Longest Six in Cricket History — See the Top Lists

The longest six in cricket history is a record that arouses the interest of many cricket fans. The cricket player that has hit the longest six in history unofficially is Shahid Afridi. In this article, we will see who are the other nominees in the rankings for the biggest six in cricket history. You will learn who hit the longest six in cricket history and how to bet in online casinos.

Basic Rules of Cricket and the Role of the Batsman

The longest six in cricket history is an interesting topic, before diving into it, however, it’s better to go over the rules of cricket. Doing that will help you understand the exceptionality of achieving the world’s biggest six in cricket history. This applies mainly to new cricket fans that are not as knowledgeable about cricket as old fans might be. 

Cricket is a game between two teams of eleven players each. Games have at least one inning. Each team alternates between batting and fielding or bowling. The ball is bowled by the bowler to the batsman, who aims to hit it with their bat. 

When it comes to the batsmen, the goal of the fielding team is to get them out. On the other hand, before getting out, the batsmen attempt to score as many runs as they can. Six runs are scored when the ball crosses the boundary on the full. 

Before the fielding team can switch over and begin batting, they must dismiss 10 batsmen. To win, the team must score as many runs as it can before the opposing team’s fielding team claims 10 wickets. Whoever scores the most runs wins.

What Is a Six in Cricket?

Since six is the most significant number of runs that can be scored off a single cricket hit, they are also known as “maximums.” Anomalies might occur, like when fielders permit ‘overthrows,’ but these are incredibly uncommon.

It counts as a six when the batsman clears the boundary ropes without the ball bouncing. It’s an exciting point in the game, and a six, as the highest possible score, comes with a multitude of significant statistics. During a competition, the greatest sixes are always kept on record, but what are the highest and the longest six in cricket history ever?

List of the Longest Six in Cricket History (Internationally)

We already revealed that the unofficial record for the longest six in cricket history belongs to  Shahid Afridi. In this list, we will dive deeper into the rankings of the biggest six in cricket history. Here, you will find not only the length but also additional information about the matches.

Shahid Afridi

You will find the Pakistani player Shahid Afridi under different ranks when it comes to the longest six in cricket history. The reason for this is a mismatch between the recorded length years later after the match and the actual event. In 2013 former Pakistani captain Afridi was given a length ball by McLaren, and he smashed it over the stadium’s roof. The six he hit off Ryan McLaren is one of the longest sixes in cricket history.

On March 17, 2013, in Johannesburg’s third ODI match against South Africa, Shahid Afridi cleared 158 metres. In official records, however, 120 metres were marked. 

Brett Lee

Brett Lee, an Australian cricket player, is the player holding the official record for the world’s longest six in cricket history. Unlike Shahid Afridi longest six in cricket history, Lee came within 130–135 metres of the rope. This happened in a Test match at the Gabba in 2005 against the West Indies. The ball is believed to have travelled close to 135 metres before landing in the parking area because the shot was so far away.

For the Australian to swing his arms, Darren Powell delivered a nice-length delivery, and Lee made sure it landed far away. At the Gabba, one of the largest stadiums in the world is reportedly the biggest six in cricket history.

Martin Guptill

Unsurprising to see Martin Guptill from New Zealand on this list. During a T20I match against South Africa in 2012, he may have smashed the biggest six in cricket history of his career off Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

The ball was violently shot over the mid-wicket boundary by Guptill. It struck the roof of the stand before rolling back to the ground. And this is how one of the biggest six in cricket history in Test matches was scored.

Liam Livingstone

One of England’s top players in shorter-format cricket, Liam Livingstone has frequently shown his talent. Livingstone smashed Haris Rauf for a 122-meter six during the second T20I match against Pakistan at Headingley in 2021. It is not the world’s longest six in cricket history but the achievement is still exceptional.

Rauf threw the ball up at full speed in the 16th over of the first inning, and Livingstone was quick to seize it and slam it to the ground with his great force. The rugby ground is where the ball is thought to have fallen, far behind the recently constructed Emerald Stand.

Corey Anderson

No cricket fan can ever forget Corey Anderson’s heroics during his prime in 2014. He momentarily held the record for the quickest ODI century. He was in the best shape of his life. One of the longest sixes in cricket history was hit by Anderson in the first ODI against India in 2014 estimated to be 122 metres.

Corey Anderson was able to take a full swing at the ball when Mohammed Shami pitched it in the good length region. This allowed the ball to leave the Napier Cricket Ground. He scored 68 runs in 40 balls to help his team win by 24 runs in that match.

Mark Waugh

One of the best cricketers on that outstanding Australian squad, Mark Waugh has always played under his brother’s shadow. But he consistently came up with his fair share of heroics. In a 1999 Test match at Perth versus New Zealand, countryman Mark Waugh cleared the rope by 120 metres.

In 1997, Mark Waugh faced off against Daniel Vettori at the WACA, strolled down the track, and smacked the ball 120 metres to the ground. That Test match was won by Australia by an innings and 70 runs. Although this was not the highest six in cricket, it is extraordinary nonetheless.

Yuvraj Singh

One of the most talented stroke masters cricket has ever seen is Yuvraj Singh. He started his explosive innings against Australia in 2007 with a famous flick. It holds the record for the highest six in cricket hit by an Indian hitter. Yuvraj went on to score 70 runs in 30 deliveries.

