Vijay Hazare Trophy: Ruturaj Gaikwad smashes seven sixes in an over, enters record books

Ahmedabad: Right-handed opener Ruturaj Gaikwad on Monday hit a mind-boggling seven sixes in an over, the first time it’s happened in List A cricket, while on the way to smashing 220 not out for Maharashtra in a Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinal match against Uttar Pradesh at the Narendra Modi Stadium B Ground in Ahmedabad.

Gaikwad, who is captaining Maharashtra in the match, achieved this feat in the 49th over of the innings. The over was bowled by Uttar Pradesh’s left-arm spinner Shiva Singh, operating from around the wicket. Gaikwad smashed sixes over deep mid-wicket, straight down the ground, and deep square leg.

Shiva then went in with a change in the trajectory, but the result was the same as Gaikwad smashed consecutive sixes over the long-off fence. A no-ball was signalled and Gaikwad smacked the ball from Shiva over long-on for another six, also getting the right-handed batter his maiden double century in List A cricket in 153 balls.

For the last ball, Shiva went for over the wicket angle, but it made no difference as Gaikwad sent it soaring over deep mid-wicket to take 43 runs. Gaikwad eventually finished on 220 not out off 159 balls, with ten fours and 16 sixes, as Maharashtra made 330/5 in their 50 overs, as 58 runs came off the last two overs.

Shiva, who was at the receiving end of Gaikwad’s assault, finished with 0/88 from nine overs. Maharashtra’s innings was an out-and-out one-man show from Gaikwad as the rest of the batters combined to make just 96 runs off 142 balls.

Gaikwad taking 43 runs from that over off Shiva made it to the record books as the most expensive over in List A cricket, equalling the combined effort of Brett Hampton and Joe Carter, off Willem Ludick, for Northern Districts against Central Districts in a Ford Trophy game in New Zealand in 2018.

He also became the first Indian batter to make 43 runs off an over in List-A cricket.

Gaikwad, 25, also became the second batter in the ongoing edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy to reach the double-century mark after Tamil Nadu’s Narayan Jagadeesan smacked 277 against Arunachal Pradesh in Bengaluru.

IANS