Ravi Bopara smashed six sixes in an over for England during a Hong Kong Super Sixes fixture against India today (November 2).
India captain Robin Uthappa won the toss and opted to field first in the six-a-side game. Uthappa’s counterpart Bopara came out to open for England along with all-rounder Samit Patel. The pair struggled at the start, scoring only 36 after the first three overs.
The fourth over was when Bopara launched the onslaught, unleashing mayhem on the India bowlers. Facing Uthappa, he smashed five sixes on the trot before the bowler erred in his line and bowled a wide off the last ball. Bopara didn’t let his foot off the paddle and launched the extra delivery for another six, making it six over-boundaries in the over. The blitzkrieg took England to 73-0 after four overs.
Also read: India lose to UAE in thriller to crash out of Hong Kong Sixes
A six off Shahbaz Nadeem off the fifth ball in the next over brought Bopara’s half-century in 14 balls. He retired hurt after that for a stunning 53, containing eight sixes.
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Samit started the last over off Kedav Jadhav by hitting him for two successive sixes followed by a four to bring up his fifty. He too retired hurt for an 18-ball 51. Alex Davies was the only wicket to fall in the innings, off a run out by the opposition wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami.
In response, India openers Goswami and Bharat Chipli started blazingly, scoring 25 off the first over. Bopara’s twin strikes, first of Uthappa for a duck and then Chipli for a seven-ball 21, brought England back into the game.
Kedar Jadhav, at No.5, tried his best with an unbeaten 48 off 15 balls, but the daunting target of 121 meant India finished 15 runs short at the loss of three wickets. Goswami ended on 27 not out off 10 balls.
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