Uncapped Kiran Navgire is the only Indian male or woman to score over 150 in a T20 match.
Kiran Prabhu Navgire ran in college. She earned 100 medals in athletics, including a javelin gold in 2011-12. Her second sport was cricket, despite her idol being MS Dhoni.
At 22, she realised her cricket talent. She’s now in the T20I team for next month’s England visit. She played for Azam Sports Academy in Pune. She was casually hitting sixes. Her power amazed me. Gulzar Sheikh and Dr. PA Inamdar questioned her after the match where she trains.
Kiran’s response stunned Inamdar and Shaikh. She answered, “No club, mister; have fun.” I like athletics, but cricket is expensive. (I’m not a club rep. I enjoy cricket. Shaikh wants to try sports because cricket is expensive.
Kiran’s first coach, Shaikh, claims she doesn’t realise her own potential after listening to her. Kiran consented to play cricket when Inamdar and Shaikh said she wouldn’t have to pay. “She’s humble.” Farmer parents in Solapur. We assured her everything will be fine. You can play cricket at Shaikh’s academy.
A move to Nagaland
In 2016-17, she scored 429 runs in five Pune District Cricket Association matches. In 2017, she was recruited for the Maharashtra team, however she quickly moved to Nagaland.
She scored 525 runs in 2022’s Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, including 162 off 76 balls against Arunachal. Only she has scored over 150 in a T20 match for India. Yastika Bhatia (325 runs) and Shafali Verma followed Kiran (303 runs).
Kiran lead Nagaland to the quarterfinals, where she scored 56 against Kerala but lost.
Women’s T20 challenge
Her six-hitting skills got her in the Velocity Women’s T20 Challenge team. Kiran hit five sixes and five fours in a 34-ball 69. Kiran hit a six over midwicket against Bangladesh’s Salma Khatun.
“She hits hard” She told me her strength comes from assisting on her family’s farm as a child and doing sports. Shaikh says she used to throw shot put and javelin, which may explain her power.
“She loves MS Dhoni.” Every day at the nets, she tried to replicate Dhoni’s World Cup-winning six,” chuckles Shaikh. Kiran was praised for her strokeplay, but then she lost. Deandra Dottin hit Kiran with a 13-ball duck.
Her second game was just cricket. A reminder that she can’t hit sixes every day. Shaikh says that zero impacted her game strategy. She started thinking professionally after Women’s T20. Previously, she did one net session, but now she’s there from 4:30 am to 10 pm. She’ll eat at the canteen.”
This trip will be a major learning curve for her, and perhaps she can show off her potential.
