Ranji Trophy: Meghalaya batter smashes eight sixes in a row, hits fastest first-class fifty

SURAT(Gujarat): Meghalaya batter Akash Kumar Chaudhary made history, smashing the fastest fifty in the history of first-class cricket and becoming the only third player in the format’s history to smash sixes in an over.

Akash achieved this accomplishment during his side’s Plate Group Ranji Trophy match against Arunachal Pradesh in Surat. During the match, he reached his half-century in just 11 balls, a record in the format, smashing eight sixes in a row –a feat unprecedented in first-class cricket, according to ESPNCricinfo.

During the second day of the match, he smashed six sixes in the 126th over bowled by left-arm spinner Limar Dabi, joining an elite club including Ravi Shastri and Garry Sobers.

Coming at number eight, Akash started with a dot ball and two singles. It was the calm before the storm as the next eight deliveries he faced went into the stands for eight successive sixes. His half-century is a ball faster than the previous record holder, Leicestershire’s Wayne White, who hit a 12-ball fifty back in 2012.

Akash took a total of nine minutes to reach the milestone, being the second-fastest player to reach the half-century mark in first-class cricket in history of time, with Clive Inman striking his 13-ball fifty in just eight minutes back in 1965.

Akash, 25 years of age, was playing his 31st first-class match, since his debut in 2019. Before this match, he had scored 503 runs at an average of 14.37, with two fifties. He has also played 28 one-dayers and 30 T20s for Meghalaya. Notably, he had also smashed four sixes during his unbeaten 60 in 62 balls against Bihar earlier this month.

Meghalaya declared at 628/6 with Akash making 50* in 14 balls, with eight sixes and a strike rate of over 357. Arpit Bhatewara (207 in 273 balls, with 25 fours and four sixes), skipper Kishan Lyngdoh (119 in 187 balls, with 14 fours and a six) and Rahul Dalal (144 in 102 balls, with 12 fours and nine sixes) smashed brilliant tons. Meghalaya had won the toss and elected to bat first.

In the second innings, AP was skittled out for 73 in 27.4 overs, with Aryan Bora (4/16) being the leading wicket-taker. Amit Yadav (16) was the top run-getter as no batter crossed the 20-run mark. (ANI)