5 batsmen who have hit the most sixes in India-England T20I matches
In a perfect prelude to the upcoming IPL season, India and England will lock horns in a five-match T20I series beginning Friday. After their struggles in spin-friendly conditions during the Test series, both Indian and English batsmen will be licking their lips on having the license to go slam bang in the shortest format.
5 batsmen who've smashed the most sixes in Ind vs Eng T20I matches
India and England have faced each other 14 times in T20Is over the years, with both teams prevailing 7 times each. The matches have generally been high-scoring affairs, and batsmen from both sides have provided plenty of fireworks. Here are five players who've smashed the most T20I sixes in contests involving India and England:
5) Alex Hales (11 sixes)
Currently out of favour with the English selectors, Alex Hales had a good time against the Indian bowlers in the 9 T20Is that he played against them.
The right-handed opener has accounted for 11 big hits in total, with his best effort coming in a 'Man of the Match' performance at Cardiff in 2018. Chasing India's 149-run target, Hales came in at no. 4 and smashed three sixes during his unbeaten 58 (41 balls) to help England triumph by 5 wickets.
Hales also scored the same number of sixes in 2014 at Birmingham when his 25-ball-40 helped England post 180/7. India failed in their pursuit of the target, going down by 3 runs.
4) Jason Roy (12 sixes)
IPL 2021 reject Jason Roy has smashed 12 T20I sixes in seven games against India, with 7 of those coming during a solitary half-century against India at Bristol.
The right-hander smashed a 31-ball 67 to help his side score a mammoth 198/9 in the first innings. But his innings was overshadowed by Rohit Sharma's match-winning hundred.
With a point to prove to all the IPL franchises that ignored him during the auction, Roy will look to add a few more to his tally of sixes against India during the five-match series.
3) Suresh Raina (15 sixes)
One of the best T20 players India produced, Suresh Raina played 13 T20I matches against England and smashed 15 sixes in them. The stylish left-hander, who retired from international cricket last year, had a healthy average of 32.44 against England in T20Is.
His best effort against them came in 2017 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangaluru. Raina smashed 5 sixes in his 63-run knock (45 balls) as India set England 203 runs to win, a target that remained unconquered thanks to Yuzvendra Chahal's six-wicket haul.
2) Yuvraj Singh (15 sixes)
The memory of Yuvraj Singh unleashing all his fury on a hapless Stuart Broad and smashing him for six successive sixes at Durban on that glorious night of 2007 is forever etched in the heart of every Indian cricket fan.
Yuvi recorded the fastest international fifty in the same match (off just 12 balls), finishing with 7 sixes in his unbelievable 16-ball 58 and setting the tone for India winning the inaugural T20 World Cup.
In total, Yuvraj smashed the England bowlers for 15 sixes in the 7 innings he played against them.
1) Eoin Morgan (17 sixes)
England captain Eoin Morgan is one of the toughest batsmen to stop once he gets going. India have unfortunately experienced the kind of damage his blade can inflict.
Morgan averages 31.40 in 11 T20Is against India and has smashed 17 sixes in those games - the most by any batsmen amongst both sides. His best T20I effort against the Indians came at Birmingham in 2014, when he smashed 7 sixes during his 71-run knock (31 balls) to propel England to a three-run victory.
The Irishman will be looking to inflict more misery on India and extend his lead at the top of the six-hitting ladder during the T20I series.