The left-handed batter skillfully flipped a length delivery from Brett Lee that was coming in at nearly 90 mph over square leg for a 119-metre six. His strike was essential in the Indian team’s victory in this extraordinary match. The highest six in cricket by the Indian hitter assisted the advancement of the team to the championship game.

MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has the second-highest number of sixes in international play and is one of the best finishers in cricket history. In the 44th over of the third One-Day International during India’s 2009 tour of New Zealand, the Indian captain smashed a 118-meter six. Making this the highest six in cricket hit by an Indian player. 

The World Cup-winning captain left many people in awe with his brilliant short-arm punch. It sent the ball rocketing past the boundary. This was not the first time in his career that he had done so.

Chris Gayle

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, an Indian cricketer, has the second-highest number of sixes in international play. He is one of the best finishers in ODI cricket history. In the 44th over of the third One-Day International during India’s 2009 tour of New Zealand, the Indian captain smashed a 118-meter six.

The World Cup-winning captain left many people in awe with his brilliant short-arm punch. He sent the ball rocketing past the boundary. This is not the first time in his career that he hit one of the biggest six in cricket history.

Honourable Mentions

Before cricket began keeping detailed statistics, it was said that English player Albert Trott had hit Monty Noble out of the park during a Test match against Australia to record the longest six in cricket history. He covered nearly 120–125 metres . When Trott smashed the ball over the Lord’s pavilion, it wasn’t even the 20th century; it was back in 1899.

Top 5 Longest Six in Cricket History (IPL)

Now you know what is the longest six in world history. However, every year, hundreds of players hit a six closer to the highest six in cricket, longer than 100 metres in the Indian Premier Tournament or IPL. The record for the longest six hits in this league still stands today.

Aiden Blizzard

Blizzard smashed the wind-aided fourth ball of McLaughlin’s fourth over for a 130-meter six. This continues to be the longest six in cricket history according to some sources. The ball was a short delivery that was sitting up to be hit. Blizzard ultimately scored 47 off 20 to help Victoria reach 203/8 before bowling out WA for 171 to win by 32 runs.

Albie Morkel

Albie Morkel of South Africa accomplished the feat while competing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL’s first season. He hit spinner Pragyan Ojha of the Deccan Chargers for a six that was 124 metres long and the highest six in cricket for the season.

Adam Gilchrist 

It goes without saying that Australian superstar Adam Gilchrist should be on this list. This time, Charl Langeveldt, a South African pacer, was the bowler. In 2011, Gilchrist was having one of his outbursts while playing for Kings XI Punjab. He chose a slower delivery by Langeveldt early since he had already locked in his target. 

Gilchrist eliminated it from his area as soon as he noticed it in his field of vision. The ball was nearly 122 metres long. One of the longest sixes in IPL history, still.

Robin Uthappa

It is difficult to imagine how a legendary batsman like Robin Uthappa can drive the ball hundreds of yards. However, it happened in 2010 while he was playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore when he hit a six that was 120 metres long.

Uthappa, who places a lot of emphasis on timing, has demonstrated his ability to bat like a power hitter when necessary. He has, in fact, managed to rank fourth among the longest six in IPL history. One of the greatest IPL run scorers in history has also been Robin.

Chris Gayle

We already mentioned Gayle in the international cricket records. He is holding the 5th place in the IPS records for the longest six in cricket history. Chris Gayle holds the record for the longest six in league history.

Gayle is also the person who has hit the most sixes in a single inning. In his record-breaking innings of 175 not out against PWI, he smashed Brendon McCullum’s 13 sixes mark by smashing 17 home runs.

Betting on Most Sixes in Cricket

Now you know all about the biggest six in cricket history and the IPS. Probably you’re wondering whether you can use this information when betting on cricket. Knowing the statistics of the players, especially the batter will get you an advantage, of course. There is a more straightforward way of applying the knowledge of the biggest six in cricket history, however. 

For those who enjoy the thrill, there is the possibility to participate in the betting for who’s going to hit the most sixes in a match or series of matches. You can wager on which team will score the most sixes during the course of a game on the market for most sixes. 

In most circumstances, placing this bet successfully will depend on a few things. That includes a detailed analysis of the teams’ prior performances as well as the expected tactics that each side would use. The format of the game may also affect how aggressively batters would try to hit out and score as many sixes as they can.

T20 matches are more likely to feature batsmen trying to knock as many sixes as possible to hit a high score. While Test Matches frequently involve the methodical building of a total and defensive batting meant to keep a player at the wicket. It will be helpful to keep track of each batsman’s scoring trends to determine which ones are most likely to lead their side in the highest six in cricket. 

Where Can You Bet on Most Sixes in Cricket?

Cricket is a very popular sport and most online casinos and bookmakers offer a variety of markets to bet on. Online bookies offer a wide variety of betting options during a cricket match. You can pick who will win a match or series of matches to pick the player of the match. You can find a variety of betting offers online as well as offline. 

Conclusion

In a cricket match, a six is scored when the ball is struck by the batsman and passes the boundary without touching the ground. Now you know everything about the longest six in cricket history. You can rely on these comprehensive lists on the records of players that are still active. Check the statistics and place your bets.

FAQ

Many cricketers have enthralled fans with their power-hitting. We have covered all records about the longest six in cricket history. Now let’s see the most important frequently asked questions.