Meghalaya’s Akash Choudhary created history on Sunday, becoming only the third player in first-class cricket to smash six sixes in an over and scoring the fastest fifty in the format. Akash achieved the milestone by hitting an unprecedented eight sixes in a row, during his 11-ball fifty on the second day of the Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Arunachal Pradesh in Surat.
Coming in at No. 8 with Meghalaya 576 for 6, he began his innings with a dot and two singles before smashing six sixes off left-arm spinner Limar Dabi in the 126th over of the innings.
Walking in at No. 8 with Meghalaya on 576 for 6, Akash started his innings cautiously with a dot ball and a couple of singles, before unleashing a barrage of six sixes off left-arm spinner Limar Dabi in the 126th over. After hitting six sixes in a row, the Meghalaya cricketer joined legendary Garry Sobers and Ravi Shastri in an elite list.
Choudhary carried on his assault in the next over as well, smashing off-spinner TNR Mohith for two back-to-back sixes to bring up his fifty in just 11 balls.
Akash Choudhary Breaks Wayne White’s Record
As per ESPNcricinfo report, Akash Choudhary broke the previous record – off 12 balls by Leicestershire’s Wayne White against Essex in 2012 – by one ball.
Notably, Choudhary’s fifty was also the second-fastest in first-class cricket in terms of time taken (where data is available), coming in just nine minutes. However, the record still belongs to Clive Inman, who reached his 13-ball half-century for Leicestershire against Nottinghamshire in only eight minutes back in 1965.
Choudhary remained unbeaten on 50 off just 14 deliveries after playing dots in the last three balls as Meghalaya declared their innings at 628 for 6. In reply, Arunachal Pradesh were bundled out for 73, with Choudhary claiming one wicket.
Enforcing the follow-on, Meghalaya saw Choudhary strike twice more to reduce the opposition to 29 for 3 at stumps.
Akash Choudhary’s Record In First-Class Match
The 25-year-old Choudhary was featuring in his 31st first-class match. Prior to this game, he had scored 503 runs at an average of 14.37, including two fifties. He has also represented his side in 28 List-A matches and 30 T20s. In the previous fixture against Bihar, he had struck an unbeaten 60 off 62 balls, which included four sixes.
With the ball, he has picked up 87 wickets in first-class cricket at an average of 29.97, 37 in List A matches at 29.24, and 28 in T20s at 26.25.
