Australia’s Andrew Symonds managed to score eight runs off one ball while playing in Brisbane facing New Zealand bowler Iain O'Brien in November 2008. He ran four runs before the ball was thrown back over the wicket keeper's head for a boundary.
How many times has this happened in an international cricket match?
According to ESPNCricinfo, it happened four times in Test cricket in total including the feat of Andrew Symonds. Other instances are given below.
Patsy Hedren facing Percy Hornibrook in 1928-29, Melbourne.
This rare feat happened for the first time when Patsy Hedren collected four overthrows after an all-run four off the Australian debutant Percy Hornibrook.
Here is another trivia bit. This was the first series of Sir Donald Bradman.
John Wright facing Lenny Pascoe in 1980-81, Melbourne
This time it was New Zealand's John Wright who benefited from four overthrows (by Rod Marsh, who collected a fielder's return and hurled it at the stumps) after an all-run four off an unamused Lenny Pascoe.
Brian Lara facing Nicky Boje in 2004-05, Port of Spain.
When Brian Lara glanced a ball from the South African slow left-armer Nicky Boje for three. The wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher, ran after the ball and threw it back in, but his return hit a fielder's helmet on the ground, so he incurred five penalty runs, making eight in all off that delivery.
However, these five penalty runs have been deducted from Brian Lara 's total runs after a recent rule change. These five runs were converted into extra penalties.
Occurences in ODI cricket are unknown. There are no occurences in T20 cricket.
To add to the accepted answer, 8 runs scored off the bat has also happened in a Namibia Under-19s v North West Under-19s match at Port Elizabeth on Dec 17, 2015.
Davin to Senokwane, 8 runs,
