The cricketing world witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence on Sunday during a Ranji Trophy Plate Group match between Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh, as little-known Akash Choudhary etched his name into the record books with a knock destined to be remembered.
Meghalaya’s Akash Choudhary, primarily recognized as a medium pacer, stunned spectators by smashing eight sixes in eight balls—including six consecutive sixes in a single over. Not only that , he raced to the fastest fifty in first-class history during the onslaught, achieving the feat in just 11 deliveries.
The 25-year-old entered the crease at No. 8 with his team already cruising at 576 for 6. After taking a few deliveries to settle, Choudhary unleashed a remarkable assault. Facing left-arm spinner Limar Dabi in the 126th over, he dispatched six consecutive balls over the boundary, becoming only the third player in first-class cricket to accomplish the feat.
West Indies legend Garry Sobers and former Indian international Ravi Shastri were the only players previously in this exclusive club.
Yet Choudhary’s fireworks continued. In the following over, he struck two more sixes off T. N. Mohith, making it eight consecutive sixes off eight balls—a world record in first-class cricket. His half-century came off just 11 balls, surpassing the previous record set by Wayne White in 2012 by a single delivery. Choudhary remained unbeaten on 50 from 14 balls as Meghalaya declared their innings at a formidable 628 for 6.
With this extraordinary performance, Choudhary joined the ranks of cricket’s most electrifying entertainers, proving that even in the longest format, brilliance can erupt in an instant.
While he may never replicate this feat, Akash Choudhary has ensured his place in cricketing folklore. In a sport defined by its rich history and rare moments of magic, his innings will endure as a reminder that cricketing brilliance that can emerge from the unlikeliest of heroes.