Top 5 players with most sixes in international cricket

Cricket, a sport which began in the late 1800s, as a contest between bat and ball, is now more often dominated by the batsman. There have been rare instances when bowlers have had the upper hand, except conditions where the ball has swung or spun considerably.

And the most recent advancement in the form of T20 cricket has forced the game completely in the favour of the batsman while bowlers continue to have a very little say in the contest. T20 cricket has introduced a sense of fearlessness among the batman, as they now fancy hitting sixes rather than playing ground shots.

Six-hitting has now become a trend as every other batsman tries to play aerial shots to get maximum value for their efforts. Some of the players like Chris Gayle and Shahid Afridi have had this love affair with a six-hitting even before T20 cricket took the centre stage in world cricket.

These two batters have hit most sixes in international cricket than any other player combined in Test, ODIs, and T20Is.

Also see - India vs Bangladesh schedule 2019

Here we discuss five players with most sixes in international cricket:

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#5 MS Dhoni (359 sixes)

MS Dhoni's playing his trademark Helicopter shot

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is one of the finest limited-overs batsmen to have ever played the game. Dhoni, who announced his arrival in international cricket as a hard-hitting batsman, gradually emerged as India's best finisher by making slight adjustments in his game that suited his role.

He earned a spot in the Indian team during a phase when India was always to known to begin well but failed to close down matches on a consistent basis. With Dhoni's arrival on the scene, the Ranchi-lad allowed India to win games from some of the unthinkable positions.

He relied on his six-hitting prowess even against the seamers bowling in the back end of the innings. In 526 games for India, MSD has 359 sixes to his name, ranking him fifth in the list for most sixes in international cricket.

His ability to hit those mammoth sixes though has declined in the recent past, but still the 38-year old ranks among one of the best finishers even now.

#4 Brendon McCullum (398 sixes)

Brendon McCullum brutal power helped his cause a great deal

Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum began his career as a middle-order batsman in the early 2000s and was always known as a slogger who helped his team up the ante in the final few overs.

However, ever since Baz was promoted to bat at the top of the order, he began winning more games for the Kiwis by demolishing the bowlers from the onset. During his heydays, he was touted as one of the better strikers of the ball. His 158* against RCB in the inaugural match of the IPL is still one of the best innings ever played by a batsman in T20s.

McCullum penchant for six-hitting saw him go down as one of the most destructive batsmen in international cricket. With 398 sixes in 432 matches for New Zealand, McCullum is ranked joint-third in the list for most sixes by any player in international cricket.

His ability to take the attack to the opposition stood out among the rest. His aggressive brand of cricket even brought a change in perception for the Kiwis. He departed from Test cricket with a bang, registering the fastest Test century in just 54 balls.

#3 Rohit Sharma (398 sixes)

Rohit Sharma is one of the sweet timers of the ball

With 349 matches to his name, India’s stand-in captain Rohit Sharma is the third on the list for players with most sixes in international cricket.

With a tally of 398 sixes in just 355 innings, Rohit is just two sixes away to cross the 400-mark. In doing so, he will also become the first Indian to hit 400 sixes in International cricket. In the past few years, The Hitman has taken his game to another level in terms of his effortless hitting.

For the record-third consecutive year in international cricket, Rohit Sharma has hit most sixes in a calendar year. Currently, he has 66 sixes to his name with a few T20Is and two Tests still to go in 2019, we will see the number go even higher before the end of this year. Last year, he registered 74 sixes while accounting for 65 in 2017.

With his ominous form in each format, it is only likely that the right-hander will continue to break more records in the times to come.

#2 Shahid Afridi (476 sixes)

Shahid Afridi's hitting ability single-handedly won Pakistan a lot of matches

The prolific Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi was highly renowned for his six-hitting ability in each format of the game. Such was his ability with the bat that he registered the then fastest century in ODI innings only in his debut innings against Sri Lanka for Pakistan. The record stood for many years until it was broken by Corey Anderson and then AB de Villiers.

Afridi, in his 524 caps for Pakistan, hit a total of 476 sixes to see him second in the list for players with most sixes in international cricket. He was always known to possess sheer power that made it easy for him to clear the boundary with ease.

He was highly successful as a finisher for Pakistan in ODIs all due to the striking ability that made him one of the most reliable players in the team.

#1 Chris Gayle (534 sixes)

Chris Gayle has had a terror of his own in international cricket

Known as the ‘Universe Boss’, Chris Gayle has created the highest impact in T20s than any other player in the world. With an experience of playing in a plethora of T20 leagues, Gayle has plied his trade for various teams in the franchise-based leagues. However, it was his proficiency at the international level that allowed him to be a regular feature in all the T20 leagues around the globe.

Currently, he has most sixes to his name in international cricket. In 460 appearances for the West Indies, he has managed to strike 534 sixes in his entire career.

With a highly positive attitude that allowed him to trust his strength, Gayle has been the undisputed king in international cricket in terms of terrorising his opponents with reckless striking. He was more of a stroke maker who relied more on his power rather than timing on the ball.

As he now nears the twilight in his career, it is in no doubt that Gayle will continue to boast about this record for a very long time in the future.