Ayush Badoni.
Credit: JioCinema
New Delhi: Ayush Badoni (165) went on a carnage to smash a record breaking 19 sixes while Priyansh Arya (120) hit six maximums in an over, taking South Delhi Superstarz to the second-highest T20 total ever of 308/5 against North Delhi Strikers in the Delhi Premier League here on Saturday.
Arya, who has played for India U-19, smacked six sixes in the 12th over of South Delhi’s innings but it was Badoni who was more belligerent of the two.
Badoni, who has played for Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League, pummelled a whopping 19 sixes which now a world record in all T20 cricket.
Badoni's 165 came of a mere 55 balls with a total of eight boundaries and 19 sixes, going past former West Indies player and T20 legend Chris Gayle’s joint record with Estonia’s Sahil Chauhan of hitting most sixes (18) in a T20 innings.
Gayle hit 18 sixes along with five fours in his 69-ball 146 for Rangpur Riders against Dhaka Dynamites in the 2017 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.
While the Indian-origin Chauhan had smacked 18 sixes during his 41-ball 144 for Estonia against Cyprus in a T20 International in June this year.
The left-handed Arya hammered 10 sixes and as many fours to make 120 from 50 balls while bringing up his century off only 40 balls.
With bowler Manan Bhardwaj feeding Arya each of the six balls in his hitting arc, the left-handed batter cleared the ropes down the ground — long-off, long-on and even over the bowler's head — for six consecutive sixes in the 12th over of the innings.
Badoni and Arya also broke the record of highest partnership for any wicket in T20s with their 286-run stand for the second wicket.
Badoni and Arya in the process went past Japan opening pair of Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake and Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming, who had put on 258 for the opening wicket against China in February this year.
South Delhi's total of 308/5 was six runs shy of the record highest total set by any team in all T20s — 314/3 in 20 overs — set by Nepal against Mongolia in the Asian Games men's competition in 2023.