Rajshahi’s Muktar Ali yesterday became the first Bangladeshi to clobber 16 sixes in a first-class innings and equaled the worldwide record joining Australian Andrew Symonds, English Graham Napier and New Zealand’s Jesse Ryder. The sixes were hit during his 148-ball 168 hurricane innings against Chittagong Division at the Walton 15th National Cricket League in BKSP yesterday.
However, the record is more significant as it came from a No. 9 batsman compared to the genuine batsmen holding the record.
Muktar went in the middle after a 347-run stand between Farhad Reza and Sanjamul Islam for the eighth wicket. The 24-year-old added 224 runs with Farhad and in the process registered his maiden first-class hundred.
It was New Zealand’s John Reid who held the record for more than 30 years, after smashing 15 sixes in his 296 for Wellington against Northern Districts at the Basin Reserve in 1962-63. But the mark was eclipsed in 1995, when Symonds hit 16 in his unbeaten 254 for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan at the Pen-y-Pound ground in Abergavenny
Muktar, who is better known for his accurate medium fast bowling, has been a handy batsmen to his team over the time and he was also in consideration for the Bangladesh squad in the World T20.
Chittagong’s national opener Tamim Iqbal, who bowled eight overs and got smashed for 68 runs, was a mere spectator when Muktar was towering the sixes to all corners of the park. Known for a hard-hitting batsman himself, Tamim praised Muktar’s approach and said, “Muktar went to bat after a big partnership by Sanjamul and Farhad, who was at the other end and was in a very good position, and in these situations a new batsman tends to score quickly and eventually throws his wicket.
“But Muktar paced his innings very well and he has played all the cricketing shots to smash those sixteen sixes. As an opponent I should never feel good, but I really enjoyed his innings and I must say he played really well,” said Tamim to Dhaka Tribune over phone.
Sixes Runs Player Match Venue Year
16 168 Muktar Ali Rajshahi v Chittagong BKSP 3 2014
16 254* A Symonds Gloucestershire v Glamorgan Abergavenny 1995
16 196 GR Napier Essex v Surrey Croydon 2011
16 175 JD Ryder New Zealanders v Australia A Brisbane 2011-12
15 296 JR Reid Wellington v Northern Districts Wellington 1962-63
15 152* Ziaur Rahman South Zone v Central Zone Mirpur 2012-13
Source: Dhaka Tribune