Choudhary hits eight consecutive sixes, breaks multiple records

AKASH CHOUDHARY hit eight straight sixes and broke several cricket records with an 11-ball half-century for Meghalaya in the Ranji Trophy on Sunday.

The four-day match against Arunachal Pradesh is being played in Surat, Gujarat.

Choudhary, mainly a seam bowler, walked in at number eight with Meghalaya on 576 for 6 in their first innings. He did not score off his first ball and then took two singles before facing Limar Dabi.

Choudhary struck a six off each ball of the over, a feat only previously achieved in first-class cricket by West Indian Garry Sobers and India’s Ravi Shastri. South African Mike Procter also hit six consecutive sixes but across two overs.

Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard and Herschelle Gibbs are among batters to have hit a maximum 36 runs off an over in limited-overs cricket.

Back on strike in the next over, Choudhary hit two sixes in a row off off-spinner TNR Mohith to reach 50 off 11 balls. The previous fastest half-century was 12 balls by Leicestershire’s Wayne White against Essex in 2012.

Choudhary took nine minutes to reach 50. In first-class matches where innings were timed, only Clive Inman, who took eight minutes to hit a 13-ball half-century in 1965 against Nottinghamshire, also for Leicestershire, has been faster.

After Choudhary did not score off the next three balls he faced, Meghalaya declared.

He bowled four overs, taking one wicket for 10 runs as Arunachal Pradesh were all out for 73 in their first innings. Meghalaya enforced the follow-on, and Choudhary took the first two wickets in the second innings to leave Arunachal Pradesh at 29 for 3 at stumps.

Cricinfo reported that in 30 previous first-class matches the 25-year-old had scored 503 runs at an average of 14.37, including two fifties.

(With inputs from agencies)