Surat, Nov 9
Meghalaya batter Akash Kumar Choudhary scripted history on Sunday, scoring the fastest fifty in the format and also becoming only the third player in first-class cricket to smash six sixes in an over on the second day of Meghalaya's Plate Group game in the Ranji Trophy against Arunachal Pradesh in Surat.
The 25-year-old Akash also made history by smashing eight consecutive sixes, a feat never before achieved in this format, while racing to a record-breaking fifty in only 11 balls. His half-century surpassed the previous best, set by Leicestershire's Wayne White, who reached fifty in 12 balls in 2012. Before that, Clive Inman had held the record since 1965 with a 13-ball fifty.
Coming in at No. 8, Akash began his innings with a dot and two singles before hammering the next eight balls for sixes to reach his fifty. He hit six consecutive sixes in one over, bowled by left-arm spinner Limar Dabi during the 126th over of the innings.
He became only the third player in first-class cricket history to hit six consecutive maximums, joining West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri. South Africa's Mike Procter also hit six sixes in a row, but across two different overs.
Sir Garfield Sobers was the first to achieve this incredible milestone back in 1968, when he smashed six sixes in an over for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan's Malcolm Nash. Nearly two decades later, Ravi Shastri repeated the rare feat during the 1984-85 Ranji Trophy season, representing Bombay and taking on Baroda's Tilak Raj.
Akash was appearing in his 31st first-class match since making his debut in 2019. Before this game, he had scored 503 runs at an average of 14.37, with two half-centuries to his name. He has also played 28 one-day matches and 30 T20s.
- IANS
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