by Cricket has changed dramatically over the past three decades.
If you watch old ODI matches from the 1990s and compare them to today’s games, you’ll notice one striking difference boundaries, especially sixes, happen far more frequently now.
What was once considered risky is now standard strategy.
The transformation of ODI cricket from a format that valued caution to one that celebrates aggression has been remarkable. Scoring 250 runs used to guarantee victory; now teams regularly chase down 350-plus totals.
This shift happened because batsmen became bolder, techniques improved, and the game’s philosophy fundamentally changed.
Central to this revolution are the players with most sixes in odi cricket. These pioneers didn’t just adapt to the changing game they drove the change themselves.
Through their fearless batting and innovative shot-making, they proved that aggressive cricket wins matches and thrills audiences worldwide.
Understanding six-hitting in ODI cricket requires looking at multiple factors. Technology has improved dramatically modern bats are engineered for maximum power with lightweight designs and massive sweet spots.
Training methods have evolved, with players now spending hours in the gym building explosive strength.
Tactical thinking has shifted too, with teams actively encouraging boundary-hitting from every batting position.
But equipment and strategy alone don’t create legends. The greatest six-hitters possess something special an instinct for reading the bowler’s intentions, the courage to take risks when others would play safe, and the skill to execute under immense pressure.
The records these players have set tell fascinating stories of dedication, innovation, and entertainment.
Players With Most Sixes In ODI Cricket
The Legends: Complete List of Players With Most Sixes In ODI Cricket
Let’s look at the warriors who’ve given us goosebumps with their six-hitting prowess:
| Rank | Player | Country | Total Sixes | Matches | Strike Rate | Career Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 352 | 277 | 92.74 | 2007-2025 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 351 | 398 | 117.00 | 1996-2015 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 331 | 301 | 87.19 | 1999-2019 |
| 4 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 270 | 445 | 91.20 | 1989-2011 |
| 5 | MS Dhoni | India | 229 | 350 | 87.56 | 2004-2019 |
| 6 | Eoin Morgan | England | 220 | 248 | 91.16 | 2006-2022 |
| 7 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 204 | 228 | 101.09 | 2005-2018 |
| 8 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 200 | 260 | 96.37 | 2002-2016 |
| 9 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 195 | 463 | 86.23 | 1989-2012 |
| 10 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 190 | 311 | 73.70 | 1992-2007 |
| 11 | Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 187 | 198 | 87.29 | 2009-2022 |
| 12 | Jos Buttler | England | 182 | 196 | 115.10 | 2012-2025 |
| 13 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 162 | 375 | 80.39 | 1995-2012 |
| 14 | Virat Kohli | India | 159 | 306 | 93.41 | 2008-2025 |
| 15 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 155 | 149 | 126.70 | 2012-2025 |
| 16 | Yuvraj Singh | India | 155 | 304 | 87.67 | 2000-2017 |
| 17 | Chris Cairns | New Zealand | 153 | 215 | 84.26 | 1991-2006 |
| 18 | Paul Stirling | Ireland | 149 | 170 | 87.48 | 2008-2025 |
| 19 | Adam Gilchrist | Australia | 149 | 287 | 96.94 | 1996-2008 |
| 20 | Ross Taylor | New Zealand | 147 | 236 | 83.32 | 2006-2022 |
| 21 | David Miller | South Africa | 144 | 178 | 103.68 | 2010-2025 |
Each name tells a different story. Each number represents countless memories for fans worldwide.
Top 5 Players With Most Sixes In ODI Cricket
Rohit Sharma: The Day History Changed
November 30, 2025. Ranchi. India vs South Africa.
Rohit Sharma walked out to bat carrying the weight of expectations. He was one six away from equaling Afridi’s record, two away from breaking it. The crowd knew it. Rohit knew it.
Then it happened. A short ball, a trademark Rohit pull shot, and the ball disappeared into the stands. The stadium erupted. Commentators screamed. Social media exploded. Rohit had equaled the record.
