Kieron Pollard retires: When the West Indian star smashed Akila Dananjaya for six sixes in an over – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

West Indies limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday. He took to social media to make this announcement a day before Mumbai Indians’ clash against Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

In a glittering career, Pollard was part of several memorable moments — a power-packed player, he was an entertainer, one who had the ability to fill stadiums. He took over the captaincy of West Indies in limited-overs cricket in rather turbulent times and did a fairly commendable job.

One of his biggest achievements in the maroon jersey will always be the six sixes he hit off Sri Lankan spinner Akila Dananjaya. What made this onslaught even more remarkable was that Dananjaya had taken a hat-trick just an over before the carnage.

In this match that took place at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Osbourn, Antigua, Sri Lanka were asked to bat and they ended with 131 for nine, with the debutant Pathum Nissanka top-scoring with 39 from 34 balls.

In response, West Indies got off to a shocking start as leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya claimed a hat-trick in the fourth over as he dismissed Evin Lewis for 28 followed by Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran.

West Indies were reduced to 52 for 3 in the fourth over. They lost another wicket in the next over, with the scorecard reading 62 for 4.

The game turned on its head though when Pollard decided to go after Dananjaya in the sixth over. The spinner was smashed to all parts of the ground by Pollard. The first ball was dispatched over long on, the next ball was blasted straight down the ground and the third delivery was creamed over long off. The fourth ball was dismissed over mid-wicket, while the fifth ball was again smashed down the ground. Akila came around the wicket for the final ball but it did not make any difference as Pollard clipped a ball fired into his pads over midwicket to complete six sixes in the over. West Indies then chased down the target in 13.1 overs.

Watch the video here:

With this onslaught, he joined former India batter Yuvraj Singh in hitting six sixes in an over in the T20I format and also became the third player — along with Herschelle Gibbs — to smash six sixes in any format in the international cricket.

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