5 batsmen who hit no sixes in their ODI careers
Hitting sixes is one of the most important aspects of limited-overs batting. It is a skill which batsmen are expected to possess if they want to accelerate the rate of scoring at any point during the innings. Although it is possible to achieve this by getting the fours and running hard, the ability to hit sixes can provide that extra bit of momentum.
While the history of ODI cricket has seen quite a few players hit more than 100 sixes in their careers, there have been some cricketers who failed to hit a single six despite playing a considerable number of matches. Some of these players represented their respective teams in over 50 one-day internationals.
Here are 5 batsmen who hit no sixes in their ODI careers:
5. Callum Ferguson (Australia)
Callum Ferguson made his international debut for Australia back in 2009 and has played 30 ODI matches for them. However, he played his last match in Australian colours more than 5 years ago and is unlikely to be in contention for the national team anytime soon.
During his time in the Aussie team, Ferguson scored 663 runs at a 40-plus average with 5 half-centuries. He was also not a slow batsman by any stretch of imagination as he boasted of a strike rate in excess of 85. Despite this, the South Australian does not have a single six to show for his efforts.
Although it is surely not the end of the road for Callum Ferguson as he is still 31 and could still end up playing again for Australia.
4. Geoffrey Boycott (England)
Former England cricketer Geoffrey Boycott is considered among the best batsmen to have represented his country in international cricket. Boycott, though, is remembered most for his exploits in Test cricket although he did play 36 ODIs in his career, too.
The iconic batsman scored more than 1000 runs in his ODI career with a century and 9 fifties. However, he had a pretty low strike rate of 53.56 and therefore, it does not come as much of a surprise that Geoffrey Boycott hit no sixes in limited-overs cricket for England.
3. Thilan Samaraweera (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka’s Thilan Samaraweera played the role of a support batsman for the likes of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene with great efficiency in Test cricket. Samaraweera played 81 Tests and scored more than 5000 runs at an average of close to 49.
In ODI cricket, though, he could not achieve the same kind of success and represented his national team in just 53 matches across a span of 12 years. The 862 runs that Samaraweera managed to score in 42 innings with a couple of tons did not include even one six.
It is a pretty surprising statistic considering the fact that even tail-enders hit sixes these days.
2. Dion Ebrahim (Zimbabwe)
Former Zimbabwean batsman Dion Ebrahim made an entry into international cricket in the year 2001 as part of both the Test and ODI teams. Although he certainly did not have a very memorable career, he did manage to produce the goods every now and then for Zimbabwe.
Apart from playing 29 Tests, Ebrahim also represented his country in 82 ODIs, scoring 1443 runs at an average of slightly over 20. This included a top score of 121 against Bangladesh and 4 half-centuries to go along with it. However, the one thing Dion Ebrahim did not do in his ODI career was hitting a six.
Interestingly, Ebrahim was unable to get a six under his belt even in the longest format of the game.
1. Manoj Prabhakar (India)
Manoj Prabhakar is an all-rounder who represented India in Test and ODI cricket between the years 1984 and 1996. Although Prabhakar was primarily a fast bowler by trade, he enjoyed quite a bit of success with the bat as well and opened the innings for a considerable period of time.
The Delhi cricketer played in 39 Tests for the Indian team where he scored 1600 runs at an average of just under 33. Prabhakar also appeared in as many as 130 ODIs and managed 1858 runs in 98 innings with 2 centuries and 11 fifties. He was also a part of the Indian team in the 1987, 1992 and 1996 World Cups.
Despite doing decently well as a batsman in a pretty long ODI career, Manoj Prabhakar was unable to clear the fence even once.