'I had no plans to hit sixes'
Published: Tue 19 Sep 2017, 6:50 PM
Updated: Tue 19 Sep 2017, 10:42 PM
It was 10 years ago on this day when one of Team India's dynamic hard-hitting batsmen, Yuvraj Singh, became the 'King of Kingsmead' in South Africa, after hitting six sixes in one over.
One of cricket's most difficult feats, on September 19, 2007, Singh made it look so easy - becoming the first batsman to smack six sixes in a T20 match.
Playing at Durban's Kingsmead ground, the veteran batsman hit English Stuart Broad all over the ground after being provoked by Andrew Flintoff during the match. The heated exchange between Singh and Flintoff is one that the latter might still regret to date.
It was the 19th over of the Indian innings, a young Broad bowling from the other end, and Singh hammered him for six sixes in the over.
On the tenth anniversary of the memorable achievement, Indians, including cricketers are paying tribute to the 6ft tall legend of the game, who came beat cancer to make it back in the side and win many more matches for his country.
To mark the day, Singh took to social media to interact with the fans and share his thoughts on the feat.
In an interview with the Mumbai Mirror Singh said, "I had no plans to hit six sixes. Personally, I was always capable of hitting big sixes, it just came at the right time and after the 50-over exit in the first round."
"We were a young and fearless team going and expressing ourselves and we had no big names so people had no big expectations from us. But we did well and won the tournament.", he added.
After the on field exchange with Flintoff, Singh revealing that Dhoni had asked him to "swing as hard as you can."
The 35-year-old also spoke about how he never intended to hit sixes.
"My father never wanted me to hit the ball in the air and always wanted me to play down the ground. I had no plans to hit six sixes, I was lucky all the balls were (in my) area and I was able to connect. I was just thinking of hitting the ball straight because I knew he would try to bowl a yorker."
Relive the epic over here:
Yuvi, as he is fondly called, also had a small gathering to celebrate the occasion, with congatulatory messages from Indian stars played on a screen - leaving the legend in tears.
Here's another hard-hitting batsman, Virender Sehwag, paying tribute to the batsman's histrionics - in his trademark style:
Here's to more victories and more sixes, Yuvi!
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