Thailand Spinner Nattaya Boochatham Makes History, Becomes First From Associate Nations To Claim 100 Wickets In Women's T20Is

Thailand Spinner Nattaya Boochatham Makes History, Becomes First From Associate Nations To Claim 100 (Image Source: IANS)

T20 World Cup Asia Region: Thailand spinner Nattaya Boochatham created history on Monday by becoming the first bowler from an Associate Nation to take 100 wickets in T20I cricket.

Boochatham picked a three-wicket haul during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier game against Kuwait, her figures to 3/3 taking her tally to 100 wickets in T20Is, becoming the first player, male or female, from an Associate nation to get to the landmark.

The Thailand off-spinner has been in incredible form in the Asia Region Qualifier being played in Bangi, Malaysia, registering figures of 5/5, 2/2 and 3/3 in her last three matches.

The milestone helped Boochatham become the 11th bowler in women's T20Is to get to 100 wickets.

She joined the likes of Nida Dar (126) of Pakistan, Anisa Mohammed (125) of the West Indies, Ellyse Perry (123) of Australia, Sophie Devine of New Zealand (110) and Deepti Sharma (110) of India among others in the list of bowlers with 100 or more wickets in women's T20Is. Australia's Megan Schutt leads the table with 128 wickets.

Among bowlers with more than 100 women's T20I wickets, Boochatham is the only one with an average of less than 10. She has 101 wickets at an incredible average of 9.96 and an economy rate of 4.1.

She is also the second-fastest to 100 wickets in women's T20Is after Sophie Ecclestone of England, who achieved the feat in 71 innings, one less than Boochatham. Ecclestone now has 112 wickets.

The Thailand spinner is currently ranked 38th in the ICC Women's T20I bowling rankings and is the only bowler from her country in the top 50 of the rankings.