ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Kieron Pollard said it was only after striking the third six of the over that he knew he could achieve the feat of striking six sixes.
The West Indies white ball captain became only the third batsman in history to hit six sixes in an over when he blasted 36 off the sixth over from leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya during his side’s run chase in last Wednesday’s opening Twenty20 International.
“[I knew] after the third one,” Pollard said after West Indies completed a four-wicket victory at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
“We had played a couple games here in the Super50 and I understand how the wicket plays. The ball was hard, there were two guys out so I just came out and backed myself.
“Again, in the Super50 as well, you back yourself to clear the boundaries rather than just prodding, prodding, prodding.
“It is something the team needed. Unfortunately I didn’t see the two wickets before, I only heard but I was prepared to come and do what the team required at that point in time.”
Arriving at the crease after Dananjaya had snatched the 14th hat-trick in T20 Internationals in the fourth over, Pollard counter-attacked in the bowler’s next over to put Sri Lanka on the back foot.
He smashed the first delivery over long on, deposited the second into the sight-screen, belted the third over wide long off before crunching the fourth delivery over the ropes at wide long.
After hitting the fifth six back overhead, Pollard admitted he had doubts about whether to defend the final delivery or attempt the feat.
“In that brief time [before the final delivery] a couple things went through my mind,” Pollard recalled.
“Do I survive the rest of the over because I’ve already gotten 30 [runs] or do I just continue.
“I know I had the bowler on the back foot and he went around the wicket and it would’ve been difficult for him to try and bowl the ball anywhere in front of me and once I connected with the breeze, I said ‘you know what Polly, take your chances. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.’
“And that’s how I’ve played my cricket throughout especially with spinners bowling as well.”
Pollard flicked the final delivery over the mid-wicket ropes to join Indian Yuvraj Singh and South African Herschelle Gibbs in the record books, as the three players to have accomplished the feat.
He was eventually dismissed for an 11-ball 38 but his burst helped West Indies overhaul their modest target of 132 with 41 balls to spare.
“It came off tonight. Unfortunately I couldn’t go on but again, it was a most important victory,” Pollard stressed.
West Indies take on Sri Lanka again in the second T20 International at the same venue today starting at 6 pm.
