Most Sixes in T20 World Cup History

Chris Gayle holds the record for the most sixes in T20 World Cup history, with 63 sixes for West Indies. The legendary left-hander played 33 Men's T20 World Cup matches and remained the tournament's leading six-hitter even after the 2026 edition.

Rohit Sharma is second with 50 sixes, while Jos Buttler moved to third with 45 sixes after the 2026 T20 World Cup. David Warner follows with 40, while Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz has moved into the top five with 36.

The 2026 tournament also produced a new single-edition record. Sanju Samson smashed 24 sixes, breaking Nicholas Pooran's previous mark of 17 from the 2024 World Cup.

Most Sixes in T20 World Cup History

Chris Gayle remains comfortably ahead at the top. Rohit reduced the gap during the final years of his T20I career, while Buttler continued moving up the list through the 2026 tournament.

1. Chris Gayle – 63 Sixes

Chris Gayle is the leading six-hitter in Men's T20 World Cup history with 63 sixes.

Gayle's record is even more impressive because many of his sixes came during the early years of international T20 cricket, when teams generally played less aggressively than they do today.

He announced himself in the very first match of the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup. Facing South Africa in Johannesburg, Gayle scored 117 from 57 balls and hit 10 sixes.

It was the first century in Men's T20 World Cup history.

Gayle Hit 11 Sixes Against England

Gayle produced another remarkable performance against England in the 2016 T20 World Cup.

West Indies were chasing 183 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Gayle attacked England's bowling and reached his century from only 47 balls. He finished unbeaten on 100 from 48 deliveries.

His innings contained 11 sixes, which remains the record for the most sixes by a batter in one Men's T20 World Cup innings.

The performance also made Gayle the first player to score two centuries in the tournament.

Gayle's Six-Hitting Was Different

Gayle rarely needed complicated shots to clear the boundary.

Most of his power came from a strong base, long reach and clean swing.

He was especially dangerous against spin because he could hit straight down the ground without moving far from his crease.

Fast bowlers were not safe either. Anything too full or too short could disappear over the boundary.

That combination helped Gayle finish with 63 T20 World Cup sixes.

2. Rohit Sharma – 50 Sixes

Rohit Sharma is second on the list with 50 sixes in Men's T20 World Cups.

Rohit played in every edition from the inaugural 2007 tournament through 2024.

His long career gave him many opportunities, but longevity alone does not explain the record.

Rohit became one of the world's best six-hitters because of his timing and ability to pick up length early.

He rarely looked as if he was forcing the ball over the rope.

Rohit's 92 Against Australia

One of Rohit's greatest T20 World Cup six-hitting performances came against Australia in the 2024 Super Eight stage.

He scored 92 from 41 balls.

The innings included eight sixes.

Australia had a high-quality bowling attack, but Rohit attacked from the powerplay and did not allow them to settle.

His innings gave India control of the match and played a major role in their successful 2024 title campaign.

Rohit Finished His World Cup Career With 50 Sixes

Rohit retired from T20 internationals after India won the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup.

That ended a tournament career stretching from 2007 to 2024.

He finished with 50 sixes, second only to Gayle.

The gap between the two remained significant, but Rohit became the first Indian to reach 50 Men's T20 World Cup sixes.

3. Jos Buttler – 45 Sixes

Jos Buttler is third with 45 sixes in Men's T20 World Cups through 2026.

Buttler has been one of England's most destructive T20 batters.

He began his international career mainly as a middle-order finisher before becoming an opener, a change that gave him more deliveries to influence matches.

His ability to hit both fast bowling and spin has helped him build one of the strongest six-hitting records in tournament history.

Buttler's Century Against Sri Lanka

Buttler produced one of his finest World Cup innings against Sri Lanka in 2021.

England were struggling at 35/3 on a difficult Sharjah pitch.

Buttler initially played carefully before accelerating dramatically.

He eventually reached his century with a six from the final ball of the innings and finished unbeaten on 101.

That innings showed why Buttler's six-hitting is not based only on flat batting pitches. He can adjust to conditions before attacking later.

Buttler Continued Adding Sixes in 2026

Buttler entered the 2026 tournament already among the leading six-hitters in World Cup history.

His performances in the expanded competition helped him increase his career tally to 45.

That moved him clear of players such as David Warner and Yuvraj Singh.

