The T20 World Cup Sub Regional East Asia-Pacific Qualifier A witnessed unprecedented history-making on Tuesday, as a remarkable 39 runs were scored in a single over between Samoa and Vanuatu. In a game brimming with high-octane drama, the previous record for the most runs in a T20I over was astonishingly obliterated.
Samoa’s power-hitting batter, Darius Visser, etched his name into the annals of cricket history, accomplishing what few thought possible. Facing Vanuatu’s Nalin Nipiko, Visser launched six colossal sixes in an over, aided by three additional no-balls from Nipiko. The breathtaking assault on the crease propelled Visser to set a new international benchmark for the most runs accumulated in a single T20I over.
This stupendous feat by Visser goes beyond the long-standing 36-run record jointly held by cricketing giants Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Dipendra Singh Airee, and the duo of Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh. Visser’s exceptional innings, however, is slightly nuanced by cricketing regulations: though his bat generated 36 runs, the cumulative total of 39 for the over factored in the extra runs from no-balls, not added to his personal tally.
Yuvraj Singh’s record-breaking six sixes in an over came during the T20 World Cup of 2007 against England’s Stuart Broad. This spectacular performance remained unmatched until Kieron Pollard’s equally striking 36-run over against Akila Dananjaya in 2021. Other notable instances include Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh accumulating a total of 36 runs against Karim Janat in January 2024, with an over that otherwise netted 35 runs off the bat. Similarly, Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee achieved six successive sixes against Qatar’s Kamran Khan in April of the same year. The record stood closely guarded until Nicholas Pooran’s 26-run spree, supplemented by 10 extras, against Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai in June 2024 came nearest to the peak.
In Samoa’s recent clash, Visser unfurled his majestic batting prowess right from the start.
. On Nipiko’s first three balls, Visser dispatched the ball over the ropes for sixes. The sequence was momentarily disrupted by an illegal delivery— a no-ball on which no run was scored off the bat, pushing the count to 19 runs from just the first three deliveries. The subsequent legal delivery was again launched into the stands for another maximum, signifying four consecutive sixes from Visser.
Misfortune and indiscipline seemed to plague Nipiko, as another no-ball followed, leading to a momentary relief with no run off the bat. The fifth legal delivery saw no score, a rare anomaly in what was an otherwise destructive over. As Nipiko’s rhythm faltered, he bowled two more no-balls in quick succession, one of which carried for a six, before Visser sent the final legal delivery soaring for the concluding maximum, rounding out a chaotic yet historic over.
It’s crucial to highlight that while Visser’s official tally for the over stands at 36 runs, reflective of his six maximums, Nipiko’s cumulative runs given away stretched to a historic 39, inclusive of wide and no-ball runs. These additional runs are factored into the bowler’s and the team’s account, however.
The incident has sent ripples through the cricketing community, with analysts and former players alike praising Visser’s explosive talent and critiquing Nipiko’s lack of discipline and control under immense pressure. The over encapsulates the thrill and unpredictability inherent in T20 cricket, where the tide of the game can shift dramatically in mere minutes.
From an analytical perspective, this milestone not only underscores the growing prowess and depth in international cricket but also challenges bowlers globally to refine and bolster their technique and mental fortitude.
As fans and players alike digest this awe-inspiring performance, Visser’s 39-run over will undoubtedly serve as an indelible moment in T20 cricket’s rich and evolving tapestry, reminding all of the extraordinary potential for records to be broken and new legends to be born.
