ISLAMABAD: Cricket produced one of its strangest-looking moments in the Canada Super60 when a wayward bouncer sailed over both the batter and wicketkeeper before landing beyond the boundary, yet the batting side received only five runs.
The bizarre incident occurred during the first semifinal between Toronto Sixers and Mississauga Masters on Sunday, October 4, when Masters bowler Ali Khan delivered the ninth over against Sixers captain Kieron Pollard.
🫢 In the Canada Super 60 League, American fast bowler Ali Khan bowled such a bouncer that the ball went over the wicketkeeper’s head and fell outside the boundary. 👻 pic.twitter.com/E7RuAtTavV
— Usman (@Usman_56Offical) October 5, 2026
The delivery was so short that it flew over Pollard and the wicketkeeper before carrying all the way over the ropes at BC Place in Vancouver, prompting an immediate question among viewers: If the ball crossed the boundary, why wasn’t it a six?
Why the ‘six’ was actually five wides
The umpire signalled five wides, rather than seven runs, one for the wide and six for the boundary.
Under the MCC Laws of Cricket, a six can only be awarded when the ball is struck by the bat. Simply clearing the boundary does not make a delivery a six.
Clause 19.7.1 of the Laws of Cricket states that a boundary six is scored only when the ball has been struck by the bat and subsequently crosses the boundary without first touching the ground inside the field of play.
Since Pollard never made contact with the ball, it remained an extra rather than a batter’s boundary.
In other words, the ball could fly 100 metres over the boundary, but if the batter does not hit it, it cannot be recorded as a six.
The incident nevertheless looked extraordinary because the ball crossed the ropes in the same manner as a conventional maximum.
A BIZARRE MOMENT IN CANADA SUPER SIXTY!
A bizarre moment took place at BC Place in Vancouver during the Canada Super Sixty.
USA fast bowler Ali Khan bowled a bouncer to Kieron Pollard. The ball went over Pollard’s head, then over the wicketkeeper’s head, and landed directly…
— Usman (@Usman_56Offical) October 5, 2026
Toronto Sixers recover after early collapse
The unusual moment came during a dramatic semifinal in which Toronto Sixers were initially struggling after being asked to bat first.
The Sixers were reduced to 51 for three in the sixth over, but Pollard and Andries Gous launched a remarkable counterattack.
The pair added 79 runs from only 26 deliveries, powering Toronto to 130 for 3 in their 10 overs.
Pollard remained unbeaten on 40 from 16 balls, while Gous smashed an unbeaten 33 from just 11 deliveries.
Mississauga Masters began their chase spectacularly, with openers Alex Lees and George Munsey putting together 49 runs from only 14 balls.
However, the Masters lost momentum after the departure of the openers and eventually finished at 121 for seven, sending the Sixers into the final.
One of the craziest deliveries from Ali Khan in the Canada Super 60! 🤯🥶
He bowls a wide that goes for a six, but the umpires call it five wides! 👀#Canada #Super60 #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/oBeL2jHj96
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) October 5, 2026
Toronto Sixers lift Canada Super60 trophy
Toronto’s extraordinary day did not end with the semifinal.
The Sixers later chased down 165 against Vancouver Anchors, winning by five wickets to claim the inaugural Canada Super60 title.
The tournament’s ultra-short format, with matches consisting of just 10 overs per side, has produced an unusually high-scoring brand of cricket, while the compact playing dimensions at BC Place have added another layer of spectacle.
The five-wide incident therefore became one of the tournament’s most memorable moments, not because a new type of six was created, but because it demonstrated an often-overlooked principle of cricket: a ball crossing the boundary is not automatically a six.
Brief history of Canada Super60
The Canada Super60 is a new professional 60-ball-per-innings cricket league launched in Canada in 2025, designed around an ultra-short format aimed at bringing fast-paced cricket to a wider audience.
The league features international and domestic players and uses 10-over innings, making every delivery particularly significant. Its matches have been staged at BC Place in Vancouver, where the short boundaries and indoor setting have contributed to an entertainment-focused format.
The tournament has attracted established international names and former stars, including Kieron Pollard, while giving Canadian cricket a new franchise-based platform.
