Danni Wyatt-Hodge creates history, becomes 3rd player in the world to...

England opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge entered her name into the record books on Friday (June 12) by becoming the first English and overall third player in the world to score a century in the opening match of a Women’s T20 World Cup edition.

The 35-year-old right-handed batter opened the innings for England in their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston and remained unbeaten on 105 off 62 balls. Her innings included 13 fours and one six, helping the hosts post a formidable total of 219/1 in 20 overs after Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Legendary West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin was the first player to score a century in the opening match of a Women’s T20 World Cup edition. She played an unbeaten knock of 112 runs from 45 balls against South Africa in Basseterre on May 5, 2010.

India’s Harmanpreet Kaur was the second player to achieve the feat. She scored 103 runs from 51 balls against New Zealand in the opening match of the 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup at Providence on November 9.

Players to score century in first match of Women’s T20 World Cup edition

PLAYER	TEAM	RUNS	BALLS	4/6s	STRIKE RATE	AGAINST	VENUE	DATE
Deandra Dottin	West Indies	112*	45	7/9	248.88	South Africa	Basseterre	May 5, 2010
Harmanpreet Kaur	India	103	51	7/8	201.96	New Zealand	Providence	November 9, 2018
Danni Wyatt-Hodge	England	105*	62	13/1	169.35	Sri Lanka	Birmingham	June 12, 2026

Wyatt-Hodge’s century also made her only the second England player after Heather Knight to score a hundred in a Women’s T20 World Cup match. Knight had struck an unbeaten 108 against Thailand in Canberra during the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup on February 26.

Highest scores in Women’s T20 World Cup by England batters

PLAYER	RUNS	BALLS	4/6s	STRIKE RATE	AGAINST	VENUE	DATE
Heather Knight	108	66	13/4	163.63	Thailand	Canberra	February 26, 2020
Danni Wyatt-Hodge	105*	62	13/1	169.35	Sri Lanka	Birmingham	June 12, 2026
Nat Sciver-Brunt	81*	40	12/1	202.50	Pakistan	Cape Town	February 21, 2023
Charlotte Edwards	80	69	11/0	115.94	Bangladesh	Sylhet	March 28, 2014
Charlotte Edwards	77*	61	10/0	126.22	Pakistan	Chennai	March 27, 2016

Wyatt-Hodge is now the seventh player overall to score a century in the Women’s T20 World Cup and currently ranks fourth on the list of highest individual scores in the tournament’s history.

Highest individual scores in Women’s T20 World Cup

PLAYER	TEAM	RUNS	BALLS	4/6s	STRIKE RATE	AGAINST	VENUE	DATE
Meg Lanning	Australia	126	65	18/4	193.84	Ireland	Sylet	March 27, 2014
Deandra Dottin	West Indies	112*	45	7/9	248.88	South Africa	Basseterre	May 5, 2010
Heather Knight	England	108	66	13/4	163.63	Thailand	Canberra	February 26, 2020
Danni Wyatt-Hodge	England	105*	62	13/1	169.35	Sri Lanka	Birmingham	June 12, 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur	India	103	51	7/8	201.96	New Zealand	Providence	November 9, 2018
Muneeba Ali	Pakistan	102	68	14/0	150.00	Ireland	Cape Town	February 15, 2023
Lizelle Lee	South Africa	101	60	16/3	168.33	Thailand	Canberra	February 28, 2020

England’s leading run-scorer in Women’s T20Is shared a 135-run opening partnership off 82 balls with Amy Jones, who scored 53 from 38 deliveries. She then added an unbeaten 84 runs off just 38 balls for the second wicket with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who remained unbeaten on 46 from 22 balls.