September 21, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 08, 1428

DURBAN, Sept 20: Yuvraj Singh became the first player to hit six sixes in an over at the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday, spearheading India to an 18-run win over England in a Super Eights match on Wednesday (also partly reported in Thursday’s edition).

Yuvraj smashed fast bowler Stuart Broad for 36 runs in the 19th over sending India to a total of 218 for four from their 20 overs.

England, who were eliminated from the race for a semi-final place when South Africa beat New Zealand in Wednesday’s earlier match, replied with 200 for six.

After reaching his half-century off a record 12 balls, Yuvraj was eventually out for 58. He hit three fours and seven sixes.

England’s reply smouldered without catching fire. Darren Maddy (29) and Vikram Solanki (43) shared 53 for the first wicket and the best of the rest of their batting was Kevin Pietersen’s 39.

Yuvraj admitted he also had a score to settle against England after he had been hit for five sixes in an over by Dimitri Mascarenhas in a one-dayer at The Oval earlier this month.

The 25-year-old became the fourth man to complete the feat at elite level.

India’s Ravi Shastri and West Indian Garfield Sobers had achieved the record in first class cricket, while South African Herschelle Gibbs reached the landmark at the 50-over World Cup earlier this year.

Scoreboard

INDIA:

G. Gambhir c Broad b Maddy 58

V. Sehwag b Tremlett 68

R.V. Uthappa b Tremlett 6

M.S. Dhoni not out 10

Yuvraj Singh c Collingwood b Flintoff 58

Irfan Pathan not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-7, W-10, NB-1) 18

TOTAL (for four wkts, 20 overs) 218

FALL OF WKTS: 1-136, 2-144, 3-155, 4-216.

DID NOT BAT: R.P. Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, J. Sharma, R.P. Singh, S. Sreesanth.

BOWLING: Anderson 4-0-25-0 (4w); Broad 4-0-60-0 (2w); Flintoff 4-0-33-1 (1w); Mascarenhas 1-0-15-0; Tremlett 4-0-45-2 (1nb, 2w); Collingwood 1-0-13-0; Maddy 2-0-20-1.

ENGLAND:

D.L. Maddy c Gambhir b Pathan 29

V.S. Solanki c R. Sharma b Pathan 43

K.P. Pietersen c and b Harbhajan 39

P.D. Collingwood b R.P. Singh 28

Owais Shah c R. Sharma b R.P. Singh 21

A. Flintoff not out 8

L.J. Wright c Harbhajan b Pathan 16

A.D. Mascarenhas not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-11) 16

TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs) 200

FALL OF WKTS: 1-53, 2-96, 3-126, 4-170, 5-170, 6-196.

BOWLING: Sreesanth 4-0-38-0 (1w); R.P. Singh 4-0-28-2 (1w); J. Sharma 4-0-57-0; Irfan Pathan 4-0-37-3 (1w); Harbhajan Singh 4-0-35-1 (2w).

RESULT: India won by 18 runs.

UMPIRES: S.J.A. Taufel (Australia) and B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: S.J. Davis (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Yuvraj Singh.

—Agencies