Sixer Shaimon comes good again

Sharjah Shaimon Anwar created another shower of sixes in the ongoing Bukhatir League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday — hitting 19 sixes during his knock of 195 runs off 74 balls, which also included 15 boundaries.

This knock steered Yogi Group to an eight-wicket win, chasing Wings Cricket Club imposing total of 261 runs — so devastating was Anwar that Yogi Group won in only 20.5 overs. It is not the Wings Club bowlers alone who had to run for cover before this spectacular hardhitter from Pakistan’s Sialkot. Even the formidable Fly Emirates and Abu Dhabi Gymkhana were thrashed in different tournaments.

The local cricketing fraternity, however, is no stranger to Anwar’s feats. Last year on May 8, Anwar hit 99 runs in a morning match against Tellicherry in the Sharjah Cricket Council’s AJ Invitation Cup tournament and the same afternoon, he cracked a double century against Mashreq Bank in the Mobil Cup in Dubai off just 56 balls. His knock of 200 contained 16 sixers.

Speaking to Gulf News after his knock of 195, Anwar said: “I should have reached my double century with a sixer but I was caught on the boundary line. If it cleared, it would have been my 20th sixer. I will try to reach a double century with a sixer another time.”

No wonder domestic cricketers address him as ‘Sixer’ Shaimon. Last season, he hit 2500 runs from 25 matches and the Sharjah Cricket Council honoured him with a special award for his outstanding feat. This year, he bagged the Dubai Cricket Council’s Shyam Bhatia award for the best batsman in an UAE’s A division tournaments for scoring 1343 runs. He received the coveted trophy from former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Anwar has lost count of his centuries in domestic cricket since arriving here in 2004. “What matters to me now is not the number of centuries or the sixers I hit but my knocks should ensure my team a victory in all the matches that I play.”

Anwar played first class cricket for Sialkot till 2003 before coming to Dubai and joining the Consolidated Shipping Services (CSS) team. “While playing for CSS, Shiva Pagarani the owner and captain of Yogi Group, spotted me and gave me a job in his company. I am happy I have been able to play a role in our team’s victories.”

It wasn’t long before Anwar was spotted by the UAE national team selectors too. Anwar now terrorises associate and affiliate teams like he does the domestic teams. “I am happy that I could hit 55 runs against Scotland in the first one-day match and an unbeaten 77 in the second match to help UAE win with one to ball to spare. The knocks were special to me because I scored them in front of our new coach Aaqib Javed,” said Anwar.

When asked about his ability to hit sixes, Anwar said: “There is nothing special about my sixers. My policy is simple and that is to hit a delivery that deserves to be hit. When I hit, I hit them hard.”

Talking about the Bukhatir League sixers, Anwar said: “I love to hit when the ball comes into the bat. In Abu Dhabi, I hit 181 against Abu Dhabi Gymkhana but the ball wasn’t coming to the bat and on such occasions it is hard to hit.”

Through which area does Anwar enjoy hitting sixes? “I love to hit sixes over the extra cover. I get my maximum sixers through this shot, though I do hit sixers through mid wicket and over long on and long off too,” said Anwar.