Sixes are a tribute to a batter’s power and audacity in the thrilling realm of one-day international cricket. Sending the ball soaring over the boundary ropes not only excites the audience but also puts the other team under strain.
Modern cricket is characterized by an aggressive style of play in which the batting team attempts to establish themselves over the bowlers.
There was a time when a club could get by with just one offensive batter in the order. However, teams now place a premium on having numerous players who can alter the tide of any game in any circumstance.
The current Indian batting lineup includes a number of world-class match-winners. The Men in Blue broke a big-hitting record with their recent 160-run thrashing of the Netherlands.
The Indian cricket team has been the team with the most ODI sixes in a calendar year after hitting 16 sixes in their 2023 ODI World Cup match against the Dutch in Bengaluru. So far this season, the team has hit 215 sixes.
On that topic, here are the top three teams in terms of ODI sixes in a calendar year.
3. South Africa – 203* sixes in 2023
South Africa is ranked third, with 203 ODI sixes so far this year. They have some of the world’s top hard-hitting batters and maybe the best middle order.
While Quinton de Kock has been making runs up the order for fun, Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen’s consistency has been outstanding. David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen have both made important cameo appearances.
This year, South Africa has participated in 21 ODIs and won 15 of them. At just 19 innings, Klaasen has already recorded 42 maximums, making him their best six-hitter.
Miller (34 sixes), De Kock (30 sixes), and Markram (29 sixes) have all been effective six-hitters. The Temba Bavuma-led team will almost definitely add to their list in the coming days.
2. West Indies – 209 sixes in 2019
West Indies is on this list only because of one person: Christopher Henry Gayle. The ‘Universe Boss’ went mad in his final year of ODIs, smashing as much as 56 sixes.
Gayle scored 753 runs in 15 ODI innings this year, with 55 fours and 56 sixes. In addition, Nicholas Pooran (27 sixes) and Shimron Hetmyer (22 sixes) all hit over 20 maximums this year.
In 2019, the West Indian team was stacked with power hitters, including Kieron Pollard, Carlos Braithwaite, and Evin Lewis. The Caribbean unit, which was led for the bulk of the year by Jason Holder, scored a total of 209 sixes in 2019.
1. India – 215* in 2023
As previously stated, India just shattered the record for the most sixes struck in 50-over cricket in a single calendar year. The Rohit Sharma-led team has already struck 215 sixes in just 30 ODIs this year.
Rohit Sharma, who has embraced the aggressive style of cricket, has led the charge from the front, with the ‘Hitman’ hitting up to 60 sixes. Rohit’s 60 home runs are currently the most by any hitter in a single calendar year.
Shubham Gill, his opening partner, has also been a revelation at the top of the order. With 1500 runs and 38 magnificent sixes, the graceful hitter is the greatest ODI run-getter of the year.
Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli are next on the list, with 23 and 22 maximums, respectively. KL Rahul, the No. 5 wicketkeeper-batter, has also struck 16 huge smashes thus far.
These statistics only serve to demonstrate that India’s current top five hitters are at the pinnacle of their abilities, and if they maintain their hot streak in the forthcoming semi-finals and final, there may be no stopping India from winning its long-awaited third ODI World Cup trophy.
