Yuvraj Singh goes the full monty - this day in 2007
SEPTEMBER 19 IS A SPECIAL DAY in the history of Indian cricket, and especially in Yuvraj Singh's career graph, as it was on this day eight years ago that he hit six sixes in an over from Stuart Broad, and in the process also brought up the fastest fifty in T20 internationals.
This encounter of the Super Six stages of the World Cup against England was a must-win game for the Indians after they had lost their first game to New Zealand at Johannesburg.
India won the toss and decided to bat on a typical Kingmead wicket at Durban, which had a little assistance for the seamers under lights.
Yuvraj came to the crease in the 17th over of the innings, but not before the Indian openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag had put on a solid stand of 136.
Andrew Flintoff was instrumental in spurring Yuvraj on, after he had a verbal confrontation with him just before the penultimate over of the Indian innings.
In came Broad and out went the first ball as Yuvraj gave himself room and swung his bat for a massive six over deep mid-wicket.
Ball no. 2 was pitched on middle and leg and all he had to do this time was to flick it over backward square-leg for the second maximum.
The third one was a full-length one pitched outside off, and Yuvraj had to go over long-off to make it three in a row.
For the fourth delivery, Broad came round the wicket, but to no avail as he bowled a waist-high full toss only to watch it being sliced just over point for the fourth six.
The pressure was clearly showing on Broad as he was in two minds whether to continue round the wicket or to go back over the wicket. He decided to do the former and went in for a slightly wide delivery, which Yuvraj gladly accepted on one knee and managed to just go over the fielder at deep-square.
By now Broad had given up and was only hoping that Yuvraj mistimes one so as to not be part of a dubious record. The last ball of the over was similar to the first in line, length and result to make the Punjab batsman the first one in T20Is, and the second in internationals to hit six sixes in an over.
He followed this up with hitting the first ball he faced off Flintoff in the next over high over long-off to make it seven in a row.
India went on to win the game by 18 runs, but more importantly this whirlwind of an innings etched Yuvraj in the minds of the Indian cricket fan forever.