With Gayle and Rohit no longer adding to their totals, Buttler became one of the closest players to the top of the historical list.

4. David Warner – 40 Sixes

David Warner finished his Men's T20 World Cup career with 40 sixes.

Warner was one of Australia's most aggressive opening batters.

He could attack from the first over and was especially dangerous when bowlers offered width or missed their yorker length.

His six-hitting record was built over several World Cups.

The peak came in 2021, when Warner played a major role in Australia's first Men's T20 World Cup title.

Warner's 2021 Tournament

Warner entered the 2021 tournament after a difficult period of form.

He responded with several important innings and finished as Player of the Tournament.

His aggressive batting at the top of the order gave Australia momentum during their successful title run.

Warner later played his final T20 World Cup in 2024 and ended his tournament career with 40 sixes.

5. Rahmanullah Gurbaz – 36 Sixes

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has moved into the top five with 36 T20 World Cup sixes.

The Afghanistan opener has built his reputation around aggressive powerplay batting.

He is willing to attack fast bowlers from the first over and is particularly strong when hitting over midwicket and straight down the ground.

His rise up the six-hitting list has been rapid because he has needed far fewer matches than many of the retired players around him.

Gurbaz Was Excellent in 2024

Gurbaz was one of Afghanistan's most important batters during their historic 2024 T20 World Cup campaign.

He scored heavily at the top and hit 10 sixes during the tournament.

His runs helped Afghanistan reach their first Men's T20 World Cup semi-final.

Further appearances pushed his career tally to 36 by the end of the 2026 edition.

6. Virat Kohli – 35 Sixes

Virat Kohli finished with 35 sixes in Men's T20 World Cups.

Kohli was not usually described as a pure power hitter in the same way as Gayle or Maxwell.

His game was built more around placement, running between the wickets and controlled acceleration.

However, he still cleared the boundary often enough to finish among the tournament's leading six-hitters.

His sixes were also frequently scored in important moments.

Kohli's Famous Sixes Against Pakistan

The best example came at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2022.

India were chasing 160 against Pakistan and needed an extremely difficult finish.

Kohli hit Haris Rauf for two consecutive sixes late in the 19th over.

The first, struck almost straight back over Rauf's head from a hard-length delivery, became one of the most famous shots in T20 World Cup history.

Kohli finished unbeaten on 82 and carried India to a remarkable victory.

7. Hardik Pandya – 34 Sixes

Hardik Pandya has hit 34 sixes in Men's T20 World Cup cricket through 2026.

Hardik usually bats in the middle or lower middle order, which gives him fewer deliveries than specialist openers.

His position makes his total particularly impressive.

He is often required to attack immediately rather than spend several overs getting set.

Hardik's strength against pace allows him to clear straight boundaries, while he can also target spinners through the leg side.

Hardik Added 15 Sixes in 2026

The 2026 World Cup significantly improved Hardik's career total.

He scored 217 runs during the tournament and hit 15 sixes.

India's entire batting unit played aggressively throughout the competition, and Hardik was a major part of that approach.

His 2026 hitting pushed him above several famous names on the all-time list.

7. Quinton de Kock – 34 Sixes

Quinton de Kock also has 34 sixes in Men's T20 World Cup cricket.

The South African left-hander has spent most of his career opening the batting.

His attacking game works especially well during the powerplay, when only two fielders are allowed outside the circle.

De Kock is strong square of the wicket and can use pace to clear the shorter boundaries.

His combination of fast starts and repeated World Cup appearances helped him join Hardik on 34.

9. Yuvraj Singh – 33 Sixes

Yuvraj Singh finished his T20 World Cup career with 33 sixes.

One over alone accounts for six of them.

During India's 2007 match against England, Yuvraj hit Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes.

The over became one of the defining moments of the first Men's T20 World Cup.

Six Sixes in One Over

Broad bowled the 19th over.

Yuvraj sent every legal delivery over the boundary.

He reached his fifty from only 12 balls, a Men's T20 World Cup record that still stands.

Yuvraj eventually made 58 from 16 deliveries.

His combination of clean hitting and tournament impact helped India win the inaugural World Cup.

10. Glenn Maxwell – 32 Sixes

Glenn Maxwell has hit 32 sixes in Men's T20 World Cup cricket.

Maxwell's approach is very different from traditional power hitters.

