Yuvraj Singh, during the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa, lit up the tournament with his six-hitting feat against England.
In the 18th over of India’s innings, Flintoff was handed the ball, and in turn, he faced the brunt of Yuvi’s blade. The southpaw dispatched Flintoff for a couple of boundaries off successive deliveries.
During the over change, Yuvi and Flintoff engaged in a verbal duel with an intervention from umpires, who had to mellow the situation down.
The result of the sledge from Flintoff led to a rookie Stuart Broad facing the consequences. Yuvraj, who was already in destruction mode, dispatched Broad for six consecutive maximums in one over. Only Herschelle Gibbs achieved the feat in international cricket.
“I had hit Flintoff for two boundaries on good deliveries, and he did not like it. And after that over, when I was walking to the other end. I can’t repeat exactly what he said. He told me that those were some ridiculous shots. So I asked him what did he say and had a confrontation,” Yuvraj told Vikrant Mehta of Sports Tak.
“I will cut your throat off,” said Flintoff to Yuvraj. To which the Punjab swashbuckler replied by saying, “You see this bat in my hand. Do you know where I am gonna hit you with this bat?”
It was during the altercation with Flintoff which ignited the will of sending every ball over the ropes for Yuvi.
“So the umpire interrupted us, but I was very pumped after that argument, and I had decided that I have to send every ball out of the park now. Luckily it was my day,” concluded Yuvraj.
Later that night, Yuvraj walked away with the man of the match award. He still holds the record of smashing the quickest half-century in T20I cricket, with a 12-ball fifty.
Yuvraj, meanwhile, scored 58 runs off 16 balls in the match, with the help of seven sixes and three fours.
