Record 34 sixes hit in CPL thriller
Thursday’s Caribbean Premier League match between Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Stars made it to the record books after a total of 34 sixes — the joint highest in a T20 encounter — were hit. In December 2016, 34 sixes were hit during the match between Central Districts and Otago in New Zealand.
Knight Riders’ Darren Bravo and Brendon McCullum shared a partnership of 137 off 54 balls, studded with 16 sixes, to help their team beat St Lucia Stars by five wickets and a ball to spare.
That partnership negated Kieran Pollard’s 23-ball 65 after he reached his fifty in 18 balls, the fastest this season. David Warner scored 72 before Rahkeem Cornwall smashed 53 off 29.
A win seemed unlikely for Knight Riders as they required 85 from the last five overs. But Bravo plundered Pollard for five sixes in one over to bring down the equation to 53 runs off 24 balls. Next over, McCullum smashed 21 to give Knight Riders a target of 32 off 18. Bravo then smacked Cornwall for four sixes. A couple of wides and a no-ball all but sealed the game even though Cornwall dismissed McCullum and Javon Searles in the same over.
Brief Scores: St Lucia Stars 212/2 in 20 overs (D Warner 72*, K Pollard 65*, R Cornwall 53) lost to Trinbago Knight Riders 218/5 in 19.5 overs (D Bravo 94*, B McCullum 68) by five wickets.
NEWDELHI:
their performance to the next level. Following their 2010 Commonwealth Games success, India grabbed their best medal haul at the Asian Games the same year in Guangzhou, China, winning 14 gold, 17 silver and 37 bronze.
EXPECTATIONS HIGH
But the expectations will be high from them to set a new benchmark with an imposing line-up of athletes converging in the twin cities of Jakarta and Palembang, separated by a distance of 600 km. For sure, India will have to lean on the sharpness of its marksmen, led by the young Manu Bhaker and Anish Bhanwala, the endurance of its athletes — javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and sprinter Hima Das — and the power of its grapplers, led by the redoubtable Sushil Kumar.
The events in the last couple of days have been far from congenial with one of the most recognisable Indian athlete, tennis ace Leander Paes, leaving the contingent in the lurch by pulling out at the last minute. But such shockers are now part of Indian sporting ‘folklore’.
Discus thrower Seema Antil Punia’s withdrawal before the 2006 Doha Asian Games, or the media circus enacted by Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi during the same edition, not just made one immune to the eccentricities of Indian athletes but also to the fact that national pride is just a phrase bandied by such athletes to get cheap publicity. Nothing more.
The latest controversy apart, it could well be India’s biggest chance to overhaul their best tally. Going by form, the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams could be gunning for a pair gold as, for the first time in continental history they both are ranked No 1. A little more pluck could well see them secure the 2020 Tokyo Olympic berths here.