Auckland, Jan 14 (IANS): New Zealand batter Sophie Devine on Thursday scored the fastest hundred in the history of women's T20 cricket, reaching three figures in just 36 balls. She achieved the feat while playing for Wellington Blaze in New Zealand's Super Smash competition.

The New Zealand captain smashed nine sixes and nine fours in her innings of 108 not out from just 38 deliveries as her Wellington side chased down a victory target of 129 in just 8.4 overs against Otago Sparks.

The record was earlier held by West Indies' Deandra Dottin who had scored a century in 38 balls against South Africa in 2010.

"I was really nervous this morning," Devine told Spark Sport after the match.

"Whenever you have a bit of an extended break away from the game you get nervous about (whether) you can come back into it, so it was just (nice) to spend some time in the middle and get a few out of the screws," she added.

Devine's knock also featured the fastest T20 century in New Zealand in either men's or women's cricket, beating Tim Seifert's 40-ball effort for Northern Districts against Auckland in Mount Maunganui in 2017.

There have been only 10 faster centuries overall in men's T20 cricket worldwide (including a 35-ball effort by Martin Guptill for Worcestershire).

After two T20 hundreds last season, it was Devine's second T20 century of the 2020/21 season after her ton for the Perth Scorchers in November's Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), across the ditch.