Watch: The ball didn't go to the boundary but batting team gets 6 runs

Clearing the ropes in the only way to hit a six, most would suggest. But here is the bluntest way in which a batsman can garner a maximum on the cricket field. The batsmen of the modern day game are fierce and are known for hitting the mighty blows out of the ground. While you must have seen big sixes hit out of the ground, here is the smallest six that one could ever think of.

It was during the match played in the last decade between Pakistan and Sri Lanka when the Pakistani batsman tried to sweep the ball and a gentle sweep fetched him six runs. The Sri Lankan bowler bowled the delivery that pitched on the leg side and spun towards the middle. The batsman had no hesitation in sweeping the ball and eventually ended up sweeping. Wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara couldn’t do much about the sweep as the ball went in the air and hit the keeper’s helmet!

In the meantime, the batsmen run across for a single too. Owing to this, the umpire Steve Bucknor signaled a total of 6 runs awarded to the team, 5 for the ball hitting the helmet and 1 for the run taken. As the commentators mocked later, it was the first six of the innings.

The helmet was quickly sent off the ground as the Lankan players called for the substitute player to take the helmet back. Clearly, the Sri Lankan players were not impressed with the six that was hit. The end result, however, was the Pakistani batsman getting the smallest six ever to his name. Well, only if we could say that.

Watch: The ball didn’t go to the boundary but batting team gets 6 runs:

Here are the longest sixes – Top 10 Longest sixes in international Cricket