Eight sixes in a row: Indian cricketer scores fastest half-century ever in first class

Akash Kumar Choudhary smashed his way into the cricket record books in an Indian domestic match, hitting eight successive sixes on his way to the fastest fifty ever in a first-class match.

This major feat meant that he surpassed the feats of two of cricket’s all-time greats by not only hitting six sixes at the same time but adding two more off the next two deliveries he faced.

This made Akash the first player ever to score eight consecutive runs in a first-class match, while his record-breaking fifty came off just 11 balls.

The stunning strike happened on the second day of a Ranji Trophy group match between Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh in Surat, in the western Indian state of Gujarat.

Akash came in at No. 8 with Meghalaya 576-6, starting with a point and two singles before hitting six successive sixes off left-arm spinner Lemar Dabi.

This made him only the third player to achieve this individual feat in a first-class match, after West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers in 1968 and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri in 1985.

The 25-year-old followed that up with successive sixes during TNR Mohith’s next over, taking him to his half-century.

The 11 balls it took to reach his 50 broke the previous record of 12 taken by Wayne White when he played for Leicestershire against Essex in 2012.

Meghalaya soon declared the score at 629-8, with Akash finishing unbeaten with 50 off 14 balls.

If that wasn’t enough, Akash shone with the ball to set Meghalaya on course for a crushing win.

The seam bowler took 1-10 as Arunachal Pradesh were bowled out for just 73.

And after Arunachal Pradesh were asked to follow on, they took 2-7 as they limped to 29-3 at the close – with a mammoth 526 still trailing them.