But he wasn’t done. Two balls later, another six. Then another. By the time he got out for 57, Rohit had three sixes—and immortality. With 352 ODI sixes, he became the new king.
What Makes Most Sixes in ODI Rohit Sharma Special:
- He doesn’t just hit sixes—he times them perfectly
- His pull shots are textbook examples for coaching manuals
- Three ODI double centuries with 55 combined sixes
- Consistency over 18 years across different cricket eras
Rohit’s journey wasn’t an overnight success. He struggled initially, moved from the middle order to the opener’s role, and found his true calling. Now, he’s rewriting record books.
Shahid Afridi: Boom Boom’s 15-Year Reign
For 15 years, Shahid Afridi’s name sat atop the six-hitting charts. Nobody could touch his 351 sixes in most sixes in ODI international cricket.
Afridi didn’t care about technique. He didn’t care about conventional cricket wisdom. He cared about one thing: smashing the ball out of the park.
Remember his fastest ODI century off 37 balls? That’s Afridi in three words—raw, explosive, unforgettable.
His strike rate of 117 was revolutionary. In an era when 80 was considered good, Afridi was playing a different game.
He made bowlers fear him. Captains changed fielding positions just for him.
Afridi’s Legacy:
- Changed how cricket is viewed as aggressive batting
- Made entertainment as important as running
- Inspired a generation of fearless batsmen
- Proved lower-order batsmen could be match-winners
Even though Rohit broke his record, Afridi’s impact remains untouched. He showed that cricket could be thrilling, unpredictable, and absolutely electric.
Chris Gayle: The Universe Boss Never Bowed Down
Chris Gayle didn’t just hit sixes. He destroyed bowling attacks. His 331 ODI sixes came with swagger, style, and a smile that said, “I’m enjoying this more than you.”
Gayle’s highest ODI score? 215 runs with 16 sixes. Imagine being the bowler that day. Imagine being the captain trying to set fields. Nothing worked. Gayle was unstoppable.
What made Gayle special wasn’t just power—it was placement. He found gaps nobody else saw. He hit areas nobody else targeted. His bat was a weapon of mass destruction.
Gayle’s Impact on Most Sixes in International Cricket:
- Changed T20 cricket forever with his IPL performances
- Made an opening statement about aggression, not caution
- Inspired Caribbean cricket during tough times
- Proved age was just a number—threatening till his last match
Gayle retired, but his legend lives on. Kids in Jamaica, Mumbai, and Melbourne still copy his stance, dreaming of hitting sixes like the Universe Boss.
Sanath Jayasuriya: The Revolutionary Who Changed Everything
Before Gayle, before Afridi’s prime, before modern power-hitting, there was Sanath Jayasuriya. His 270 sixes don’t sound massive now, but context matters.
Jayasuriya’s score of 250 in ODIs was considered huge. He played when opening batsmen valued survival over aggression. He played when power plays weren’t weaponized.
Then came the 1996 World Cup. Jayasuriya opened the batting and attacked from ball one. Cricket had never seen anything like it. Sri Lanka won the World Cup. Cricket changed forever.
Jayasuriya’s Revolutionary Approach:
- Made aggressive powerplay batting acceptable
- Showed teams how to use field restrictions
- Combined powerful hitting with smart cricket
- Played 445 ODIs—incredible longevity
Jayasuriya proved that revolutionaries don’t always have the highest numbers—they change how the game is played.
MS Dhoni: Captain Cool’s Helicopter Rides
MS Dhoni’s 229 sixes tell a different story. They weren’t about dominance—they were about drama.
How many times did Dhoni finish matches with a six? Too many to count. The 2011 World Cup final six. Countless last-over sixes in desperate chases. Each one gives millions of Indians heart attacks before joy.
