IPL History: Five biggest sixes in the tournament
The T20 format is often known for the big-hitting on display and the bowler's skill to keep the batting team quiet by either picking up the wicket or keeping the run rate down and forcing the batsman to make an error.
In terms of the big-hitting ability and the number of sixes being hit, the Indian Premier League has often passed with flying colors with the highest quality of big hitting skill at the display where batsmen hit the best bowlers across the world for maximums.
This year at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, Hardik Pandya played a thunderous cameo for the Mumbai Indians. Against the home team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Pandya scored 32 runs off just 14 balls to put his team to what eventually turned out to be a match-winning score.
His stay at the crease included 3 gigantic sixes and one of them was even hit out of the park. In the last over, Hardik hit a 104 meter six off Mohammed Siraj. This is the longest six of the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League, although it’s still early days in the tournament.
Let us have a look at the 5 of the longest sixes in the history of IPL.
#5 Ross Taylor- 119 meters
The Kiwi middle-order batsman is known for his big hitting ability especially in the shorter formats of the game. The IPL was also a witness to that when Ross Taylor hit a 119 meter six playing against the Chennai Super Kings.
Taylor achieved this feat way back in 2008 when he used to play for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was his own countryman Jacob Oram whose delivery Taylor had picked early and sent to the top tier of the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
This remains the fifth longest hit of the tournament till date.
#4 Robin Uthappa - 120 meters
India’s right-handed Robin Uthappa is also known for his invaluable contributions in the Indian Premier League. Known for his attractive stroke play, Robbie has played quite a few memorable knocks in the history of the league.
One of Uthappa's masterstroke that stands out is a six off the bowling of CSK’s death bowling specialist Dwayne Bravo. This was when he donned the RCB jersey in IPL 2010. The ball traveled a good 120 meters after it left the bat off the Karnataka born cricketer.
#3 Adam Gilchrist - 122 meters
Australia’s former wicket-keeper batsman was known for his aggressive style of batting during his playing days. After taking retirement from international cricket, Adam Gilchrist has played quite a few impressive innings in the Indian Premier League.
The southpaw, on his day, could easily clear any boundary in the world. Against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gilchrist hit a 122 meter six off the bowling of Charl Langeveldt at Dharamshala after he picked up a slower delivery very early and sent it way over the mid-wicket fence.
#2 Praveen Kumar - 124 meters
Possibly the most surprising name on the list is that of Praveen Kumar. Known for his display of perfect swing bowling, Praveen Kumar has his name on the record books even for his batting display.
Playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Praveen was promoted up the order and he repaid the faith by playing a good little cameo. In this knock, he hit a whopping 124 meter six which remains the second longest six in the history of the Indian Premier League. This came against the then Rajasthan Royals bowler Yusuf Pathan who tossed a gentle off-spinner to him.
He went on to hit a couple of maximums against the legendary Shane Warne but all in vain as RCB lost that game to Rajasthan Royals.
#1 Albie Morkel - 125 meters
Albie Morkel has played a number of match-winning cameos for Chennai Super Kings, down the order. Known for his effective use of the long handle, Morkel hit the longest six of the inaugural season off the bowling of Pragyan Ojha.
Ojha bowled a flighted delivery on to his legs as Morkel sat down on his back foot and powered it way over the deep mid wicket fence. The home crowd at the Chepauk stadium in Chennai welcomed the hit with a huge roar. The ball traveled a scarcely believable 125 meters. This six which was hit in 2008, remains to be the longest six ever hit in the 12 years of IPL.