MUMBAI: During the Ranji Trophy Plate Group match between Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, Indian cricketer Aakash Kumar Choudhary went on to smash eight consecutive sixes and record the fastest fifty in first-class cricket, thus making his name immortal in cricketing history.
As per news reports from India, Aakash, who was playing for Meghalaya, half an hour, and ten balls to be precise, he went on to break the world record of the fastest fifty by first-class cricketer made in 2012 traveling faster than any cricketer. The previous record was held by former English cricketer Wayne White who scored his half-century in 12 balls.
By the time Aakash came to the crease at number eight, Meghalaya was already well on their way at 576 for six. Aakash started off cautiously with a dot ball and two singles but that was all that left-arm spinner Lemar Dabi saw of him in the innings as he was blasted to pieces by the Aakash. In the same over, he managed to thrice hit six consecutive sixes making as a result only the third one in the history of first-class cricket after Sir Garfield Sobers (1968) and Ravi Shastri (1985) to do so.
Still, not turning away from that aggressive batting style, Aakash after two more sixes off the following over completed his fifty in merely 11 balls thus creating a new record for the fastest fifty in first-class cricket. His tornado inning helped Meghalaya to score 629 runs and then the team declared their innings.
Aakash was at the crease and the team had not lost a wicket. He alone had scored 50 runs from 14 balls. His innings were free of fours but he hit eight sixes.
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This unforgettable performance is a historic moment in first-class cricket as it is the first time ever that a batsman has hit eight consecutive sixes thus setting a new benchmark for power hitting and speed in the sport.
