Felt I Could Hit Six Sixes After The Third One - Kieron Pollard Recalls His Thoughts During Akila Dananjaya's Over

Carnage ensued in Antigua on Wednesday night as West Indies captain, Kieron Pollard became only the third batsman in the history of international cricket to smack 6 sixes in an over – the other two are Herschelle Gibbs in the ICC ODI World Cup in 2007 against the Netherlands and Yuvraj Singh against England in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007.

Kieron Pollard achieved this feat against Sri Lankan spinner, Akila Dananjaya during West Indies 4-wicket victory in a run-chase in the first T20I of the 3-match series at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

West Indies stuttered in the chase of 132 runs when Dananjaya, in the 4th over of the innings, took a hat-trick which comprised wickets of Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, and Nicholas Pooran.

However, in Dananjaya’s next over – the 6th of the innings – the world came crashing down for Sri Lanka’s mystery spinner as Kieron Pollard hammered Dananjaya for six sixes in a row.

I told myself ‘Wait, Polly, take a chance’: Kieron Pollard

The right-hander was dismissed soon after his record-equalling feat – but he had chiseled down the chase with his 11-ball 38 runs knock and bagged the Man of the Match award.

The 33-year-old Trinidadian recalled his thoughts during Dananjaya’s over. Pollard said that he was confident that he could harrumph six sixes after he launched the third one. When he saw the spinner going around the wicket for the last delivery, and firing the ball in his pads, Pollard backed himself to take on Dananjaya and cleared the rope over mid-wicket.

“A couple of things went through my mind before the sixth ball, I thought should I go for the six or take the 30 runs in the over, he went around the wicket and bowled it onto my pads, I told myself ‘Wait Polly, take a chance’,” Kieron Pollard said.

“That’s how I have played my cricket all along, especially against the spinners. “I felt I could hit six sixes after the third one. I did it in the Super 50 as well,” he added.

After the skipper’s dismissal, all-rounder Jason Holder saw off the innings as West Indies romped to the target in less than 14 overs taking an early lead in the series. The second T20I is scheduled for Friday at the same venue.

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