While England captain Eoin Morgan wrote his name in the record during his blistering knock of 148 from 70 balls against Afghanistan today, Afghanistan leg spinner Rashid Khan also went into record books but for the unwanted one.
Rashid Khan had a horrible outing against England on Tuesday as he ended up achieving an unwanted record with 0-110 in nine overs — the most expensive return at a World Cup and second costliest in all ODI cricket — during the ICC World Cup encounter in Manchester.
The previous record for the world spell in World Cup history belonged to New Zealand’s Martin Snedden who conceded 0/105 off 12 overs (60 overs per side) against England in the 1983 World Cup.
England captain Eoin Morgan set a new world record for most sixes in a one-day international innings as the World Cup hosts piled up 397 for six in against Afghanistan. Morgan hit 17 sixes in his career-best 148, with England’s total of 25 sixes also a new world record.
Morgan, dropped on 28, dominated a third-wicket stand of 189 with Joe Root (82), whose contribution to their partnership was a mere 33.
Morgan’s tally surpassed the record of 16 sixes in an ODI innings previously shared by India’s Rohit Sharma, South Africa’s AB de Villiers and West Indies’ Chris Gayle.
But one ball after launching Gulbadin Naib for the record-breaking six, Morgan holed out off the Afghanistan captain to end a 71-ball innings that also featured four fours.
His innings, which featured 118 runs in boundaries, was all the more impressive as Morgan had been doubtful for this match with a back spasm suffered in England’s eight-wicket win over the West Indies.
Jonny Bairstow (90 off 99 balls) and Joe Root (88 off 82 balls) also played their part but were overshadowed by the skipper who pulverised the hapless Afghan bowling attack.