Published By: Sanchari Das

On This Day (Sept 19): Yuvraj Singh's Six Sixes Demolish England

He became the second batter, after South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs, to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket

On September 19, 2007, Yuvraj Singh created a moment that would forever be etched in cricket history. During the T20 World Cup in South Africa, he smashed six consecutive sixes in a single over against England's Stuart Broad. The match was a Super Eight clash, and India desperately needed a win after losing to New Zealand. With just 20 balls remaining, Yuvraj took the stage at Kingsmead, Durban, in what would become one of the most iconic moments of international cricket. After South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs, he became the second batter to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket.

Tension builds before the blast

India's innings was well underway, thanks to half-centuries from Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Yuvraj entered the fray with India needing quick runs to push the total beyond England's reach. But it wasn't just the cricket that had everyone talking. A heated exchange with Andrew Flintoff moments earlier ignited a fire in Yuvraj. And with that emotion, he turned his fury into one of the most breathtaking displays of batting in cricket history.

The over that changed everything

Facing Stuart Broad in the 19th over, Yuvraj launched into an unprecedented assault. Each delivery from Broad was sent soaring into the stands with sheer power and precision. Whether it was over mid-wicket, backward square-leg, or deep extra cover, Yuvraj struck each ball out of the park. By the end of the over, he had made history by hitting six consecutive sixes and racing to his fifty in just 12 balls – the fastest fifty in any format of cricket to this day.

India set a formidable target, scoring 218/4 in their 20 overs. Yuvraj Singh was the standout performer, smashing 58 runs off just 16 balls. England's chase fell short as they managed 200/6 in their allotted 20 overs.

A young bowler's tough lesson

While Yuvraj celebrated, Stuart Broad had just endured one of the most challenging moments in his early career. Many thought it would break the young fast bowler, but Broad saw it as a learning experience. Far from letting this define him, Broad used the Durban experience as motivation. His resilience helped him become one of the game's finest Test bowlers, eventually claiming over 600 Test wickets and being an integral part of England's 2010 T20 World Cup-winning side.

The fire behind the six sixes

Seventeen years later, Yuvraj Singh fondly recalls that epic night in an ICC interview. Reflecting on his mindset then, Yuvraj said the altercation with Flintoff had left him furious. "I just wanted to hit everything out of the ground," he said, describing how he dispatched the first ball with raw emotion. As the sixes continued, Yuvraj's confidence grew, and by the fourth, he knew he was on the brink of something special. "By the time I hit the sixth, I wasn't nervous. Broad was."

Interestingly, Yuvraj wasn't nervous before the final six, but Broad certainly was. Yuvraj mentioned in his interview how he noticed Broad's nervous body language. For Yuvraj, it wasn't just about the sixes but about redemption from being hit for five sixes by Dimitri Mascrenahas earlier that year. Yuvraj's ability to anticipate Broad's delivery made that final six even more satisfying.

A moment that shaped cricket history

Yuvraj's sixes defined that match and became a defining moment in cricket history. India won the match and later the T20 World Cup, a title that signalled their resurgence on the global stage. Yuvraj's explosive performance was critical in India's journey to their first world trophy in 24 years. For Broad, that day in Durban became a stepping stone, pushing him toward greatness in his own career. Yuvraj's six sixes and Broad's resilience make this moment a powerful lesson in sport's unpredictable highs and lows.