Hitting a six or two in cricket is a rewarding experience for any batsman, as it signifies outwitting the bowler and scoring runs with authority.
But hitting 6 sixes in 6 balls is truly a different experience altogether, every batsman dreams of hitting six sixes in consecutive balls. It’s a very rare thing to occur in cricket and that rarely comes along. Even the players who are considered GOATS & Kings of Cricket aren’t able to achieve this feat, and only a select few extraordinary batsmen have been able to achieve this remarkable milestone.
That is why we’ve decided to share the 6-ball 6-six record list in international cricket in this article. Interestingly, only one Indian player will feature in this exclusive 6-ball 6 sixes record list in International cricket.
Let’s get started!
There have been a few instances of a batsman hitting six sixes in an over, but achieving it on the international scene is something else. When things are on the line and a batsman is facing a world-class bowler who is very good at his job, to do something like this is greatly valued by teammates.
In the history of international cricket, this remarkable feat of six sixes in six balls has only been achieved five times. Here is the exclusive list.
Representing your country on an international circuit and facing the bowling talent it offers makes this kind of achievement even sweeter than it already is.
Now, let’s delve into each of those four overs, exploring how the batsman showcased incredible focus and channeled all their energy towards creating a once-in-a-generation feat.
Herschelle Gibbs holds the distinction of being the first player ever to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket. And this incredible feat of batsmanship came in an over in the 2007 ODI World Cup against the Netherlands.
During a match against the Netherlands, Herschelle Gibbs pummeled 6 balls to the boundary ropes on the bowling of Daan van Bunge. It was a historic event for international cricket, as it was never done before by any batsmen.
It was the 30th over of the inning, Daan van Bunge took his mark and started running to deliver the ball, what followed after that is etched in the history books forever. Gibbs danced down on the first and smashed it over long on for a big one.
The second six in that historic over also came in a similar direction and style. Daan van Bunge, under pressure, bowled ordinary deliveries after the first two, making it easy for Herschelle Gibbs to deposit them into the stands.
In that rain-curtailed game, South Africa posted a formidable total of 353/3 in 40 overs. Gibbs played a significant role, contributing 72 runs off 40 balls to the team’s score.
No one will ever forget Yuvraj Singh’s incredible feat of hitting 6 sixes in an over. It was like an assault on England’s cricket team by an Indian, creating an ironic twist.
Yuvraj Singh achieved this extraordinary milestone during a T20 World Cup 2007 match against England. One thing to know here, Yuvraj had a heated argument with Andrew Flintoff just before Stuart Broad bowled that 19th over. Yuvraj, not one to back down, responded fiercely to Andrew Flintoff. However, it was Stuart Broad who would ultimately pay the price.
After 18 overs India was already in a strong position of 173/3. He was ready to let off some steam after that heated argument. As expected, he hit the first ball of the over for six to mid-wicket.
What followed next was beyond everyone’s expectations, including Yuvraj himself.
He continued his onslaught, hitting consecutive sixes over square leg, to long-off, to deep point off a full toss, and over square leg were hit. The crowd went wild, thoroughly enjoying every bit of action on the ground.
After the completion of five sixes, everyone on the ground and at home wanted to see a sixth six. Broad bowled a length ball and Yuvraj slogged this one over long on for a biggie.
In this fashion, Yuvraj Singh surprised everyone and etched his name in history as the first batsman in the world to hit six sixes in an over in T20 international cricket. Besides that, have a look at our detailed guide on Rohit Sharma centuries in International cricket.
The next such instance in International cricket came more than a decade later when Kieron Pollard decided to unleash his power against Akila Dhanajaya in 2021.
During the limited-overs series between Sri Lanka and West Indies in 2021, the first T20 international was filled with events we can’t describe as normal. After batting first, Sri Lanka managed to take their team to 131/9 in 20 overs. When West Indies began their chase, the first over yielded 21 runs, but in the 4th over, Akila Dhananjaya took a hat-trick, denting West Indies’ pursuit.
But it was then that the big man and captain, Kieron Pollard, asserted himself at the crease and began unleashing his might on Dhananjaya. In the sixth over, Pollard selected the length early and sent the ball over long-on. From then on, Pollard did not spare anyone and went for glory, successfully completing the feat of 6 sixes in an over in style.
