FEATURE
Follow UsRegardless of the level of cricket one is playing, hitting six sixes of an over is just an impeccable talent. The middle order batsman of U.S.A, Jaskaran Malhotra was the newest entry in the elite list of batsmen to achieve the feat. In internationals, Jaskaran became the fourth batsman to hit six sixes in an over. And the only one to feat that in the last over of the innings in internationals. Overall in cricket, he became the 10th batsmen in professional cricket (First-class, List-A and T20s) to achieve this. Here is the list of all batsmen to achieve this feat:
Sir Garry Sobers against Malcom Nash
vs Glamorgan at Swansea in 1968
In the County Championship year 1968, Nottinghamshire touring to Swansea were up against Glamorgan. Batting first, Notts were 308 when Sobers came into bat in the first innings. As soon as he was in, Sobers looked to bat in urgency. The victim of that urgency was Malcom Nash. Originally a medium pacer, was bowling left arm spin and Sobers smashed him for six sixes and became the first batsman to achieve this feat.
Ravi Shastri against Tilak Raj
vs Baroda at Wankhede in 1985
In the second innings of the tie between Mumbai (Bombay then) and Baroda in the 1985 Ranji Season, Ravi Shastri scored an unbeaten double century of just 123 balls. On route his double century, he clubbed Tilak Raj, a part-time left-arm orthodox for six sixes. After Sobers, he became the second batsman to achieve this feat. Sobers and Shastri are the only two batsmen to hit six sixes in multi-day format.
Herschelle Gibs against Daan van Bunge
vs Netherlands at Basseterre in 2007
Renowned as a hard-hitting opener, Gibbs was known for his power. Though in most of his career he has opened the innings, in the 2007 World Cup against Netherlands, he had come at number four. In the 30th over, against a toothless bowling attack, Gibbs became the first batsman in International cricket to hit sixes of all balls of the over. He was also the first batsman to achieve this in ODI. Daan van Bunge was the bowler who was at the receiving end.
Yuvraj Singh against Stuart Broad
vs England at Kingsmead in 2007
One of the ever-unforgettable moments of the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup was the onslaught of Yuvraj on Broad. A spark that was lit by Andrew Flintoff in between the overs led to a brutal reply in the 19th over. Broad was thumped for a six (111m according to the broadcasters) of the first ball. Followed by a flick over square leg of the second ball, then one over extra cover, again over point and then a high flick over square leg. With five off five, Yuvraj must have remembered the Dimitri Mascarenhas assault and bettered it. He smashed the last ball of the 19th over for a six over cow-corner and etched his name in the history books. He became the first batsman in T20s to hit sixes of all balls of the over.
Ross Whitely against Karl Carver
vs Yorkshire at Headingley in 2017
Worcestershire were set a target of 234 in the group stage matches against Yorkshire, thanks to a brilliant century by David Willey. Chasing a huge target, Worcestershire fell short by 37 runs, but Whitley stole the thunder by hitting six sixes of Carver in the 16th over. He became the first batsman to achieve this feat in a domestic T20 league.
Hazaratullah Zazai against Abdullah Mazari
vs Balkh Legends at Sharjah in 2018
In recent times, the bulky left-handed batsman Zazai has been among the most fearsome openers and he has had some records that justifies that. One of those is the six sixes he hit against the left-arm spinner Mazari in the 2018 edition of the Afghanistan Premier League. In the fourth over of the innings, Zazai took the attack against Mazari and registered the record at Sharjah. He became the third batsman to achieve it in T20s.
Leo Carter against Anton Devcich
vs Northern Districts at Hagley Oval in 2020
There is something magical about left-handers, especially when it comes to hitting sixes. Sobers was a left-handed bat, all the first four batsmen including Carter to achieve it in T20s are left-handers as well. Carter clubbed 36 runs against Devcich in the super smash 2019-20 season. All his sixes were smashed towards the leg side field.
Kieron Pollard against Akhila Dhananjaya
vs Sri Lanka in Coolidge in 2021
A bowler who had a hat-trick in his last over was served with six sixes in his next over. A cruelty that happens only in cricket. A spinner against the murderous intent of Pollard is lurking with danger and Dhananjaya even with a hat-trick behind him wasn’t spared. Pollard, became the third batsman in internationals to hit six sixes and the first right-hander in T20s to achieve this record.
Thisara Perera against Dilhan Cooray
vs Bloomfield at Army Grounds in 2021
The year 2021 saw its second feature of a batsman hitting sixes of all balls of an over and that too within a month. However, this wasn’t in internationals. Thisara Perera known for his long handle during the death overs decimated Cooray in the last over of the innings. Perera registered a 13-ball half century that included his feat of 36 runs in one over against Bloomfield. He is only second player to achieve this in List-A or ODIs after Gibbs.
Jaskaran Malhotra against Gaudi Toka
vs Papua New Guinea at Al Amerat in 2021
Hitting all balls in an over for a six was a once in blue moon sighting, until 2021. Like the sight of deer in a safari, the year 2021 has seen three of them already. Jaskaran of the U.S.A was the latest addition. However, he was the fourth player in internationals to achieve the feat overall. Like Perera, he also hit all the balls of the last over for a six against Toka. He joined Gibbs in the elite list of hitting six sixes in an ODI match.
