How Chess, Climbing & Boxing Help The Hundred's Unlikely Run-scorer

London Spirit big Southern Brave connected Saturday successful nan women's Hundred unrecorded connected BBC iPlayer from 14:30 BST. The men's lucifer is connected BBC Two from 18:00.

Most of nan starring run-scorers successful this year's Hundred women's title could conscionable arsenic easy beryllium a database of nan champion batters successful nan world game.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, Phoebe Litchfield, Grace Harris and Meg Lanning are among them.

Another name, though a region subordinate since nan property of 14, is much of an improbable beingness connected nan list. After all, Kira Chathli was unsold erstwhile this year's draught was done.

"Maybe a vacation pinch my friends would've been bully but I can't kick astir a sunny period successful London," Chathli tells BBC Sport.

The 26-year-old was signed by London Spirit arsenic Heather Knight's replacement erstwhile nan erstwhile England skipper injured her hamstring successful May.

Given a domiciled astatine nan apical of nan order, Chathli has delivered 160 runs astatine a strike-rate of 144.14 successful six matches.

"It's gone OK truthful far," she says, playing down her achievements.

Chathli was still successful schoolhouse erstwhile she first played for Surrey.

Though ever talented, her profession was drifting until it took an upwards move aft signing master position pinch nan region past twelvemonth arsenic portion of nan caller activity of deals for women's players.

Those who person seen her profession first manus opportunity nan right-hander is hitting nan shot harder than ever.

"Generally, lifting weights successful nan gym has helped truthful much," she says.

"The S&C [strength and conditioning] coaches will laughter astatine that because I ne'er utilized to beryllium very keen connected doing it, but it really has helped, conscionable getting fitter and stronger and I tin spot nan timing of my plaything alternatively than trying to over-hit."

To galore people, nan 'lifting weights' process intends chair presses, bicep curls and drinking macromolecule shakes, but these days things are much cricket specific.

Chathli, who co-founded a cricket coaching academy focusing connected young girls successful 2020, has worked connected her grip spot to let her to deed boundaries much regularly.

"I utilized to beryllium rather a keen rock-climber," she says. "Obviously I can't do that immoderate much but that besides really helped me.

"I do play rather fearlessly and that has travel from doing activities for illustration rock-climbing - thing that's sewage a spot of adrenaline, really.

"I don't do it now, but I did immoderate boxing astatine university."

Having missed astir of past twelvemonth done injury, Chathli began this play pinch a career-high 95 successful nan T20 Cup against Hampshire. She besides made a match-winning 65 against Warwickshire successful nan Blast.

With Warwickshire nan opponents again successful nan final, it was Chathli who deed nan winning runs successful Surrey's chase.

"I rather for illustration problem-solving," says Chathli, a chemistry postgraduate from University College London.

"I utilized to play chess erstwhile I was younger truthful I bask that.

"I'm rather bully astatine reference pitches and nan gait of nan game.

"I for illustration whacking nan ball, but I besides really bask nan tactical broadside of cricket and getting into a conflict pinch nan bowler - what are they trying to do, and what tin I do to get nan amended of them?"

Chathli's begetter is Harry Chathli, nan nationalist relations and business master who served arsenic Yorkshire's chair betwixt October 2023 and May 2024.

Her early preamble to nan athletics came connected family trips to India - her begetter was calved successful Mumbai - aliases erstwhile watching him play nine cricket.

"It was astir apt a small spot inevitable," she says.

In 2016, Chathli made section news headlines erstwhile she became nan first female subordinate to people a 50 for nan men's teams astatine Dulwich Cricket Club - a nine that has been successful beingness since 1867.

Her younger relative besides scored a 50 successful nan aforesaid lucifer that day, though it later took a turn.

"He smashed nan shot consecutive to other screen and ran maine out," she laughs. "That's decidedly logged successful nan representation bank."

Nine years on, Chathli made her first 50 successful The Hundred successful Spirit's triumph against Birmingham Phoenix earlier this month.

At nan different extremity was Australia superstar and Spirit team-mate Harris, arsenic she was erstwhile they took Surrey complete nan statement successful that Blast final.

"Grace is funny. She'll support it elemental and say, 'If they vessel length, conscionable ramp it; if it's full, conscionable measurement backmost and clear it complete nan apical for six'," says Chathli.

"It's bully to cognize her thought process, but that's not really my game.

"I'm usually not fussed astir milestones, but nan truth it was my first [fifty] astatine nan highest level that we person successful this country, it's difficult not to beryllium beautiful happy.

"It was bully to beryllium that I tin do it connected nan biggest stage. To beryllium retired location pinch Grace, it was beautiful special."