EOIN MORGAN smashed a world record 17 SIXES in an astonishing 71-ball knock of 148 against Afghanistan. The England skipper was actually a fitness doubt for today’s World Cup game at Old Trafford after suffering a back spasm against West Indies at Southampton last Friday. But Morgan showed no signs of injury as he whacked […]
EOIN MORGAN smashed a world record 17 SIXES in an astonishing 71-ball knock of 148 against Afghanistan.
The England skipper was actually a fitness doubt for today’s World Cup game at Old Trafford after suffering a back spasm against West Indies at Southampton last Friday.
But Morgan showed no signs of injury as he whacked the fastest century of this tournament, reaching one hundred off only 57 balls.
The Irishman came to the crease when opener Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for 90 and England were 164-2 off 29.5 overs.
Morgan only scored one run off the first seven balls of his innings.
But he struck his first six from a free hit after Gulbadin Naib had overstepped – and then followed it up with another maximum the next ball.
Morgan was badly dropped by Dawlat Zadran at deep midwicket when he was on 28.
And that blunder proved costly as the home captain went on an unprecedented scoring spree.
Morgan got to three figures with his 11th six – and it was the fourth fastest century in World Cup history.
And he went on to plunder another six maximums, beating the previous record for most sixes in a one-day innings, which was 16 by Chris Gayle, AB De Villiers and Rohit Sharma.
Morgan fell the ball after his record-breaker when he was caught at long-off by Rahmat Shah off Naib.
But his 148 was his best score in a one-day international and he walked off to a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd.
Morgan put on 189 for the fourth wicket with Joe Root, who fell just before Morgan for 88.
And the recalled Moeen Ali carried on the big-hitting with 31 off only nine balls, including four sixes, as England got 397-6 off their 50 overs.
It was an innings to forget for minnows Afghanistan, whose star spinner Rashid Khan finished with figures of 0-110 off nine overs.
