On September 19, 2007, Yuvraj Singh made cricketing history by hitting six consecutive sixes in one over during the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup. The venue was Kingsmead, Durban, where India was up against England in a crucial group stage match. The moment has since become iconic, not just for Indian cricket, but for the global game. Let's revisit that historic over and match, headlined by Yuvraj Singh.
The build-up
India, after winning the toss and opting to bat, were already in a strong position at 171 for 3 when Yuvraj walked in to bat. The tension, however, escalated towards the end of the 18th over when Yuvraj had an altercation with England's Andrew Flintoff. It was clear from Yuvraj's reaction that Flintoff's words had fired him up. Little did Stuart Broad, the bowler for the next over, know that he would bear the brunt of Yuvraj’s fury.
The magical over
The 19th over began, and it was clear from the very first ball that Yuvraj was in an unforgiving mood. He launched Broad’s first delivery over deep mid-wicket, a massive shot that traveled 111 meters. The second ball was dispatched to the crowd beyond backward square leg, and the momentum just kept building. The third six flew over extra cover, while the fourth—an unfortunate full toss from Broad—was sliced over backward point.
At this point, Paul Collingwood, the England captain, suggested Broad to change his line and target the off stump. But Yuvraj, reading the situation, was unstoppable. He smashed the fifth six over square leg and, anticipating a yorker for the final delivery, launched the sixth into the stands beyond long-on.
Fastest fifty in T20 history
{{/usCountry}}At this point, Paul Collingwood, the England captain, suggested Broad to change his line and target the off stump. But Yuvraj, reading the situation, was unstoppable. He smashed the fifth six over square leg and, anticipating a yorker for the final delivery, launched the sixth into the stands beyond long-on.
Fastest fifty in T20 history
{{/usCountry}}The outcome of the over wasn’t just six sixes. Yuvraj’s blitzkrieg took him to a half-century in just 12 balls, a T20I record that still stands today. His final score of 58 runs off just 16 balls played a pivotal role in India reaching 218 for 4.
England's valiant run-chase
England, in response, put up a valiant fight, but India’s total proved to be too much. England ended at 200 for 6, giving India an 18-run victory. This match wasn’t just a group-stage game; it became symbolic of India’s aggressive and fearless approach that would eventually win them the inaugural T20 World Cup. Yuvraj's six sixes in an over was one of the highlights of the tournament.
Legacy of the six sixes
For Yuvraj Singh, this over became the defining moment of his career. Reflecting on the incident later, Yuvraj mentioned that the altercation with Flintoff and memories of being hit for five sixes by Dimitri Mascarenhas in an ODI earlier had pushed him to deliver something special. Stuart Broad, on the other hand, became part of cricketing folklore.
Yuvraj's six sixes had an immediate impact on the match and India’s T20 World Cup campaign, but its long-term significance is even greater. The over has been replayed countless times and remains one of the most memorable moments in the history of T20 cricket. Even today, Stuart Broad’s name is often associated with this over, though he went on to achieve great success in Test cricket.