WTC Final- Tim Southee goes past Ricky Ponting in elite list of sixes-hitters
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Former Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum leads the list with 107 maximums in his 101-match career.
Tim Southee produced a fantastic performance on Day 5, the Kiwi was not only crucial with the bowl, but also the bat. The pacer, known for his brute batting skills, smashed a couple of sixes in his 30-run knock.
Team India put New Zealand on the back foot in the first session of Day 5 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton after the BlackCaps were down to 135 for 5. However, skipper Kane Williamson tried to stabilise the innings and De Grandehomme and Jamieson helped the kiwis reduce the deficit. Southee came to bat and continued the onslaught on Indian bowlers.
The pacer smashed two sixes and scored a crucial 46-ball 30 runs. With these maximums, Tim Southee has 75 sixes in 79 Test matches and is now on the 15th spot on the overall list. He overtook former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting and just three sixes away from going past MS Dhoni.
Former Kiwi skipper Brendon McCullum leads the list with 107 maximums in his 101-match career.
Tim Southee has also surpassed Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, Proteas star AB De Villiers and West Indies' great Clive Lloyd.
To challenge for the win, New Zealand needed some early wickets, and Gill fell for eight as Southee brought one back in to pin him leg before with the deficit still at eight.
Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara knuckled down but another Southee inswinger did for the former, failing to play a shot as he went LBW for 30.
Pujara and Kohli saw out the remainder of the session and will return on Wednesday looking to build on India’s lead of 32.
The ICC confirmed that the reserve day would be utilised with a maximum of 98 overs (83 plus 15) to be bowled and play to begin at 10.30 a.m. BST