The helicopter shot became his signature. Unconventional, powerful, absolutely unstoppable. Bowlers tried yorkers. Dhoni helicoptered them over mid-wicket. They tried bouncers. Dhoni pulled them for six.
Dhoni’s Six-Hitting Genius:
- Most sixes came in pressure situations
- Batted in the middle-order but still hit 229 sixes
- Strike rate of 87.56 in 350 matches shows consistency
- Making finishing matches an art form
Dhoni retired from ODIs in 2020, but fans still dream of one more Dhoni six to win a match.
When Batsmen Went Berserk: Most Sixes in a Single ODI Match
Some days, cricket becomes poetry. Some innings become immortal. Here are performances where batsmen entered god mode:
| Player | Country | Score | Balls | Sixes | Opponent | Year | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eoin Morgan | England | 148 | 71 | 17 | Afghanistan | 2019 | Manchester |
| Rohit Sharma | India | 209 | 158 | 16 | Australia | 2013 | Bengaluru |
| AB de Villiers | South Africa | 149 | 44 | 16 | West Indies | 2015 | Johannesburg |
| Chris Gayle | West Indies | 215 | 147 | 16 | Zimbabwe | 2015 | Canberra |
| Shane Watson | Australia | 185 | 96 | 15 | Bangladesh | 2011 | Mirpur |
| Jos Buttler | England | 162 | 70 | 14 | Netherlands | 2022 | Amstelveen |
Eoin Morgan’s 17 Sixes: The Record That Won’t Break
Manchester, 2019. England vs Afghanistan. Eoin Morgan was in the zone.
Every ball seemed to land in his hitting arc. Every swing sent the ball into the crowd. By the time he finished, Morgan had hit 17 sixes—a world record for most sixes in single ODI match that still stands.
Afghanistan’s bowlers looked shell-shocked. The crowd was in disbelief. Morgan had just produced one of cricket’s most brutal assaults.
AB de Villiers: 16 Sixes in 44 Balls
If Morgan’s innings was brutal, AB de Villiers’ 149 off 44 balls was superhuman. Sixteen sixes in just 44 deliveries means every third ball disappeared.
West Indies had no answers. Bowlers had no plans. De Villiers was playing a different sport that day—something between cricket and space exploration.
Eoin Morgan and AB de Villiers: Artists of Modern Cricket
Eoin Morgan’s 220 ODI sixes revolutionized English cricket. He took over a conservative England team and turned them into World Cup champions in 2019.
Morgan didn’t just captain—he led by example. His six-hitting showed that aggression wins matches. His leadership showed that bravery beats caution.
AB de Villiers had a strike rate of 101.09—absurdly high for someone who played from 2005 to 2018. His 204 sixes included every shot in cricket’s vocabulary and several he invented himself.
Modern Marvels:
- Morgan: Captain, strategist, power-hitter
- De Villiers: 360-degree player, impossible shot-maker
- Both changed their team’s cricket culture completely
- Both proved captains could be aggressive match-winners
Cricket Across All Formats: The Complete Picture
How do these six-hitting legends compare across different formats? Let’s see the broader picture of most sixes in international cricket:
| Format | Record Holder | Total Sixes | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | Rohit Sharma (India) | 352 | 277 |
| T20 International | Rohit Sharma (India) | 205 | 164 |
| Test Cricket | Ben Stokes (England) | 126 | 111 |
Rohit Sharma dominates both limited-overs formats. His consistency across formats for most sixes in T20 International Cricket and ODI is remarkable.
But for most sixes in all formats combined, Chris Gayle remains king with over 550 international sixes across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. That’s a record that might stand forever.
In Test cricket, most sixes in Test International Cricket belong to Ben Stokes with 126 sixes. Test cricket demands patience, so these numbers show exceptional aggression over long careers.
