Yuvraj Singh has gracious first response as Kieron Pollard smashes six 6s in an over

Yuvraj Singh on Thursday "welcomed" West Indies captain Kieron Pollard in the elite group of cricketers who have hit six sixes in an over in international cricket. In the first T20I vs Sri Lanka on Thursday, Pollard slammed six sixes in an over off-spinner Akila Dhanajaya to become only the second player after Yuvraj Singh to achieve the feat in T20 cricket.

'Six sixes you beauty!!'

 "Welcome to the club, Kieron Pollard. six sixes you beauty!!" Yuvraj tweeted with six 'star' emojis. 

Yuvraj Singh hit England's Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over on September 19, 2007, in a league-stage match of the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa. Meanwhile, in 2007, Herschelle Gibbs became the first cricketer to smash six sixes in an over during the South Africa vs Netherlands World Cup match.

Pollard said he thought six sixes was a possibility "after the third one."  "I just had to come out and back myself," he said. "It was something the team needed. I didn't see the hat trick, I only heard. But I still had to come out and do what the team required at that point in time."

West Indies beat Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka managed only 131-9 in its 20 overs after being sent in to bat. It had been 86-3 but fell apart after a short rain break and lost six wickets for 45 runs. Captain Angelo Mathews (5) fell in the first over after play resumed and Dinesh Chandimal (11) was out three balls later. Thisara Perera (1) fell in the 17th over and Sri Lanka slumped further to 106-6, then 111-7 when Hasaranga de Silva was out for 12. Two runouts in the final over saw Sri Lanka fall well short of a competitive total.

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The West Indies seemed likely to rapidly run down the Sri Lanka total when Lewis hit the last three balls of the first over for six. But Dananjaya's hat trick saw the home side slip from 52-0 to 52-3, losing Gayle to the first ball of his first T20 in two years. Pollard's barrage in the sixth over lifted the West Indies from 62-4 on the dismissal of Lendl Simmons to 92-4 and again had the home side coasting to victory.

Another twist was in store when de Silva dismissed Pollard (38) and Fabian Allen with consecutive deliveries in the 7th over, denied a hat trick by Dwayne Bravo who defended the next delivery. The West Indies were 101-6 and were seen home by Bravo and captain Jason Holder, who made an unbeaten 29. Holder hit a six, the 15th of the innings, to take West Indies past Sri Lanka's total.

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(With AP inputs)