It was an outrageous shot. The short and stout Kanika Ahuja seemed initially a little late to pick up a full and straight delivery from flamboyant off-spinner Deepti Sharma. Ahuja then calmly adjusted and with minimal backswing and merely chipped the ball down the ground. Except it kept going - as if the ball was propelled by a strong wind, and sailed over the boundary rope. A loud contingent of cricket fans combined to cheer in unison.

I quickly looked up at the television monitors to grasp what I had seen high in the press box, knowing very well the magnetic Ahuja was going to be the hook of my copy tonight. The incredible stroke underlined some innate strengths – her improvisation, sweet timing and raw power. It was the 20-year-old’s second four in seven balls as she raced to a classy 46 only to be cleaned up by Sophie Ecclestone 23 balls later.