Most Sixes in Cricket World Cup History

The ICC Cricket World Cup is around the corner. The quadrennial event is scheduled to be held in India between 5th October and 19^th November. With 10 teams from all over the world, the intensity of the competition will be at its peak. One of the most prestigious tournaments held by the ICC, the spectators eagerly wait to experience the thrill and drama it unleashes.

India has hosted the biggest ICC event on three occasions in 1987, 1996 and 2011, however, the hosting remained partial in all of them. This year, the country will single-handedly host the entire tournament at its 10 most iconic venues.

The tournament has borne some of the most interesting rivalries since its inception. In nearly 2 months, 48 matches will add fuel to these fiery rivalries.

ICC World Cup 2023: Most Sixes in 2023

The tournament in all its editions, features the most rip-roaring encounters where all the players seek opportunities to carve their fortune and make history. Several impressive moments, like double hundreds, consecutive sixes, and 400+ scores, all of which have been witnessed in this prestigious tournament. The event has encompassed some of the finest and most memorable encounters that are still remembered and relived by the fans.

Six-hitting is not a rarity in a tournament like the ODI World Cup which might well, by its name, be known for something that does not involve hard-hitting. However, batsmen over the years have seemed to believe otherwise. Where patience and composure are considered integral aspects of the game, these batsmen have seemingly thought the other way.

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle holds the record for hitting the highest number of sixes in World Cup history (49). The left-hander is often regarded for his ability to resort to hitting boundaries instead of taking singles to keep the scoreboard ticking. Gayle who represented his country on 5 occasions between 2003 and 2009 hit 49 sixes in a total of 34 innings.

Gayle is followed by former South African legend AB De Villiers, who was better known by the name of Mr. 360 Degree for his ability to hit sixes in all parts of the ground. Owing to this talent, the former Protean skipper smashed 37 sixes in 22 appearances in three tournament appearances between 2007 and 2015.

Former England skipper Eoin Morgan holds the record for hitting the most sixes in an ODI innings in World Cup history. The left-hander bashed 17 sixes in a single inning to make the world record for the most number of sixes.

Although constantly performing well under pressure and scoring runs may appear to be a very difficult assignment for batters, these players have been able to rise to the challenge to cement their position on the list and ultimately complete the tournament on a good note.  The situation that arises when you hit a six is identical to that. In the process of constructing the innings, the batsman gets to effectively disperse the runs.

Let us look at the batsmen to hit the highest number of sixes in ODI World Cup history.

*Last Updated 18 September 2023