NewDelhi: Rohit Sharma became the first Indian cricketer to score 300 sixes in all T20s after hitting Mujeeb Ur Rahman for his first maximum in the 17th over in Mumbai’s away game to Punjab at Indore on Friday. Later in the over, he got another six off the Aghan.
With those sixes in Mumbai’s chase of 175, Rohit joined Chris Gayle (842), Kieron Pollard (525), Brendon McCullum (445), Dwayne Smith (367), Shane Watson (357) and David Warner (319) in the 300 sixes or more club.
The icing on the cake moment came when MI successfully chased down the target with six balls to go and six wickets in hand to keep their slim play-off hopes alive. Rohit remained unbeaten on 24 off 15 balls to lead the side to their third win in nine matches.
Suresh Raina was the next Indian in the list with 290 sixes. South African AB de Villiers was on 292 sixes.
Earlier in the day, KXIP’s Chris Gayle became the eighth batsman to score 300 or more in IPL 2018.
Ahead of the contest, Gayle was on 252 runs in 4 matches, and continuing his great run with the bat he scored a 40-ball 50 to reach the 300-run mark.
With his third fifty in his fifth match to go with a century, the big West Indian joined the likes of Ambati Rayudu (391), Rishabh Pant (375), Virat Kohli (349), MS Dhoni (329), Kane Williamson (322), Shane Watson (317) and Shreyas Iyer (307).
The Punjab innings lost a bit of momentum after Gayle’s departure but Marcus Stoinis struck a 15-ball 29* towards the end – that saw him hit two sixes and two fours in the last over bowled by Hardik Pandya – to help his team reach a competitive 174/6.
Sadly in a reversal of fortune later in the match, Krunal and Rohit combined to take 20 runs off the 18th over bowled by Stoinis in Mumbai’s chase to take the game completely away from the hosts.
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