When Darius Visser decided to take up his mum's heritage and enlist as a Samoan cricketer little did he realise it would lead to him becoming a world beater.
The 28-year-old from Sydney wrote his way into the ICC record books on Tuesday when he belted 39 runs in one over for Samoa in a T20 World Cup qualifying win over Vanuatu at Apia's Garden Oval No.2.
It beat by three runs the previous record held by Indian Yuvraj Singh, who famously thrashed six sixes off Englishman Stuart Broad at Kingsmead in Durban on September 19, 2007.
Darius Visser creates history after smashing most runs in an over in Men's T20Is 💥
— ICC (@ICC) August 20, 2024
Read on ➡️ https://t.co/19hSJuDml5 pic.twitter.com/7ptxoDRxfU
The unfortunate bowler to relieve Broad of one of the world's unwanted records is Nalin Nipiko.
It was an over to forget for the right-armer, who also bowled three no balls, with the balling having to be recovered from outside the ground more than once.
Allrounder Visser is a former Penrith junior representative who went on to represent the University of Sydney and St George in Sydney grade cricket.
Visser began his junior days as a fast bowler and No.11 batsman but worked on his repertoire to eventually become a legspinner and middle-order bat.
He has so far starred in the ICC qualifying tournament where Samoa, Vanuatu, the Cooks Islands and Fiji are competing in the Sub Regional East Asia-Pacific Qualifiers.
In Samoa's opening match against Fiji, Visser claimed 4-11 and made an unbeaten 30 to claim the man-of-the-match award in a nine-wicket win.
On Tuesday, he struck 132 off 62 balls in an innings that included 14 sixes and five fours, and took 1-29 in the 10-run victory.
His mum Lima and dad Gerald were at the venue when he attained the record.
"We are all so proud of him," said Lima Visser. "The entire family has been following his progress and is pretty excited.
"We will celebrate hard and savour the moment."
MOST RUNS IN AN OVER:
39 - Darius Visser (Samoa vs Vanuatu, 2024)
36 - Yuvraj Singh (India vs England, 2007)
36 - Kieron Pollard (West Indies vs Sri Lanka, 2021)
36 - Rohit Sharma/Rinku Singh (India vs Afghanistan, 2024)
36 - Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal vs Qatar, 2024)
36 - Nicholas Pooran (West Indies vs Afghanistan, 2024)
