Colombo, March 29: Thisara Perera became the first Sri Lankan and ninth overall to hit six sixes in an over in any form of professional cricket during a domestic tournament.
The 31-year-old all-rounder achieved the feat when leading the Sri Lanka Army team in a group match against Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in the Major Clubs Limited Over List A tournament at the Army Ground in Panagoda town on Sunday (March 28).
His unbeaten 13-ball 52, which included eight sixes, was also the second-fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in List A cricket, after former Sri Lanka all-rounder Kaushalya Weeraratne's 12-ball fifty in 2005.
Perera came in to bat at No. 5 with 20 balls remaining in their innings and tore apart part-time off-spinner Dilhan Cooray to achieve the feat.
Perera, who has played six Tests, 166 ODIs and 64 T20 Internationals, is the ninth cricketer in the world to have achieved this feat in professional cricket,
The others who have achieved this feat are as follows:
Sir Garfield Sobers
The legendary West Indies all-rounder was the first player to achieve the feat on 31st August 1968. Sobers, who was captain for Nottinghamshire scored the maximums against Glamorgan's Malcolm Nash..
Ravi Shastri
The current Indian coach and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri representing Bombay hit Baroda left-arm spinner Tilak Raj for six maximums in an over on January 19, 1985.
Herschelle Gibbs
The South African opener Herschelle Gibbs on March 16. 2007 became the first player in international stage to hit six sixes in an over after he cut loose against Daan van Bunge of the Netherlands in the 2007 World Cup.
Yuvraj Singh
On September 19, 2007, the Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh went on an onslaught against hapless England pacer Stuart Broad during the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.
Ross Whiteley
Ten years later, on July 23, 2017, Worcestershire Rapids batsman Ross Whitely hit six successive maximums off Yorkshire Vikings spinner Karl Carver in a T20 Blast match.
Hazratullah Zazai
On October 14, 2018, Afghanistan and Kabul Zwanan batsman Hazrathullah Zazai hit six sixes in an over off Balkh Legends' Abdullah Mazari during an Afghanistan Premier League (APL) match.
Leo Carter
On January 5, 2020, Leo Carter hammered left-arm spinner Anton Devcich for six sixes in an over during the New Zealand Super Smash T20 tournament between Canterbury Kings and Northern Districts.
Kieron Pollard
Earlier this month, on March 4, 2021, West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard tore into unconventional Sri Lankan off-spinner Akhila Dananjaya to become the third cricket to score six sixes in over on international stage.
(With PTI inputs)