He can clear the boundary through almost every part of the ground.

Reverse sweeps, switch hits, ramps and conventional straight hits are all part of his game.

That makes it difficult for captains to protect one side of the field against him.

His 18-ball fifty against Pakistan in 2014 is one of the fastest in tournament history and showed the destructive side of his batting.

Most Sixes in a Single T20 World Cup Edition

The 2026 World Cup changed the single-edition six-hitting record.

Sanju Samson hit 24 sixes, the most by any batter in one Men's T20 World Cup.

The 2026 edition was clearly the most aggressive period yet for individual six-hitting.

Four players reached at least 18 sixes.

Sanju Samson – 24 Sixes in 2026

Sanju Samson holds the record for the most sixes in a single Men's T20 World Cup edition with 24.

What makes the record unusual is that Samson played only five innings.

He scored 321 runs at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate close to 200.

Samson did much of his damage during the final stages of the tournament.

He made 97 not out against West Indies, 89 against England in the semi-final and another 89 against New Zealand in the final.

Those three innings were packed with sixes.

Samson Broke Pooran's Record

Nicholas Pooran had set the previous single-edition record in 2024.

The West Indies batter hit 17 sixes.

That had already moved past Chris Gayle's 16 sixes from the 2012 tournament.

Only two years later, Samson increased the record from 17 to 24.

The seven-six difference is huge for a single World Cup edition.

Finn Allen – 20 Sixes in 2026

Finn Allen finished second in the 2026 six-hitting race with 20 sixes.

His biggest contribution came in the semi-final against South Africa.

Allen reached his century from only 33 balls, the fastest hundred in Men's T20 World Cup history.

An innings played at that speed naturally requires heavy boundary hitting.

His aggressive tournament moved him rapidly up the broader World Cup six-hitting charts as well.

Shimron Hetmyer – 19 Sixes in 2026

Shimron Hetmyer hit 19 sixes for West Indies.

He scored 248 runs in seven innings at a strike rate above 180.

Hetmyer usually bats in the middle order, meaning he often enters with fewer overs remaining.

His ability to hit sixes immediately makes him valuable in that role.

The 19 maximums placed him third for the 2026 tournament.

Most Sixes in T20 World Cup 2024

Nicholas Pooran topped the 2024 tournament with 17 sixes.

The 2024 tournament produced 515 sixes overall, which was a record for a Men's T20 World Cup at the time.

Most Sixes in T20 World Cup 2026

The 2026 edition took power hitting to another level.

India had four players among the tournament's major six-hitters, which helps explain their extraordinary team total.

Most Sixes by a Team in One T20 World Cup

India hit 106 sixes during the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.

It was the first time a team had crossed 100 sixes during a single T20I event.

Samson led with 24, Ishan Kishan hit 18, Shivam Dube struck 17 and Hardik Pandya added 15.

India's approach was aggressive from the powerplay through the death overs.

The strategy helped them produce several huge totals and eventually win the tournament.

Most Sixes in One T20 World Cup Innings

Chris Gayle holds the record with 11 sixes in a single Men's T20 World Cup innings.

He achieved it during his unbeaten 100 against England in Mumbai in 2016.

Gayle is the only player to appear twice with 10 or more sixes in a Men's T20 World Cup innings.

Aaron Jones Hit 10 Sixes in 2024

USA batter Aaron Jones produced one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 World Cup.

He smashed 10 sixes against Canada while scoring an unbeaten 94 from 40 balls.

The innings helped USA win their opening match of the tournament.

Jones became only the second player after Gayle to hit at least 10 sixes in a Men's T20 World Cup innings.

Yuvraj Singh's Six Sixes Against England

One of the most famous six-hitting moments in World Cup history came in 2007.

Yuvraj Singh faced Stuart Broad during the 19th over of India's innings against England.

The results were simple:

Yuvraj became the first batter to hit six sixes in an over in a Men's T20 International.

He also reached fifty from only 12 balls.

Most Sixes by India in T20 World Cup History

Rohit Sharma leads the Indian list with 50 sixes.

India have several players high on the overall list because they have regularly reached the later stages of the tournament.

The 2026 edition added even more powerful hitters to India's World Cup record book.

Most Sixes by West Indies in T20 World Cup

Chris Gayle remains comfortably ahead among West Indies batters.

His 63 sixes are not only a national record but also the overall Men's T20 World Cup record.

