Most Sixes in Cricket World Cup History
Six-hitting has become one of the defining features of modern ODI World Cup batting. Earlier editions generally produced fewer maximums, but stronger bats, shorter boundary dimensions at some venues and more aggressive batting approaches have steadily increased the number of sixes hit at the tournament.
Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most sixes in Men's ODI Cricket World Cup history with 54 sixes. The Indian opener moved past Chris Gayle during the 2023 World Cup in India. Gayle is second with 49, followed by Glenn Maxwell, David Warner and AB de Villiers.
The latest completed Men's ODI World Cup was the 2023 tournament, so the figures below cover every edition through that competition.
Most Sixes in Cricket World Cup History
| Rank | Batsman | Team | Matches | Sixes | Runs | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | India | 28 | 54 | 1,575 | 105.49 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | 35 | 49 | 1,186 | 90.53 |
| 3 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | 25 | 43 | 898 | 160.35 |
| 4 | David Warner | Australia | 29 | 41 | 1,527 | 101.46 |
| 5 | AB de Villiers | South Africa | 23 | 37 | 1,207 | 117.29 |
| 6 | David Miller | South Africa | 24 | 35 | 816 | 113.33 |
| 7 | Ricky Ponting | Australia | 46 | 31 | 1,743 | 79.95 |
| 8 | Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 34 | 29 | 742 | 120.84 |
| 9 | Herschelle Gibbs | South Africa | 25 | 28 | 1,067 | 87.38 |
| 10 | Sachin Tendulkar | India | 45 | 27 | 2,278 | 88.98 |
| 11 | Sanath Jayasuriya | Sri Lanka | 38 | 27 | 1,165 | 90.66 |
| 12 | Eoin Morgan | Ireland/England | 29 | 26 | 672 | 84.84 |
| 13 | Sourav Ganguly | India | 21 | 25 | 1,006 | 77.50 |
| 14 | Mahmudullah | Bangladesh | 25 | 25 | 944 | 84.81 |
| 15 | Quinton de Kock | South Africa | 27 | 25 | 1,044 | 96.57 |
| 16 | Shreyas Iyer | India | 11 | 24 | 530 | 113.24 |
| 17 | Aaron Finch | Australia | 18 | 24 | 787 | 98.25 |
| 18 | Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 27 | 24 | 995 | 88.36 |
| 19 | Matthew Hayden | Australia | 21 | 23 | 987 | 92.93 |
| 20 | Daryl Mitchell | New Zealand | 10 | 22 | 552 | 111.06 |
Rohit's 54 sixes give him the outright lead, while Gayle remains the only other batter with more than 45 World Cup sixes. Maxwell's strike rate is particularly remarkable, showing how aggressively he scored compared with the other players near the top of the list.
Top 5 Six-Hitters in World Cup History
1. Rohit Sharma – 54 Sixes
Rohit Sharma has hit 54 sixes in 28 World Cup matches, the most by any batter in the competition's history. He represented India at the 2015, 2019 and 2023 tournaments and scored 1,575 runs.
His biggest jump came during the 2023 edition, when he hit 31 sixes in 11 matches. That performance took him beyond Chris Gayle's previous career record of 49 World Cup sixes.
2. Chris Gayle – 49 Sixes
Chris Gayle finished his World Cup career with 49 sixes from 35 matches. The West Indies opener held the all-time record before Rohit overtook him.
Gayle's most famous six-hitting display came against Zimbabwe in 2015. He scored 215 and cleared the boundary 16 times, setting a World Cup record for sixes in one innings at the time.
3. Glenn Maxwell – 43 Sixes
Glenn Maxwell has hit 43 World Cup sixes, placing him third on the all-time list. His 898 runs came at a strike rate above 160, making him one of the fastest scorers in World Cup history.
His unbeaten 201 against Afghanistan in 2023 included 10 sixes. Australia recovered from 91/7 to chase 292 in one of the tournament's most memorable matches.
4. David Warner – 41 Sixes
David Warner struck 41 sixes in 29 World Cup matches and scored 1,527 runs for Australia.
The aggressive opener was particularly productive in 2023, when he hit 24 maximums. He finished his World Cup career as one of only four batters to reach 40 sixes.
5. AB de Villiers – 37 Sixes
AB de Villiers recorded 37 sixes in 23 World Cup matches for South Africa. He scored 1,207 runs at a strike rate of 117.29.
His most destructive tournament came in 2015. The standout innings was an unbeaten 162 against West Indies in Sydney, when he repeatedly cleared the boundary during a brutal late-innings assault.
Most Sixes in a Single World Cup Edition
Rohit Sharma holds the record for the most sixes in one Men's ODI World Cup. He hit 31 maximums during the 2023 tournament, surpassing Chris Gayle's previous record of 26.
| Rank | Sixes | Batsman | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 | Rohit Sharma | 2023 |
| 2 | 26 | Chris Gayle | 2015 |
| 3 | 24 | David Warner | 2023 |
| 4 | 24 | Shreyas Iyer | 2023 |
| 5 | 22 | Glenn Maxwell | 2023 |
Daryl Mitchell also hit 22 sixes in 2023, while Eoin Morgan reached the same mark in 2019. The 2023 edition therefore occupies several of the leading positions on the single-tournament list.
