz (13 runs) in her previous game, Dunkley came out all guns blazing against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), scoring fifty off 18 balls. The 24-year-old scored 65 off just 28 balls at a strike rate of 232.14, which included three sixes and 11 boundaries.
The England batter also hit 23 runs in the fifth over bowled by Preeti Bose. Dunkleyβs exceptional performance helped the Giants post 64/1 at the end of the powerplay overs.
The right-hander was caught by Heather Knight at long-off in the eighth over off Shreyanka Patil.
Just π’π±π±ππ’πΆπ₯π
#GGvRCB #TATAWPL #BringItOn
https://t.co/hk3Z83fYor
Dunkley, with a base price of INR 30 lakh, was sold for Rs 60 lakh to GG after a bidding war with Delhi Capitals at the WPL 2023 auction. So far, she has played 44 T20s, scoring 652 runs (excluding today's knock).
Fans were delighted with Dunkleyβs power-packed innings in a must-win game for the Gujarat Giants.
One fan wrote on Twitter:
"Sophia Dunkley celebrating women's day in style! 18 ball 50!"
Sophia Dunkley celebrating women's day in style! 18 ball 50!
#WomensDay #WPL
Here are some of the other best Twitter reactions:
There's no stopping Sophia Dunkley! She just smashed the fastest 50 of this WPL. It took just 18 balls.
What a knock, what a player!!
Blistering innings! 18 ball 50 for Sophia Dunkley #WPL #RCBvsGG
Fastest 50th by sophia dunkley.
Wow ππ
Wow what an innings - Sophia Dunkley 50 off 18 balls!!!
Missed the first bit of the #wpl today but Sophia Dunkley looks to be in fairly good touch. #GujaratGiants #GGvRCB
Power hitting pro max by Sophia Dunkley! #WPL2023 twitter.com/imfemalecrickeβ¦
Sophia Dunkley on mad run... π³
#TATAWPL #RCBvGG
In today's match, Sophia Dunkley is on a roll! Such explosive batting!!
Fastest fifties by English players in IPL/WPL :-
18 balls - SOPHIA DUNKLEY v RCB, today
18 balls - Jos Buttler v DC, 2018
19 balls - Owais Shah v RCB, 2012
19 balls - Moeen Ali v RR, 2022
#WPL #GGvRCB
Dunkley, who missed the opening game for the Giants, was included in the playing XI in the absence of injured captain Beth Mooney.
GG vs RCB playing XI in WPL 2023
GG (Playing XI): Sabbhineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Harleen Deol, Annabel Sutherland, Sushma Verma (wk), Ashleigh Gardner, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sneh Rana (c), Kim Garth, Mansi Joshi and Tanuja Kanwar.
RCB (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana (c), Sophie Devine, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Richa Ghosh (wk), Poonam Khemnar, Kanika Ahuja, Shreyanka Patil, Megan Schutt, Renuka Thakur Singh and Preeti Bose.
Gujarat Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore are chasing their first win of the WPL 2023 season. So far, GG have lost to MI and UP by 143 runs and three wickets respectively.
Meanwhile, RCB lost their first two games against DC and MI by 60 runs and nine wickets respectively.