Pollard 'backed self' to achieve record-equalling feat

Kieron Pollard of West Indies celebrates hitting six sixes off Akila Dananjaya of Sri Lanka during a T20i match against Sri Lanka at Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday in Osbourn, Antigua and Barbuda. (AFP PHOTO) -
Kieron Pollard of West Indies celebrates hitting six sixes off Akila Dananjaya of Sri Lanka during a T20i match against Sri Lanka at Coolidge Cricket Ground on Wednesday in Osbourn, Antigua and Barbuda. (AFP PHOTO) -

A POSITIVE approach against the spinners paid off for West Indies captain Kieron Pollard on Wednesday, as he became the third player to hit six sixes in an over, in an international match.

Pollard smashed six sixes off Sri Lanka's off-spinner Akila Dananjaya's third over, in the first T20 International match between the teams at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua - the first-ever international match at the venue.

South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs struck six sixes in an over from Netherlands' Daan van Bunge at Warner Park, St Kitts during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, and India's Yuvraj Singh achieved the feat against England's Stuart Broad at Durban, South Africa during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 later that year.

West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers (1968) and current India coach Ravi Shastri (1985) are the only players to hit six sixes in a six-ball over, in first-class cricket.

Speaking after West Indies' four-wicket victory on Wednesday, Pollard said, "I felt I could hit six sixes after the third (ball). I felt after hitting a couple of sixes, I understood how the pitch plays, it was important to be positive and play your shots. Back yourselves to clear the boundary."

The WI captain continued, "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'.

"That's how I have played my cricket all along, especially against the spinners."

Ironically, Dananjaya's second over of the match saw him claim a hat-trick, after dismissing the left-handed trio of Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran.

Pollard was adjudged as Man of the Match after top-scoring with 38 as the WI reached 134 runs for six wickets in 13.1 overs, in response to Sri Lanka's 131/9.

Commenting on the match, Pollard said, "Kudos to the bowling line-up for restricting them to 132. We started off pretty well and faltered in the middle with the hat-trick coming there. But we backed ourselves. If hitting sixes is our strength, we want to capitalise on our strengths.

"The series is going to be their spinners against our batters. We're not going to hide from that reality. It's about time that we start winning cricket games. We've tried to give guys opportunities with an eye on the World Cup. But we need to win cricket games, so we have to balance it."

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"Pollard ‘backed self’ to achieve record-equalling feat"

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