Hitting them big: Top 5 batsmen with most sixes in an IPL innings

IPL is a format that demands a good number of hard-hitting batsmen in each team. It is that brute power from such players that keeps teams in the game even in difficult situations. Some of the players have got the natural ability to send the ball over the ropes, and that makes hitting look very easy.

Some Indian players like Hardik Pandya were drafted into the national side very early because of their six-hitting abilities. Even in an International format, all teams strive to include more and more power hitters in their squad. In this article, we are going to list out the 5 individual innings in IPL, where most sixes were hit by the player. Interestingly, in all these 5 innings, the players have hit more sixes than fours.

5 batsmen with most sixes in an innings in IPL history

Chris Gayle, who is considered as one of the most destructive players of the shortest format finds his name three times among the top 5 cricketers. Gayle smashed record 17 sixes in his 66-ball 175* run knock against Pune Warriors in IPL 2013. Gayle ran to a three-figure mark in only 30 balls during his blistering innings and hit 13 fours in total. Royal Challengers Bangalore won that match very comfortably by 130 runs as they restricted Pune Warriors to 133/9 after scoring 263/5 in 20 overs.

Brendon McCullum who lit up the inaugural match of the very first season of IPL by his magnificent century is second on the list. He hit a total of 13 sixes and 10 fours in his 158-run unbeaten knock. Kolkata posted a huge total of 222/3 while batting first and dismissed the Bangalore side for just 82 runs in the second innings.

Chris Gayle too hit 13 sixes against Delhi in IPL 2012 match, as he slammed 128 runs off 62 balls. His knock included 7 fours as well. Later in the 2015 season, Gayle smacked 12 sixes in an innings against the Punjab team. He played a glorious knock of 117 runs off 57 balls which included 7 fours in total. Bangalore was able to win both of these games quite easily.

Mr 360 AB de Villiers struck 129 runs in only 52 balls against Gujarat Lions in a match in the 2016 season. During his superb knock, the Proteas player hit 12 sixes and 10 fours. Virat Kohli also hit a wonderful century for Bangalore and both shared a 229-run partnership for the second wicket. Bangalore won this match by 144 runs as they bundled out Gujarat for 104 runs in a 249-run chase.

Most sixes in an IPL innings