The 35-year-old Ireland cricketer Kevin O’Brien put his name on the top of one T20I record book last Saturday (2nd November) during the third-place play-off of 2019 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier against Namibia.
It was the low-scoring encounter which Ireland won by 27 runs. After winning the toss, Ireland decided to bat first and Paul Stirling came to open that innings along with Kevin O’Brien.
Kevin O’Brien has hit 36 T20I sixes in 2019
In the third over of that innings, Kevin hit a sixer and created a new history. It was the 36th T20I sixer in 2019 for the right-handed Irish batsman, Kevin O’Brien. With that sixer, Kevin broke the previous record of 35 T20I sixes by Colin Munro (New Zealand) in 2018.
During the Group Stage of the ongoing tournament, Kevin O’Brien equalled the record of Colin Munro. On last Saturday, he surpassed that record.
Players with most T20I sixes in a calendar year
| Player (Team) | Number of T20I sixes in a year | Year |
| Kevin O’Brien (Ireland) | 36 | 2019 |
| Colin Munro (New Zealand) | 35 | 2018 |
| George Munsey (Scotland) | 34 | 2019 |
| Evin Lewis (Windies) | 31 | 2017 |
| Aaron Finch (Australia) | 31 | 2018 |
| Rohit Sharma (India) | 31 | 2018 |
However, Kevin only scored 17 runs off 14 balls in this match against Namibia. Only the opener Paul Stirling and the no.3 batsman Andy Balbirnie crossed the 20-run mark in that innings. While Stirling scored 25 runs, Balbirnie played the crucial knock of 46 runs. Ireland were all out on 135 runs in 19.1 overs.
Among the Namibia bowlers, JJ Smit (3/19) and Craig Williams (3/34) both got three wickets.
Namibia scored 108 runs
In reply, Namibia were bundled out for just 108 runs (18.2 overs). While the captain Gerhard Erasmus scored 51 runs off 34 balls, Stephan Baard (17) and JJ Smit (10) were the only other players to reach the double-digit scores in that innings.
The Irish off-spinner Simi Singh played a major role in that innings. He scalped three wickets as his bowling figures were 4-0-25-3. Also, Mark Adair (2/9), Gareth Delany (2/23) and Boyd Rankin (2/17) all picked up two wickets each. Shane Getkate took the other wicket in that innings.