On this day in 2007, Yuvraj Singh became first T20I player to smash six sixes in one over
Sep 19, 2022
Durban [South Africa], September 19 : On this day in 2007, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh became the first-ever T20I batter and second batter in international cricket after South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs (ODI) to smash six sixes in an over, against England at Durban during the ICC T20 World Cup 2007.
It was the Super Eight phase of the World Cup. After losing their first matches, both India and England desperately needed a win to boost their chances in semis.
India were dominating their second Super Eight match against England, at 171/3 in 18 overs after choosing to bat first. After exchanging a few heated words with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, Yuvraj was all fired up, all set to unleash his hard-hitting game against England.
But what happened later was unprecedented in the shortest format of the game. Stuart Broad, who came to bowl the 19th over, was smashed for 6,6,6,6,6,6. Flintoff and Yuvraj had an argument and it was Broad who paid the price.
The pacer was smashed all over the park, with one six going to the cow corner, the second one a flick over backward square leg, the third being a hit over extra cover region. The fourth ball saw Yuvraj smash a full toss to the backward point region, making it four sixes in a row. The southpaw smashed the fifth ball over midwicket region. The final and landmark-making sixth six was smacked over the mid-on region, much to the delight of Indian fans in the crowd.
With this, he also reached his half-century, the fastest in T20I cricket history, in just 12 balls.
"And he has put it away...YES! Six sixes in an over. Yuvraj Singh finishes things off in style!" these words of commentator and former cricketer Ravi Shastri were the finishing touches that this remarkable moment needed and deserved. These words still ring in the ears of millions of fans.
Thanks to these sixes, India finished things at 218/4 in 20 overs, with Yuvraj scoring 58 off just 16 balls with three fours and seven sixes and a massive strike rate of 362.50. Contributions from openers Gautam Gambhir (58) and Virender Sehwag (68) also helped Men in Blue reach this score.
Chasing 219, England could only score 200/6 in their 20 overs. Knocks from Vikram Solanki (43) and Kevin Pietersen (39) were solid, but pacer Irfan Pathan (3/37) and RP Singh (2/28) kept the run flow in control to help Team India win the match by 18 runs.
