History was created in Lagos as Fanny Utagushimaninde achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first woman to score a century on her T20I debut. At just 15 years and 223 days old, she set a new record as the youngest centurion in women’s T20Is, showcasing the significance of her achievement.
Utagushimaninde’s outstanding performance led the Rwanda women’s national cricket team to a strong total of 210 for 3 in the Nigeria Invitational Women’s T20I Tournament. Her unbeaten 111 runs off 65 balls stole the show, with Merveille Uwase contributing an unbeaten 32 runs off 19 balls. Interestingly, the extras, including 25 wides, added 28 runs to the total.
This historic moment marked the breaking of a long-standing record set by Karen Rolton, who scored 96 not out on her T20I debut back in 2005. Utagushimaninde’s achievement also surpassed Prosscovia Alako’s record as the youngest centurion in women’s T20Is, with Alako achieving the feat at 16 years and 233 days old.
Rwanda’s dominance continued as they restricted the Ghana women’s national cricket team to a mere 88 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. This victory margin of 122 runs sealed a memorable day for the teenage star and her team, solidifying their performance in the tournament.
In contrast to men’s T20I cricket, which has seen four debut centurions, none of them hail from Full Member nations. Notably, Gustav McKeon holds the record for being the youngest men’s T20I centurion at 18 years and 280 days, as reported by ESPNCricinfo.
