Cricket aficionados were left stunned as Akash Choudhary, representing Meghalaya, smashed a record that had stood for generations. Eight consecutive sixes and a half-century in just 11 balls in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group match against Arunachal Pradesh marked one of the most extraordinary innings in first-class cricket history.
Yet the 25-year-old all-rounder remained humble. “It won’t change much overnight,” he said. “I still need to focus on what matters — helping my team, taking wickets, and batting according to the situation.”
Choudhary’s innings saw him send Limar Dabi and T. Mohit to all corners of the ground, mostly over long-on and long-off, breaking the previous record of six sixes in an over held by legends like Gary Sobers and Ravi Shastri. “I noticed the wind was favourable, the pitch was ideal, and hitting straight felt easiest, so I continued,” he said modestly.
Born to a welder and a tailor in Shillong, Choudhary has stayed grounded despite his sudden fame. “It might bring opportunities, but that’s not my focus right now,” he explained. The young all-rounder had gone unsold in the 2022 IPL auction at a base price of ₹20 lakh, yet now franchises are expected to take serious notice.
Choudhary’s journey to the Ranji Trophy stage is a tale of perseverance. From local tennis-ball matches to school and regional cricket, his talent was recognised during BCCI/NCA North-East trials. He debuted in first-class, List A, and T20 cricket in 2019 and holds an economics degree alongside his sporting achievements.
As Meghalaya eye a final league match against Manipur, Choudhary remains focused. “We’ve lost two matches to rain, so this one is critical,” he said. “Our goal is to reach the Elite Group and perform consistently there.”
Through the media hype and viral clips of his eight sixes, Choudhary’s philosophy is clear: play the game, respect the process, and let the records follow naturally.