Mohammad Saifuddin got the comparison of English all-rounder Ben Stokes after his unbeaten 39 off 27 balls in Bangladesh’s 20-run loss in the first Twenty20 international against South Africa in Bloemfontein. The all-rounder took just one game to show that he can be many things but not Stokes in the second match of the series at Potchefstroom on Sunday.West Indies batsman Carlos Brathwaite famously struck Stokes four consecutive sixes in the ICC World Twenty20 final in 2016, but Saifuddin went one better to conceded five consecutive sixes to David Miller in the game.
A wider ball outside the off-stump in the sixth ball saved him from joining the list of Malcolm Nash, Tilak Raj, Daan van Bunge, Stuart Broad and Boyd Rankin, who all conceded six sixes in an over in different level of domestic and international cricket.
Garfield Sobers and Ravi Shastri achieved the feat respectively against Nash and Raj in first-class cricket while Herschelle Gibbs accomplished the feat against Dutch bowler van Bunge in one-day international.
Yuvraj Singh was only cricketer to do it in Twenty20 international, hitting Broad out of the fence six times in an over in the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 while Hales did it against Rankin in NatWest Twenty20.
Widely known as Killer for his marauding approach Miller was about to become the sixth batsman in history to hit six sixes in an over against Saifuddin, who was playing only his fourth Twenty20 internationals.
Until Miller took Saifuddin to his sword, it was however, not a bad day for the 21-year old all-rounder, who got the wicket of AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla in his first three overs.
After giving 16 runs in his first two overs, he seemed to be the Bangladesh’s go-to bowler when Miller and Amla looked to be in an ominous touch between 13 to 16 overs.
South Africa scored 62 runs in four overs during the phase prompting skipper Sakib al Hasan to bring former Under-19 player Saifuddin to the attack again. This time he gave away just six runs in an over and got the wicket of Amla in the process.
But Miller spoiled all his good works to pour cold water on any comparison of Saifuddin with Stokes or any other top-player for that matter.
-With New Age input