With each passing ball, Dhananjaya seemed confused, but he continued to bowl bad balls. Pollard took advantage and sent all those terrible deliveries to the other side of the boundary rope.
In the End, West Indies managed to win the match in the 14th over by four wickets.
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After Pollard’s feat, we didn’t have to wait long to witness another instance of six sixes in an over. In 2021, during a match against Papua New Guinea, Jaskaran Malhotra, representing the USA, hammered Gaudi Toka for 36 runs in an over.
Jaskaran was already batting on more than a hundred runs and was eager to score more runs for the team. In that particular match, Jaskaran started over with a colossal six to long-on, followed by sixes over covers, long off, and all across the park.
In the process, Jaskaran reached the 150 runs milestone and eventually accumulated a remarkable total of 173 runs after the completion of the innings. Team USA finished with a total of 271 runs in the match, eventually winning by a comfortable 135 runs margin.
Not many people know about Jaskaran’s feat as it occurred in a match between the associate nations.
In 2023, we saw another associate nation player showcase their talent on the big stage. The explosive finisher from Nepal tore into Qatar bowling in the last over of the inning.
In a match against Qatar in ACC Premier Cup, Nepalese batsman Dipendra took 36 runs in an over of Kamran Khan. Dipendra reached his half century in just 19 balls. It was a sight to watch.
With the help of his innings, his team reached a mammoth total of 210 runs in 20 overs, which proved to be a mountain to climb for Qatar.
In the realm of Indian cricket, only three batsmen have achieved this feat of hitting six sixes in an over in first-class cricket. Among these three, only one batsman accomplished this in international cricket. One player has accomplished this achievement in the professional T20 league, IPL. Let’s take a look at their names and achievements
The first time when someone scored six sixes in an over was way back in 1985. Ravi Shastri started the 6-ball 6-six record list in India, playing a match for Bombay against Baroda. In that over, Shastri took on Tilak Raj and pummeled him for 36 runs in an over. Shastri was more of a defensive player than a big hitter but he was in the mood for that day and made the most of it.
The second instance of an Indian player came in an international match against England when Yuvraj Singh punished Stuart Broad for the mistakes of Andrew Flintoff. We already explained it above in this article.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is the third Indian player, he hit 7 sixes in an over in the Vijay Hazare Trophy match. It was a game against the arch-rivals Uttar Pradesh and Shiva Singh was bowling. In the first four balls, Gaikwad hit four sixes, then he punished a no-ball for another six. And remaining two balls were also dispatched to the boundary rope for sixes.
These three incredible gentlemen have left an indelible mark on Indian cricket with their exceptional performances, showcasing their ability to dominate any bowling attack in the world.
Another name has been added to the elite list of players with 6 sixes in 6 balls. Chasing a massive target of above 200 runs in a match against KKR at Eden Gardens, Riyan Parag, the captain of RR didn’t hold back.
He has not hit these sixes in a single over, but in six legal straight deliveries. In the 13th over, the last five legal deliveries went for sixes and Parag took 30 runs from that over. In the 14th over, Hetmayer gave the strike to Parag on the second ball and he hit a six, it was a glorious shot. So, technically, he hit six sixes of the six legal deliveries he faced consecutively.
So these are the remarkable individuals who have etched their names in the cricketing world with their out-of-the-world achievements in the 6-ball-6-six record list. Their feats will be remembered for years to come.
As for what the future of cricket holds, nobody knows. But this much is sure, these players have created very high standards, and we can look forward to great things in the future.
Thanks for taking the team to read this piece on batsmen’s prowess in cricket. If you are interested, you can also check out our article on the 10 fastest balls in cricket history.
Do share your thoughts on this and tell us which one is your favorite.
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Ans: Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard, and Jaskaran Malhotra are the players who have achieved the feat of hitting six sixes in an over in international cricket.
Ans: In first-class cricket in India, Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh, and Ruturaj Gaikwad are the players who have hit sixes in an over.
Ans: There have been four such instances in International cricket where batsmen have hit six sixes in an over with two occurrences in ODI cricket and two in T20 cricket.
