India Hits Historic 2,000 T20I Sixes Milestone
Sanju Samson hits a historic six to make India the second team ever to cross 2,000 T20I sixes. Read about the record-breaking match in Hyderabad.
Team India has etched its name into the record books once again, becoming only the second nation in cricket history to smash 2,000 sixes in the T20I format. The monumental feat was achieved during the fourth T20I against the West Indies at Hyderabad's Uppal Stadium on Wednesday.
The landmark moment arrived in the third over of India's chase when Sanju Samson sent a delivery from Roston Chase sailing over long-off. This specific shot marked the 2,000th six for the Indian unit in T20I cricket.
A Race of Power: India vs West Indies
While India has reached this milestone in 297 matches, they follow in the footsteps of the West Indies, who are the first team to reach the 2,000-six mark. The Caribbean side reached the feat even faster, recording 2,026 sixes in just 259 matches. Other heavy hitters in the global T20I landscape include:
- New Zealand: 1,585 sixes
- Pakistan: 1,507 sixes
- South Africa: 1,407 sixes
Sanju Samson’s Explosive Double Milestone
It was a night of personal glory for Sanju Samson as well. Beyond hitting the historic team six, Samson became the sixth Indian player to reach the milestone of 100 T20I sixes. His aggressive onslaught was crucial in India's attempt to chase down a massive target.
Following a blistering century by West Indies skipper Shai Hope, Samson took charge of the 248-run chase with an ultra-aggressive approach. He hammered 56 runs off just 22 deliveries, featuring six boundaries and four massive sixes, maintaining a strike rate of 243.48. Samson now boasts 102 T20I sixes, joining an elite club of Indian power-hitters:
- Rohit Sharma (205)
- Suryakumar Yadav (179)
- Abhishek Sharma (141*)
- Hardik Pandya (126)
- Virat Kohli (124)
The Match Context: A West Indian Onslaught
The record-breaking chase was necessitated by a dominant West Indian batting performance. After India elected to field, the visitors posted a daunting 247/3. The innings was headlined by Shai Hope, who played a sensational knock of 102* off 50 balls, including nine sixes. He was supported by:
- Sherfane Rutherford: 49* off 26 balls
- Shimron Hetmyer: 33 off 12 balls
- Rovman Powell: 24 off 17 balls
For the Indian bowling attack, Prince Yadav was the most economical, finishing with figures of 1/36, while Arshdeep Singh conceded 52 runs in his spell. At the conclusion of the powerplay during the chase, India stood at 80/2, with Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma fighting to keep the momentum alive.