March 4 – West Indies captain Kieron Pollard hit six sixes in an over to guide his side to a comprehensive four-wicket win against Sri Lanka in the first T20 international of their three-match series.
Pollard joins former India batsman Yuvraj Singh as the only other player to hit six sixes in an over in T20 cricket, and just the third player to achieve the feat in any format.
His innings was a destructive, but brief one as he smashed 38 runs in 11 balls as the West Indies chased down 132 in 13.1 overs.
Sri Lanka leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya (3-62) was the unfortunate bowler, pummelled in all directions by Pollard, and this coming after he had taken a hat-trick in his previous over!
Dananjaya dismissed Evin Lewis for 28, caught at extra cover, and then picked up Chris Gayle lbw and Nicholas Pooran, caught behind, in consecutive deliveries.
But, in the sixth over of the West Indies’ chase, the spinner was taken apart by Pollard in a devastating display of ball striking. Pollard was then trapped lbw to Hasaranga de Silva in the following over but the Windies’ run chase would not be derailed, despite a chance of a second hat-trick of the innings.
De Silva dismissed Fabian Allen with his next ball before Dwayne Bravo blocked out his hat-trick ball. He and Jason Holder, who scored 29 not out, then saw the hosts home to a relatively comfortable victory in the end.
Earlier, having been sent into bat at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, Sri Lanka could only manage 131-9 from their innings, with debutant Pathum Nissanka top-scoring with 39 from 34 balls. (Sky Sports)
