Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai entered an exclusive club on Sunday when he smashed six sixes in an over during an Afghanistan Premier League (APL) clash at Sharjah.
Batting for Kabul Zwanan, Zazai struck the six sixes in the fourth over bowled by Balkh Legends debutant Abdullah Mazari.
A total of 37 runs were fetched from that over which also included a wide. Despite Zazai’s impressive feat, Kabul were unable to chase down Balkh’s total of 244-6 as they fell to a 21-run defeat.
Zazai would ultimately reach his half-century off just 12 balls which is the joint fastest in the history of T20 cricket. He fell eventually for a 17-ball 62 which included four boundaries and seven sixes.
India’s Yuvraj Singh, South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs, Sir Garfield Sobers, Ravi Shastri and Alex Hales are some of the players to previously achieve the elusive feat in professional cricket.
Speaking of the feat, Zazai said: “It is a proud moment for me. It is a very enjoyable moment for me that my name is now linked to so many big names of the game, who are really legends of the game. I am thankful to Almighty Allah for helping me score the 12-ball fifty. I want to keep enjoying my cricket always and will keep striving towards improving my cricket further. It was a surreal moment for me to perform in front of my idol (Chris Gayle). I was just trying to play my natural game and did not in anyway think of outshining anyone.”
This match today is all about making new records. The flamboyant batsman Hazratullah Zazai has smacked 6 sixes in an over. Got his fifty in just 12 balls. #APLT20 @ACBofficials #BalkhVsKabul pic.twitter.com/KN1s5MJY5y
— Afghanistan Premier League T20 (@APLT20official) October 14, 2018
Earlier, Chris Gayle’s 48-ball 80 had given Balkh a rollicking start with the bat. The West Indies stalwart struck a whopping 10 sixes in his innings to set the tone for the rest of the batsmen. Afghanistan leg-spin prodigy Rashid Khan had an expensive outing with the ball for Kabul and was carted for 43 runs from his three overs.
Gayle found excellent support from Dilshan Munaweera and Darwish Rasool who scored 46 and 50 respectively to help Kabul post a commanding total from their 20 overs.
Despite an 86-run opening stand between Zazai and Luke Ronchi, Kabul were unable to keep up the momentum throughout the innings with Australia’s Ben Laughlin chipping in with three wickets.
