Hitting a six is not easy. Even with the shorter boundaries and the bigger bats, it still needs quite a bit to hit a six in a T20I with quality bowlers looking to get you out. While there may be plenty of big-hitters in the modern game, not everyone is consistent.
The likes of Shahid Afridi and MS Dhoni are undeniable six-hitters but neither are especially consistent. So who is the most consistent six-hitter? Who has the best average of sixes per innings among batsmen in T20Is? And is any Indian anywhere near the top?
Here is your answer as this is the list of Top 10 players with best six per innings ratio:
#10 Marlon Samuels
48 sixes in 44 innings
Taking the No.10 spot on this list is West Indies' clutch performer, Marlon Samuels with an average of 1.09 sixes per innings. While he might not come across as the stereotypical West Indian big-hitter with his tendency to take his time at the start, there can be little doubt that when he gets going, he is up there with the best in the business.
Two Man of the Match performances in World T20 finals shows you that he is someone who rises to the occasion. Yet, his overall record in the format isn't as impressive. An average of just under 30 might not look bad but a strike rate of just 120 is not something you would expect from such a clean hitter of the ball.
#9 Mohammad Shahzad
55 in 48 innings
One of the reasons why Afghanistan are one of the top associate sides at the moment is thanks to Mohammad Shahzad. The hard-hitting wicketkeeper, who also opens the batting for his side showcased his brilliant hitting ability in the 2016 World T20, where he won plenty of hearts.
The reason why he is No.9 on this list is thanks to his incredible six-hitting prowess that has seen him hit 55 sixes in 48 innings at an average of 1.14 per innings. Given that he is just 28, he still has plenty of hitting left to do and who knows, if he keeps up his current form, he might even climb a few more places before too long.
#8 David Warner
74 sixes in 61 innings
David Warner has had a year to remember so far. While Australia might not have performed as well in the World T20, Warner has been in sublime form with the bat. Not only did he help Sunrisers Hyderabad win their maiden IPL title but he has shown himself to be an intelligent hitter as well.
With 74 sixes in 61 innings at an average of 1.21, he is the first of three Australians in this list. While he is arguably the most accomplished batsman of the lot, he still has some way to go, to catch up on his teammates and climb up this table.
#7 Colin Munro
74 sixes in 61 innings
Despite making his international debut in 2012, Munro wasn't a regular member of the New Zealand limited-overs side until the 2015-16 Georgie Pie Super Smash, New Zealand's premier domestic T20 compeition. Finishing as the leading run-scorer in that competition prompted a No.3 spot in the T20 side and he hasn't looked back since.
Although he has only played 25 innings, he has already brought up 500 runs, including 31 sixes at an average of 1.24 per innings. His destruction of the Sri Lankan bowling attack at Eden Park, where he scored the fastest T20 fifty by a New Zealand batsman is proof that he is a force to be reckoned with, when in full flow.
#6 Martin Guptill
76 sixes in 59 innings
Sandwiched between a pair of Kiwis is another Kiwi batsman in sixth place. Martin Guptill may not have too much to boast off in Tests but he has established himself as one of the most destructive limited-overs openers in the world over the last 18 months.
With 76 sixes in 59 innings at an average of 1.29 sixes per innings, he just misses out on the top five. But if his current form is anything to go by, there can be little doubt that the 29-year-old from Auckland can make his way up this table.
#5 Brendon McCullum
91 sixes in 70 innings
Rounding off the top five is the recently retired former New Zealand captain, Brendon McCullum. One of the major reasons for the Black Caps' recent resurgence across all formats has been McCullum, whose leadership and commitment to the cause were evident whenever he played.
Now that McCullum has retired, the Kiwis lose not only a great leader but also an opener who averages 1.3 sixes per innings and is capable of getting them off to a flyer. With 91 sixes to his names, Baz is the second-leading six-hitter in the history of T20Is as well.
#4 Yuvraj Singh
71 sixes in 48 innings
At No.4 is the only Indian to make it into this list of batsmen with the best sixes-per-innings ratio. Although Yuvraj Singh only just returned back to the national side in 2016, his pedigree, especially in the shortest format of the game is ineluctable.
One of the premier hitters of the ball, his 71 sixes in 48 innings give him an average of 1.48 sixes per innings, which is barely decimal points away from getting him to No.3. Still, his six-hitting ability is unquestionable and even if age is not on his side, his experience certainly makes him an invaluable asset to the side.
#3 Shane Watson
83 sixes in 56 innings
Despite having more sixes than Yuvraj Singh, the only reason why Watson is ahead on this list is because his sixes-per-innings ratio of 1.482 is decimal points ahead of Yuvraj Singh's 1.479. The hard-hitting all-rounder has easily been one of the best of his generation, despite his constant struggles with injuries.
And his 83 sixes in just 56 innings at an average of 1.48 per innings show just how much he enjoyed batting in the shortest format of the game. Although Australia are now blessed with plenty of openers, they still wouldn't mind one with the experience of Watson. Still, for all that, he isn't the Australian with the best sixes-per-innings ratio.
#2 Aaron Finch
42 sixes in 28 innings
That honor goes to Aaron Finch whose 42 sixes in 28 innings give him an average of 1.5 sixes per game. While the Australian opening batsman might have only played 28 matches in his T20I career, he only needs 26 more runs to score 1,000 T20I runs. With an average of nearly 40, Finch has shown that not only is he a big-hitter but a consistent run-getter as well.
Although he still has a long way to go to get to No.1, there can be no doubt that if he keeps up his current form, he will get there sooner rather than later.
#1 Chris Gayle
98 sixes in 47 innings
At the top of the list, with a whopping average of 2.08 sixes per innings is Christopher Henry Gayle, who also holds the record for the most sixes in the format. With 98 sixes in 47 innings, the destructive opening batsman from West Indies is way ahead of the pack in terms of average sixes per innings.
The fact that he averages more than 2 sixes a game, while no one else, who has played at least 25 innings, averages more than 1.5 shows his clear dominance in this area. Undeniably the No.1 batsman in the shortest format of the game, Gayle will look to finish on top as he enters the twilight of his career.
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