What happens when a cricket ball clears the boundary without touching the ground? In most situations, the answer is straightforward — the umpire raises both arms and signals a six. But a bizarre incident during the Canada Super60 showed that the outcome can be very different when the batter never makes contact with the ball.

Pakistan-born USA international Ali Khan produced one of the strangest deliveries of the tournament during the semi-final between Toronto Sixers and Mississauga Masters. With Kieron Pollard at the crease, Khan bowled a short-pitched delivery that flew over the batter’s head, beat the wicketkeeper and eventually sailed beyond the boundary.

While it looked like a delivery that could result in a wide and a six, the umpire signalled a wide and awarded four runs for the boundary. The decision initially left commentators and viewers surprised, but the umpire had correctly applied the Laws of Cricket.

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The unusual moment came off the third delivery of the ninth over. Khan dug the ball into the pitch, but it climbed sharply and went well over both Pollard and the wicketkeeper before crossing the boundary. Despite travelling far enough to clear the ropes, the delivery could not be recorded as a six because Pollard never touched it with his bat.

Under the Laws of Cricket, a six is awarded when a batter strikes the ball with the bat and it subsequently crosses the boundary without bouncing. Since there was no contact between Pollard’s bat and the ball, Toronto were instead awarded four boundary runs along with the single run for the wide. As a result, the delivery produced five runs in total.

WIDE SIX! https://t.co/3SSVMjHt2X

— PCCI Podcast (@PCCIpod) October 5, 2026

Had Pollard managed even the slightest edge and the ball followed the same trajectory, it would have been scored as a six. The lack of bat contact was therefore the key difference.

The bizarre delivery was also part of a difficult outing for Khan. He bowled his full two-over spell, conceding 43 runs while taking two wickets. Toronto Sixers posted a formidable 130/4 from their 10 overs, with Pollard leading the charge.

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The former West Indies captain smashed 40 runs from only 16 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes. Mississauga Masters responded aggressively, with Alex Lees scoring 39 off just 11 deliveries. However, they eventually finished on 121/7, falling nine runs short.

Toronto’s nine-run victory secured their place in the Canada Super60 final. The high-scoring contest produced 251 runs across 20 overs, along with one of the tournament’s most unusual scoring moments.