West Indies have traditionally produced some of the most powerful T20 batters, including Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo.

Pooran's 17 sixes in the 2024 tournament were a West Indies single-edition record until Samson broke the overall mark in 2026.

Most Sixes by Pakistan in T20 World Cup

Pakistan have produced several strong six-hitters across different World Cup editions.

Players such as Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and more recently Sahibzada Farhan have all contributed major maximums.

Farhan was especially aggressive in 2026.

He hit 18 sixes while scoring a record 383 runs during the tournament.

His two centuries also made him the first batter to score two hundreds in a single Men's T20 World Cup edition.

Most Sixes by Australia in T20 World Cup

David Warner leads Australia's career World Cup six-hitting list with 40 sixes.

Glenn Maxwell has 32, while Shane Watson finished with 31.

Australia's leading six-hitters came from different roles.

Warner usually attacked from the top, Watson could open or bat in the middle order, and Maxwell specialised in high-speed scoring through the middle and death overs.

Gayle vs Rohit – Who Hit More T20 World Cup Sixes?

Chris Gayle leads Rohit Sharma by 13 sixes.

Rohit played more World Cup matches, but Gayle cleared the boundary much more frequently.

Gayle's total also includes two separate innings with at least 10 sixes.

That level of concentrated power hitting is the main reason his record remains untouched.

Why Chris Gayle's 63-Six Record Is Difficult to Break

Modern players hit more sixes than earlier generations, but breaking 63 still requires both power and longevity.

A player averaging five sixes per tournament would need more than 12 World Cup editions' worth of production to reach the mark.

Longer modern tournaments give current players more matches, which improves their chances.

However, maintaining international selection and form over several editions remains difficult.

Gayle combined a long career with an unusually high six-hitting rate.

Career Record vs Single-Edition Record

These are two separate records.

Chris Gayle owns the career record with 63 sixes.

Sanju Samson owns the single-edition record with 24 sixes in 2026.

Each record measures a different type of power-hitting achievement.

How Six-Hitting Has Changed in the T20 World Cup

Six-hitting has increased significantly since the tournament began in 2007.

Early T20 teams often treated 160 or 170 as a very strong total.

Modern teams are much more comfortable attacking from the first over and continuing even after losing wickets.

Batters also train specifically for power hitting and use lighter bats, stronger physical preparation and more innovative shots.

The jump from Pooran's 17-six record in 2024 to Samson's 24 in 2026 shows how quickly the tournament is changing.

Who Has Hit the Most Sixes in T20 World Cup History?

The direct answer is Chris Gayle.

The West Indies legend hit 63 sixes in 33 Men's T20 World Cup matches.

Rohit Sharma is second with 50, while Jos Buttler is third with 45.

Gayle also holds the record for the most sixes in one T20 World Cup innings, hitting 11 against England in 2016.

His combination of career longevity and extraordinary boundary power continues to keep him at the top of the record book.

FAQs

Who has hit the most sixes in T20 World Cup history?

Chris Gayle holds the record with 63 sixes for West Indies.

How many sixes did Rohit Sharma hit in T20 World Cups?

Rohit Sharma finished with 50 sixes, the second-highest total in tournament history.

How many T20 World Cup sixes has Jos Buttler hit?

Jos Buttler has 45 sixes through the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup.

Who has hit the most sixes in one T20 World Cup edition?

Sanju Samson holds the record with 24 sixes for India in 2026.

Who hit the most sixes in the 2024 T20 World Cup?

Nicholas Pooran led the 2024 edition with 17 sixes.

Who hit the most sixes in the 2026 T20 World Cup?

Sanju Samson topped the tournament with 24 sixes.

What is the record for most sixes in one T20 World Cup innings?

Chris Gayle hit 11 sixes against England in 2016.

Who hit six sixes in an over at the T20 World Cup?

Yuvraj Singh hit Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes in 2007.

Which team hit the most sixes in one T20 World Cup?

India hit 106 sixes in the 2026 tournament, a record for a team in a single T20I event.

How many sixes did Chris Gayle hit against England in 2016?

Gayle hit 11 sixes during his unbeaten century.

Sources

• ICC – Most Sixes in Men's T20 World Cup History
  https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/game-changers-and-record-makers-statistical-standouts-from-the-icc-men-s-t20-world-cups