IPL history: Most sixes hit by a batsman in 2016 season

A six is a very important part of any T20 game. It is something that draws the crowd to the stadium and the fans love watching the big hits. The IPL has seen lots of sixes over the last 11 years and in every season, there have been at least 500 sixes hit.

The 2016 season saw as many as 638 sixes hit over the course of the tournament. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) were the team that not only hit the most number of sixes but also conceded the maximum number of big hits.

However, here we concentrate on the batsmen who hit the most sixes in the 2016 season. Here are 10 batsmen who struck the most sixes in the 9th edition of the IPL.

Note – There are five batsmen tied with 16 sixes and they are randomly placed.

#10 Andre Russell – 15

Andre Russell

The West Indian all-rounder didn’t have the best of seasons with the bat as he made just 188 runs at an average of 26.85. However, Russell did strike some lusty blows when he got the opportunity as he hit 15 sixes in the tournament to be ranked No. 10 on this list.

He had a strike-rate of 164.91 in the tournament and is the only Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player in this list. He also had a good tournament with the ball as he picked up 15 wickets and was one of the shining lights for KKR in the tournament.

#9 Brendon McCullum – 16

Brendon McCullum

2016 was the season where a couple of new teams were introduced due to the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Gujarat Lions were one of the teams and Brendon McCullum was a part of the Suresh Raina-led side.

He scored 354 runs at an average of 22.12 and a strike-rate of 135.11 in that tournament. However, despite not being in the best of form, he struck 16 sixes in as many games as Gujarat Lions made it to the Qualifiers before they were knocked out.

#8 Rohit Sharma – 16

Rohit Sharma

The Mumbai Indians skipper had a very good season in 2016 but from the team’s point of view, it was a disappointing year as they couldn’t make it to the knockouts.

Rohit Sharma amassed 489 runs at an average of 44.45 and he had a good strike-rate too (132.88). He is known for his sixes and is one of the few Indian batsmen who can hit them at will. Rohit struck 16 sixes in the 2016 season.

#7 Dwayne Smith – 16

Dwayne Smith

Dwayne Smith was one of the enforcers in the IPL a few years back. He had a very good stint with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a few years and hence, was picked by Gujarat Lions (GL) in the 2016 auctions.

He scored 324 runs at an average of 29.45 and a strike-rate of 146.60 in the 2016 IPL. The West Indian opener struck 16 sixes in the season and was instrumental in giving the Gujarat side some quick starts.

#6 KL Rahul – 16

KL Rahul

2016 was the best year for the Karnataka batsman as far as IPL is concerned. Batting at No. 4 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), KL Rahul was a revelation. He scored 397 runs at an average of 44.11 and a strike-rate of 146.49.

He struck 16 sixes and was one of the key members of the RCB side that went to the final. That season helped Rahul establish himself as a white-ball player and showed he can adapt to different formats.

#5 Kieron Pollard – 16

Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard is one of the fiercest strikers of the ball. However, while he has blown hot and cold over the years, his six-hitting ability has never been questioned. Despite not having a great 2016 season, he still hit 16 sixes.

In 12 innings, the hard-hitting West Indian all-rounder made 207 runs at an average of 25.87 in the 9th edition of the IPL. He struck just one fifty and looked in scratchy form throughout the season. However, he still managed to hit 16 sixes.

#4 Chris Gayle – 21

Chris Gayle

There is hardly any sixes list that is complete without the name, Chris Gayle. The big Jamaican opener hasn’t been in the best of form in the last few years and 2016 was evidence of that as he averaged a mere 22.70 throughout the season.

However, despite his lacklustre season, Gayle struck 21 sixes and amassed 227 runs. After a lull in the first half of the season, he did find some form towards the back end of the tournament and also got a fifty in the final.

#3 David Warner – 31

David Warner

Between 2015 and 2017, David Warner was simply brilliant in the IPL. He won the Orange Cap twice (2015 and 2017) and if not for Virat Kohli’s mind-boggling 2016 season, he would’ve won it three times in a row.

The Australian opener was the second highest run-getter of the tournament as he amassed a staggering 848 runs at an average of 60.57 and a strike-rate of 151.42. Warner struck 9 half-centuries in that tournament and he hit 31 sixes in 17 games as he led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the IPL title.

#2 AB de Villiers – 37

AB de Villiers

Often, AB de Villiers has stunned the world with his ability to pull off unorthodox and funky shots. He has done that on numerous occasions in the IPL and will continue to do so.

Along with Virat Kohli, de Villiers was instrumental in RCB’s fabulous 2016 season. He scored 687 runs which included six fifties and a hundred. The South African star struck a staggering 37 sixes in the 2016 season, averaging almost 53 and boasting a strike-rate of almost 170.

#1 Virat Kohli – 38

Virat Kohli

The 2016 IPL belonged to Virat Kohli. The RCB skipper kept turning up and producing the goods, day in and day out.

He scored a jaw-dropping 973 runs in that 2016 season which included four hundreds and seven half-centuries. He averaged 81.08 and also had a strike-rate in excess of 150. He hit a mind-boggling 38 sixes in the entire season to finish as the batsman with most sixes in 2016.

However, his super-human efforts weren’t enough as RCB faltered in the final and lost to SRH.