Sri Lanka off-spinner Akila Dananjaya was on cloud nine after claiming a brilliant hat-trick in the first T20 International against West Indies on Tuesday. But his happiness soon turned into a nightmare when Kieron Pollard smashed him for six consecutive sixes, thus becoming only the third cricketer after Yuvraj Singh and Herschelle Gibbs to do so in international cricket.
Kieron Pollard hits six 6’s in an over against Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/Xrbjz1mk2B
— உதயசூரியன் – The Rising Sun (@therisingsun49) March 4, 2021
Pollard was eventually out for 38 off 11 balls as the Men in Maroon chased 132 to win at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, reaching their target in the 14th over when Jason Holder clobbered the 13th six for his side.
“I felt I could hit six sixes after the third one. I did it in the Super 50 as well. I just backed myself. Once I had five sixes I knew I had the bowler on the back foot. He was going around the wicket and it was difficult for him. I just told myself: go for it,” Pollard said after the match.
Absolute scenes 🤯@KieronPollard55 becomes the first @windiescricket player to hit six straight sixes in a T20I!#WIvSL pic.twitter.com/nrtmJHGcip
— ICC (@ICC) March 4, 2021
Dananjaya joins Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga in the elite club
Dananjaya became only the third Sri Lankan bowler after Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga to take a hat-trick for Sri Lanka. He picked up the wickets of Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran off back-to-back deliveries before Pollard took him to the cleaners. In the off-spinner’s next over, destruction followed.