English captain Eoin Morgan went all guns blazing in their World Cup match against Afghanistan on Tuesday at the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester. The southpaw batsman slammed 17 sixes in his innings of 148 runs, as he helped his team set the highest total at the 2019 ICC World Cup.
Morgan scored over a hundred runs in sixes and also hit four boundaries while maintaining a strike rate of more than 200. He built a 189-run partnership alongside Joe Root, equalling the highest ever run stand at this World Cup which was set on Monday by Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das.
Afghanistan leggie Rashid Khan was the worst affected by Morgan’s carnage, as he was hit for three sixes in an over, not once but twice. No wonder the spinner went on to record the worst ever figures at a World Cup. The 32-year-old averaged almost two sixes every over post the 40th before being caught out in the deep off Gulbadin Naib’s bowling in the 47th over.
Morgan’s six-show helped him get past the world record for most sixes in an innings in a One Day International, a feat that was previously shared by Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villliers. His superb aggressive batting helped England set a target of 398 for Afghanistan, and also contributed to England claiming a record for the most number of sixes in an ODI game with 21 maximums.
This is how Twitter reacted to Morgan’s carnage in Manchester.
Eoin Morgan for PM #thecricket
— The Poke (@ThePoke) June 18, 2019
Two World Cup records tell the story of day: Eoin Morgan scores 102 only with sixes, and Rashid Khan goes for 110 runs in nine overs
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) June 18, 2019
Trying to imagine how good Eoin Morgan would bat without a bad back.
— Ian McCullough (@IanMac08) June 18, 2019
Of all the mind-warping innings from England batsmen in the last four years that from Eoin Morgan is arguably the most bonkers & the most symbolic. The man who has inspired this batting revolution plunders a world record 17 sixes in a single innings; one every 4.17 balls. #CWC19
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) June 18, 2019
One of the most entertaining innings I’ve ever seen in a World Cup from Eoin Morgan. Absolutely phenomenal power-hitting, England on fire. #CWC19
— Hesham Bilal-Hafiz (@hesham786) June 18, 2019
Feature image courtesy: AFP Photo/ Dibyangshu Sarkar
