5 batters with most sixes in ODI World Cups ft. Rohit Sharma
Team India skipper Rohit Sharma hit the 50th six of his ODI World Cup career and now holds the record for smashing the most number of maximums in the competition's history. He breached the record with a trademark pull shot off Trent Boult in the fifth over of the ongoing semi-final encounter against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium.
Rohit has approached the semi-final encounter in the same fashion and with the same intent as the league-stage matches of the tournament. He set the tone by hitting two consecutive fours off Trent Boult in the very first over, capitalizing on the lack of movement on offer.
Rohit has overtaken some huge names to climb to the top of his list. His dominant pull shot off Boult also marked the 27th six of the ongoing 2023 World Cup campaign, which is the most any batter has amassed in a single edition.
He overtook Chris Gayle's existing record of 26 sixes, which was set in the 2015 edition hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
There are some huge names when it comes to the leading six scorers in the history of the ODI World Cup.
On that note, let us take a look at the five batters with the most sixes in ODI World Cups.
#1 Rohit Sharma (50 sixes in 27 innings)
The Indian skipper reached the 50-six landmark in his 27th World Cup innings. His World Cup career began in 2015 after he narrowly missed out on making it to the winning Indian squad for the 2011 edition.
Across the three editions of the World Cup, Rohit Sharma has been among the runs, which naturally brings boundaries. Whether it be the longer boundaries of Australia, seaming conditions in England, or the flat subcontinent conditions, he has played in the same fashion.
Rohit's six-hitting prowess has been well documented and he has taken his ability to another degree in the ongoing World Cup, by going full throttle from the word go.
He has made the most of the field restrictions by taking the aerial route against the new ball bowlers and has been successful in clearing the ropes with ease as well.
#2 Chris Gayle (49 sixes in 34 innings)
Any list mentioning 'sixes', has the presence of Chris Gayle on a mandatory basis. The West Indies opening batter held the record of the most number of sixes up until the ongoing India-New Zealand encounter.
Gayle has played across five different editions of the ODI World Cup, amassing 1,186 runs at an average of 35.94. The left-handed batter is arguably the master of the art of six-hitting, which he has showcased across all formats over the course of his career.
Interestingly, 16 of Gayle's 49 sixes came in his imperious double-century against Zimbabwe in the 2015 edition of the World Cup.
#3 Glenn Maxwell (43 sixes in 23 innings)
The Australian all-rounder is a whole different player when it comes to the World Cup. Glenn Maxwell has amassed 43 sixes in just 23 innings, with half of them coming in the ongoing 2023 World Cup itself.
He has notched 22 sixes in seven matches for the Aussies in their current campaign and is ranked second-highest on the list for most sixes in the tournament.
Maxwell hit a total combined of 18 sixes in his knocks against the Netherlands and Afghanistan in the league stage of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
He scored the fastest World Cup hundred in Australia's win over the Dutch and followed it up with a historic unbeaten double hundred in his side's nervy three-wicket win over the Afghans.
#4 AB de Villiers (37 sixes in 22 innings)
Much like Chris Gayle, any record mentioning 'sixes' feels incomplete without featuring AB de Villiers. The South Africa batter amassed 37 sixes in 22 innings.
He scored eight sixes in his unbeaten 162 off 66 deliveries against the West Indies during the 2015 edition of the tournament. His World Cup career did not begin on a good note as he recorded three ducks across his first five appearances.
However, he ended up with 1,207 runs at an average of 63.53, as well as four hundreds to his name. De Villiers' unorthodox fashion of hitting sixes was a nightmare for any bowler, as he was able to capitalize on scoring through any area of the ground.
#5 David Warner (37 sixes in 27 innings)
The veteran opening batter had a stellar 2019 World Cup campaign to mark his comeback and is enjoying a prolific edition in 2023 as well. David Warner has hit 37 sixes in 27 innings, right from 2015.
The Aussie smashed nine and eight sixes in the 2015 and 2019 editions of the World Cup, respectively. He has taken his six-hitting prowess to another level, having hit 20 sixes in the 2023 ODI World Cup already.
Along with the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Rohit Sharma, Maxwell will have the opportunity to stretch his tally in the knockout stages of the tournament in India.
Will Rohit Sharma's six-tally at the ODI World Cup ever be breached? Let us know what you think.