OTD | Eoin Morgan smashed record 17 sixes in World Cup game against Afghanistan in 2019

Since they were eliminated from the 2015 World Cup, England played the limited-overs format with extreme aggression. Their skipper, who has a valuable record, finest exemplifies it. Eoin Morgan holds the ODI cricket record for the most sixes struck in a single innings. He reached this milestone on this day, June 18, during the 2019 World Cup.

With a record-breaking 17 sixes and four fours against Afghanistan, Morgan played the finest innings of his career, amassing 148 runs in 71 balls. As England achieved a massive total of 397/6, Jonny Bairstow (90) and Joe Root (88) both struck half-centuries in addition to him. This was both the highest World Cup score for England and the highest score ever at Old Trafford. With Root, Morgan shared a third-wicket partnership of 189 runs before being given life at the score of 28. 120 runs were also accumulated for the second wicket by Root and Bairstow.

A world record 25 sixes were hit in England’s innings. In a previous innings against the West Indies, England had struck 24 sixes. In that game, 33 sixes were thrown, setting a new World Cup match record. As a result of the excellent bowling of Adil Rashid (3 for 66), Jofra Archer (3 for 52), and Mark Wood (2 for 40), Afghanistan’s side could only muster 247 for eight in reply.

Hashmatullah Shahidi (76), Rahmat Shah (46), Asghar Afghan (44), and captain Gulbadin Naib (37) all contributed to Afghanistan’s efforts, but the team was unable to even approach the target.

Rashid Khan ended up making an unfortunate record in the same game

Earlier, England had won the toss chosen to bat first against Afghanistan. Bairstow and James Vince (26) added 44 runs for the first wicket to give the squad a cautious start. During the innings, Joe Root scored a run off Naib in the 20th over to bring the team’s total to 100 runs. Later, Morgan displayed his flare by hitting Naib twice in a row for sixes.

With a six, Morgan scored his half-century in just 36 balls. Later, in 57 balls and three sixes in an over, he scored the fourth-fastest World Cup century. Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma, and AB de Villiers (all 16 sixes) had held the record for the most sixes in an ODI before Morgan hit his 17th six. He also made history by becoming the first batter in ODI cricket to hit more than 100 sixes. A whopping 198 runs were scored by the England squad in the final 15 overs.

Rashid Khan turned out to be incredibly expensive for Afghanistan. In nine overs, he gave up 110 runs while going wicketless. Rashid’s performance is the worst bowler’s performance in a World Cup game. He also turned out to be Afghanistan’s most costly bowler in an ODI. Rashid was the target of 11 sixes, which is a World Cup record.