June 18, 2019 produced one of the most extraordinary batting displays ever seen in one-day international cricket. At Old Trafford during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, England captain Eoin Morgan dismantled Afghanistan’s bowling attack with a breathtaking innings of 148 from just 71 balls, setting a new ODI record with 17 sixes and leading his side to a commanding 150-run victory.

England arrived at the match as one of the tournament favourites and already possessed a reputation as the most aggressive batting side in world cricket. Since their transformation following the 2015 World Cup, they had repeatedly pushed the boundaries of scoring in the 50-over format. Even by those standards, what unfolded in Manchester was extraordinary.

Morgan’s participation had not been guaranteed. The England captain had been troubled by a back spasm in the days leading up to the match and there were doubts over his fitness. Once he arrived at the crease, however, there was little indication of discomfort. England were already well placed thanks to a strong platform from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, but Morgan elevated the innings into record-breaking territory.

His assault was relentless. Fast bowlers, spinners, full deliveries and short balls all disappeared into the stands. Morgan reached his century from just 57 deliveries and continued accelerating until he was dismissed for 148. Remarkably, 102 of those runs came through sixes alone. The previous record for the most sixes in an ODI innings stood at 16, jointly held by Rohit Sharma, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle. Morgan moved past all three with an innings that remains one of the defining knocks of the modern era.

The scale of England’s hitting was equally remarkable. They finished on 397 for 6, then their highest World Cup total, and struck 25 sixes as a team, the most ever recorded in an ODI innings at the time. What had already been a daunting batting performance became a statistical landmark that highlighted the evolution of England’s white-ball cricket under Morgan’s leadership.

No bowler endured a more difficult afternoon than Rashid Khan. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier limited-overs spinners, the Afghanistan leg-spinner found himself on the receiving end of sustained punishment. His figures of 9 overs, no wickets for 110 runs became the most expensive spell in World Cup history at the time and the first instance of a bowler conceding 100 runs in a World Cup match. It was a rare off day for one of Afghanistan’s greatest cricketers, but also a reflection of the extraordinary level at which Morgan was operating.

Afghanistan’s response was spirited rather than threatening. Hashmatullah Shahidi compiled 76 and several middle-order batters showed resistance, but the target was far beyond reach. They closed on 247 for 8, leaving England winners by 150 runs.

Seven years on, the match remains synonymous with Morgan’s astonishing power-hitting. In a World Cup that would eventually deliver England their first men’s ODI world title, few individual performances captured the imagination quite like the captain’s record-breaking afternoon in Manchester.