Dipendra Singh Airee hits 6 sixes in an over to script history

Nepal batter Dipendra Singh Airee on April 13 (Saturday) became the first batter to hit six sixes off consecutive deliveries on two occasions in T20 Internationals (T20I). His latest feat came at the ACC T20I Premier Cup 2024 match against Qatar at Al Amerat, Oman. Airee, had previously achieved the milestone in the Asian Games against Mongolia in Hangzhou last year, where he hit six sixes in a row, albeit, in different overs - a game in which he also scored a fifty of nine balls - the fastest in the format.

As a result, Airee reached his fifty in just 19 deliveries against Qatar off the fourth ball of the final over bowled by medium-pacer Kamran Khan. Four of those sixes were hit in the mid-wicket region, while the other two were smashed through point and covers.

Airee is just one of three players to hit six sixes in an over in T20Is. The first one to achieve this milestone was Yuvraj Singh, with Stuart Broad bearing the brunt in Durban in 2007, while Kieron Pollard smashed Akila Dananjaya over the ropes off six back-to-back deliveries in Antigua in 2021. 

𝗨𝗡𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 😵‍💫#NEPvQAT #ACCMensPremierCup #ACC pic.twitter.com/72Itd5INE1

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) April 13, 2024

Nepal reached a mammoth 210/7 from their 20 overs, with contributions also coming in from Aasif Sheikh (52 off 41) and Kushal Malla (35 off 18). They beat Malaysia by five wickets on April 12 (Friday) at the same venue to get their tournament underway. 

The ongoing 10-team tournament will determine the sixth team that will take part in the Asia Cup next year. Nepal won the tournament last year and were clubbed with India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup, which was played in the One-Day International (ODI) format. However, the Asia Cup 2025 will see the teams battle it out in 20-over contests.