Advertisement

Maharashtra batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, on November 28, 2022, became the first batter in limited-overs cricket to hit seven sixes in a single over.

In the quarter-final clash against Uttar Pradesh of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022, Ruturaj Gaikwad slammed an unbeaten 220 off 159 balls with the help if 10 fours and 16 maximums.

However, seven of those 16 sixes came in the penultimate over off UP spinner Shiva Singh. After clearing the ropes in each of the first four balls, Gaikwad did not spare the following no ball either, hitting it into the stands for a fifth six on the trot. 

He got to his double century with a six off the sixth ball of that over as the assault continued. He capped off the over with a seventh consecutive maximum, to set the record for most sixes in an over in limited-overs cricket. 

Meanwhile, in international cricket, Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, Kieron Pollard and Jaskaran Malhotra are the only players to hit six sixes in an over.

Chandigarh-born Jaskaran Malhotra is the first American cricketer to hit six sixes in an over in any form of professional cricket. The 31-year-old USA cricket team batsman clobbered six sixes in an over during an ODI against Papua New Guinea to become the fourth cricketer after 

Malhotra slammed PNG’s Gaudi Toka for six sixes in the 50th over of their innings as the pacer conceded 66 runs in seven overs without taking any wicket.

The right-handed batsman remained unbeaten on 173 runs off just 124 balls as he became the first USA cricketer to make a hundred since being granted ODI status. 

Interestingly, Malhotra also became just the second cricketer to achieve this incredible feat in ODI cricket after former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs. He is overall the tenth cricketer to smash six sixes in an over in professional cricket.

Players to hit six sixes in an over in a professional game

Sir Garfield Sobers 

Former West Indies all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers became the first player to hit six sixes in an over on 31st April 1968. Playing as a captain for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan, Sobers smashed five huge sixes off Malcolm Nash but was caught on the boundary in his sixth delivery. However, Glamorgan fielder Roger Davis carried the ball over the rope, resulting in the first over to have ever been hit for six sixes.

Ravi Shastri

The current Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri was the second cricketer to achieve the feat in the Ranji Trophy. On January 19, 1985, Shastri while playing for Bombay smashed left-arm spinner Tilak Raj for six sixes in six balls.

Herschelle Gibbs

It took another 22 years for the feat to be emulated as former South Africa cricketer Herschelle Gibbs smashed six sixes in the 2007 ICC ODI World Cup. Gibbs tore apart Netherland leg spinner Daan van Bunge to become the first player to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket. Interestingly, the former Proteas batsman is still the only man to have achieved the feat in a 50-over World Cup game.

Yuvraj Singh

Former swashbuckling Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh slammed England pacer Stuart Broad for six sixes during a World Cup T20 game in South Africa in 2007. Interestingly, Ravi Shastri was the man behind the mic at the time of Yuvraj’s incredible achievement in Durban on that epic night.

Ross Whiteley 

English cricketer Ross Whiteley joined this elite club in a T20 Blast match in July 2017. Playing for Worcestershire Rapids at Headingley, Whitely smashed Yorkshire Vikings spinner Karl Carver for six sixes in six balls.

Haztratullah Zazai

Afghanistan batsman Haztratullah Zazai joined the select club with six successive maximums in 2018. In an Afghanistan Premier League encounter, Zazai clobbered a hapless Abdullah Mazari for six sixes to etch his name in history books.

Leo Carter 

New Zealand cricketer Leo Carter bludgeoned his way into the history books as he smashed six sixes in the Super Smash competition in January 2020. Playing for Canterbury Kings, Carter clobbered six sixes off Northern Knights left-arm spinner Anton Devcich to accomplish this incredible milestone. 

Keiron Pollard

West Indies limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard recently joined this elite club as he hit six sixes in an over against Sri Lanka in Antigua in March.

Pollard smashed Sri Lanka spinner Akila Dananjaya for six sixes during the first T20I to become only the second batsman in the history of T20Is to achieve this feat. 

Thisara Perera

All-rounder Thisara Perera became the first Sri Lankan cricketer to hit six sixes in an over in any form of professional cricket. The 31-year-old southpaw achieved the feat while playing for Sri Lanka Army in their Group A match against Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club in the Major Clubs Limited Over List A Tournament at the Army Ground in Panagoda. Perera slammed Dilhan Cooray for six sixes in the 41st over as he reached his half-century in 13 balls, becoming the second-fastest Sri Lankan to score a fifty. 

Vamshhi Krrishna

Andhra opening batter Vamshhi Krrishna became the latest cricketer to join the elite list. Krrishna hammered six sixes against Railways' wrist spinner Damandeep Singh in the Colonel CK Nayudu Trophy at YS Raja Reddy ACP Cricket Stadium in Kadapa. He became the fourth Indian to achieve the incredible feat after Ravi Shastri, Yuvraj Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Dipendra Singh Airee

Nepal's Dipendra Singh Airee became the third cricketer to hit six sixes in an over in an international T20 match. During an ACC Men’s T20I Premier Cup 2024 group match at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) in Oman, Dipendra Singh Airee slammed Qatar medium-pacer Kamran Khan for six sixes to finish with 64 off just 21 balls.

The 24-year-old's bliztkrieg knock was laced with three fours and seven sixes. Airee's knock helped Nepal beat Qatar by 32 runs in the game.

Featured photo: Alamy

Advertisement