Most Sixes in a Single World Cup Innings
Eoin Morgan holds the record for the most sixes in one Men's ODI World Cup innings. He struck 17 against Afghanistan in 2019.
| Rank | Sixes | Batsman | Team | Opponent | Score | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Eoin Morgan | England | Afghanistan | 148 | 2019 |
| 2 | 16 | Chris Gayle | West Indies | Zimbabwe | 215 | 2015 |
| 3 | 11 | Martin Guptill | New Zealand | West Indies | 237* | 2015 |
| 4 | 11 | Fakhar Zaman | Pakistan | New Zealand | 126* | 2023 |
| 5 | 10 | Glenn Maxwell | Australia | Afghanistan | 201* | 2023 |
Eoin Morgan – 17 Sixes
Morgan blasted 148 from only 71 balls against Afghanistan at Old Trafford in 2019. His innings included a record 17 sixes, helping England reach 397/6.
At the time, Morgan's 17 sixes also set a new record for the most maximums in an ODI innings.
Chris Gayle – 16 Sixes
Gayle struck 16 sixes during his 215 against Zimbabwe at Canberra in 2015.
It was the first double century in Men's ODI World Cup history and remained the World Cup record for sixes in one innings until Morgan went past it four years later.
Martin Guptill – 11 Sixes
Martin Guptill hit 11 sixes during his unbeaten 237 against West Indies in the 2015 quarter-final.
His 237* remains the highest individual score in Men's ODI World Cup history.
Fakhar Zaman – 11 Sixes
Fakhar Zaman matched Guptill's total by hitting 11 sixes against New Zealand in 2023.
He finished unbeaten on 126 from 81 balls as Pakistan won the rain-affected match under the DLS method.
Glenn Maxwell – 10 Sixes
Maxwell's unbeaten 201 against Afghanistan included 10 sixes and 21 fours.
The innings came under extreme pressure after Australia slipped to 91/7, but Maxwell carried the chase to completion.
Records and Highlights
Rohit Sharma Has the Most Career Sixes
Rohit's 54 sixes are the highest career total in Men's ODI World Cup history.
He surpassed Chris Gayle's 49 during the 2023 tournament and ended the competition five clear of the West Indies legend.
Four Players Have Reached 40 Sixes
Only four players have hit at least 40 World Cup sixes:
| Batsman | Sixes |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 54 |
| Chris Gayle | 49 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 43 |
| David Warner | 41 |
AB de Villiers sits just outside this group with 37.
Rohit Owns the Single-Edition Record
Rohit hit 31 sixes in the 2023 World Cup, the highest total ever recorded by one batter in a single edition.
Gayle's 26 in 2015 remains second.
Eoin Morgan Holds the Single-Innings Record
Morgan's 17 sixes against Afghanistan in 2019 remain the most in one World Cup innings.
He went past Gayle's mark of 16, which had stood since 2015.
Gayle Was the First Player to Dominate Multiple Six-Hitting Records
Before Rohit and Morgan overtook his records, Gayle led both major categories.
He held the career record with 49 sixes and the single-innings record with 16 maximums. He also hit 26 sixes in the 2015 tournament.
The 2023 World Cup Produced Historic Six-Hitting Numbers
Several batters made major additions to the record books in India.
Rohit hit 31 sixes, David Warner and Shreyas Iyer recorded 24 each, and Glenn Maxwell and Daryl Mitchell finished with 22 apiece.
Martin Guptill Combined Six-Hitting With a World Cup Record Score
Guptill's unbeaten 237 against West Indies contained 11 sixes.
No batter has scored more runs in a single Men's ODI World Cup innings.
Maxwell Has the Highest Strike Rate Among the Leading Six-Hitters
Maxwell scored his World Cup runs at a strike rate above 160, comfortably higher than the other players near the top of the career sixes leaderboard.
His aggressive style helped him reach 43 sixes despite playing fewer matches than many of the names around him.
FAQs
Who has hit the most sixes in Cricket World Cup history?
Rohit Sharma holds the record with 54 sixes in 28 Men's ODI World Cup matches.
Who has hit the most sixes in a single World Cup?
Rohit Sharma holds the record with 31 sixes in the 2023 World Cup. Chris Gayle is second with 26 in 2015.
Who has hit the most sixes in one World Cup innings?
Eoin Morgan holds the record with 17 sixes against Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup.
How many sixes did Chris Gayle hit in ODI World Cups?
Chris Gayle hit 49 sixes in 35 World Cup matches for West Indies. His highest single-innings total was 16 sixes during his 215 against Zimbabwe.
Rivcky John
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