The Masters of Boundaries: Most Fours in ODI
While we celebrate six-hitters, let’s not forget the boundary masters who accumulated runs through consistent four-hitting:
| Player | Country | Total Fours | Career Span |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | India | 2016 | 1989-2012 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 1500 | 1989-2011 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka | 1532 | 2000-2015 |
| Virat Kohli | India | 1343 | 2008-2025 |
| Ricky Ponting | Australia | 1231 | 1995-2012 |
Sachin Tendulkar’s 2016 fours in ODI show his mastery of placement and timing. While everyone chases sixes, Sachin built his legacy through consistent boundary-hitting across 23 years.
Virat Kohli is actively chasing this record. With 1343 fours already, he might become the new record holder if he plays for a few more years.
How Modern Cricket Changed Six-Hitting Forever?
Cricket in 2025 looks nothing like cricket in 1995. The game evolved, and six-hitting evolved with it.
What Changed:
- Better Bats: Modern bats have massive sweet spots. Even mishits travel farther.
- Shorter Boundaries: Many stadiums reduced boundary sizes, encouraging aggressive batting.
- Fitness Revolution: Players now play longer careers with better power through their 30s.
- Fearless Mindset: Teams now prefer aggressive failures over cautious mediocrity.
- T20 Influence: Franchise cricket taught players new shots and aggressive approaches.
The record for players with the most sixes in ODI cricket will keep changing. Young talents like Jos Buttler (strike rate 115.10) and Glenn Maxwell (strike rate 126.70) are redefining what’s possible.
Even Associate nations are producing power-hitters. Paul Stirling from Ireland already has 149 ODI sixes—showing cricket’s global spread.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q1: Who currently holds the record for most sixes in ODI cricket?
Rohit Sharma holds the record with 352 ODI sixes as of November 2025, breaking Shahid Afridi’s previous record of 351 sixes.
- Q2: What’s the record for most sixes hit in one ODI innings?
Eoin Morgan’s 17 sixes against Afghanistan in 2019 remain the record for most sixes in a single ODI match—a record many believe will never be broken.
- Q3: How many ODI sixes has Chris Gayle hit in his career?
Chris Gayle has hit 331 sixes in ODI cricket, making him the third-highest six-hitter in ODI history and a legend of explosive batting.
- Q4: Which Indian cricketer has the most ODI sixes?
Rohit Sharma leads all Indian players with 352 sixes, followed by MS Dhoni (229), Sachin Tendulkar (195), Sourav Ganguly (190), and Virat Kohli (159).
- Q5: Who has hit the most international sixes across all formats combined?
Chris Gayle holds the record for most sixes in all formats combined, with over 550 international sixes across Tests, ODIs, and T20 Internationals.
Final Thoughts: Why Sixes Matter More Than Numbers
When you strip away statistics, records, and rankings, you’re left with something simple – emotion.
Every six represents a moment. A kid in Mumbai is watching Rohit break Afridi’s record.
A grandmother in Kingston was crying when Gayle retired. A teenager in Colombo learning about Jayasuriya’s 1996 heroics.
The players with the most sixes in ODI cricket aren’t just athletes—they’re memory-makers. They gave us reasons to believe, to celebrate, to dream.
Rohit Sharma’s 352 sixes represent 18 years of excellence. Afridi’s 351 represents fearless entertainment. Gayle’s 331 represents pure swagger. Dhoni’s 229 represents clutch performances when it mattered most.
These numbers will be broken someday. Someone will hit 400 sixes, maybe even 500. Technology will improve, boundaries will shrink further, and new heroes will emerge.
But the emotions? Those stay forever. The memory of watching your hero clear the boundary one more time? That’s eternal.
As cricket marches forward, chasing bigger totals and faster scoring rates, remember this: every six is a gift. From the batsman’s bat to our hearts. From the stadium to our living rooms. From their glory to our joy.
That’s why we love cricket. That’s why we love the six-hitters. That’s why these records matter.
The race continues. New challengers are coming. But for now, let’s celebrate the legends who made six-hitting an art form—and gave us memories that will last forever.
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