Most ODI Sixes In Each Calendar Year Since 2010 

There is no denying that Cricket has tilted more in favour of the batsmen as compared to the bowlers since the introduction of T20 cricket. The arrival of T20 cricket has increased the love for the sport. The fans get to see a lot more fours and sixes than before. Moreover, the boundaries have become shorter and the bats have become bigger.

The T20 cricket has had a great impact on one-day internationals. The same approach has now followed in 50-over cricket as well. Teams tend to target 400-run totals which were once considered as impossible. Besides, the players have managed to register double-digit scores, which tells you how the game has evolved over the years.

In the last decade, the fans witnessed a lot more boundaries than before. Let’s take a lot at players who have hit most sixes in each calendar year since 2010.

Most ODI Sixes In Each Calendar Year Since 2010

Shahid Afridi: 27 sixes in 2010

One of the most loved cricketers in Pakistan, Shahid Afridi was known for his explosive hitting. He entertained the cricket fans with his brutal hitting for close to two decades. Afridi wasn’t someone who would take time before taking on the bowlers.

He would take on the aggressive approach right from the onset of his innings. He held the record for hitting the fastest century in ODI cricket for 17 years. He recorded a century in just 37 balls before it was broken by Corey Anderson.

In his illustrious career, Afridi hit a plethora of sixes. He hit the most number of sixes in one-day internationals in 2010. He had 27 sixes to his name in ODIs in 2010. Add to that, he has hit the most number of sixes by any player in one-day internationals. The Pakistan cricketer has 351 sixes to his name in 398 one-day internationals.

Shane Watson: 42 sixes in 2011

Former Australian cricketer, Shane Watson is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders of all time. He was a destructive hitter of the ball at the top of the order and also handy with the ball as well. Watson batted in the middle-order during the initial period of his career before he was sent up the order. The Australian all-rounder had no problem batting against pace or spin. During his career, he played a plethora of destructive knocks.

Once he got into the groove, it wasn’t easy for the opposition to stop him. He was known for explosive hitting displays in white-ball cricket. The Australian hit 130 sixes in 190 one-day internationals during his career. He holds the record for hitting the most number of sixes in the year 2011. He hit 42 sixes in ODIs in the year 2011.

Watson scored 6466 runs in 190 one-day internationals at an average of 31.8 during his international cricket career.

Kieron Pollard: 26 sixes in 2012

West Indies limited over’s skipper, Kieron Pollard hit the most sixes in one-day internationals in 2012. Pollard is counted amongst the most destructive cricketers in the world. Once he finds his groove, it’s nearly impossible to stop him. With his explosive hitting, he has helped West Indies and other teams in franchise cricket win several matches.

The West Indies cricketer has got great power, which helps him clear the ropes quite easily. Even the miss-hits from Pollard tend to go for sixes many times. The year 2012 saw Kieron Pollard hit the most sixes in one-day internationals. He hit as many as 26 sixes in the year 2012. Overall, Pollard has 131 sixes in 119 one-day internationals.

Kieron Pollard has scored 2633 runs in 119 matches in his one-day international career so far. He has 3 centuries and 12 half-centuries in ODIs.

George Bailey and Rohit Sharma: 30 sixes in 2013

Australia’s former skipper, George Bailey played 90 ODIs for Australia. He scored 3044 runs in 90 ODIs at an average of 40.58. He looked at his explosive best in the year 2013. Bailey hit 30 sixes in one-day internationals in the year 2013. Half of those sixes came in the ODI series against India.

In 6 matches, he scored 478 runs and hit 15 sixes. Only one batsman scored more sixes and runs than Bailey in that series. Rohit Sharma hit 23 sixes in the same ODI series and was only the highest run-getter. Overall, he hit the joint-most number of sixes in 2013. He too had hit 30 sixes in the year 2013. In the last ODI of the series, Rohit Sharma scored his maiden double-century in one-day cricket. India won the series by a margin of 4-2.

Corey Anderson: 27 sixes in 2014

Corey Anderson made headlines a number of times in the year 2014. On the first day of the year, he played a jaw-dropping knock in a one-day international against West Indies. He broke Shahid Afridi’s record of scoring the fastest century in ODIs. He reached his hundred in just 36 deliveries and went on to score 131 runs in just 41 balls. He hit 14 sixes during his knock.

Overall, Corey Anderson hit 27 sixes in the year 2014 as far as ODIs are concerned. Notably, it was the only century he scored during his one-day international cricket career. The New Zealand all-rounder played 49 ODIs for his country and scored 1109 runs at an average of 27.72.

AB de Villiers: 58 sixes in 2015

Corey Anderson’s record for the fastest century stood for just 1 year as AB de Villiers broke it in 2015. He played some sensational knocks for South Africa in 2015. He scored the fastest century ever in One-Day Internationals, reaching the landmark in just 31 deliveries against West Indies. AB de Villiers scored the fourth-most number of runs in the year 2015. He played 20 ODIs and scored 1193 runs at an average of 79.53, including 5 centuries.

On 19^th November 2021, AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of the game. During his illustrious career, he played 228 One-Day Internationals and scored 9577 runs at an average of 53.50.

Martin Guptill- 28 sixes in 2016 

The New Zealand cricketer is one of the most destructive batsmen in world cricket right now. He is an integral part of New Zealand’s limited-overs team. Guptill has an exceptional record both in ODIs as well as T20 cricket.

He averages 42.2 in one-day internationals for the team. Martin Guptill was phenomenal in the year 2015. He scored the most runs in ODIs that year. However, the New Zealand cricketer scored the most sixes in the following year. In the year 2016, Guptill hit 28 sixes-the most by any player. He was also the highest run-scorer for the team in 2016. He amassed 727 runs in 18 ODIs at 42.76.

Rohit Sharma- 46 sixes in 2017

Rohit Sharma’s penchant for hitting sixes isn’t unknown to the cricketing fraternity. He is known for taking the opposition apart with his brutal hitting. Rohit Sharma enjoyed an outstanding run in ODIs in the year 2017. He scored 1293 runs in 21 ODIs that year at an average of 1293. Notably, he hit the most sixes (46) by most players in ODIs in 2017.

For those of you who don’t know, Rohit Sharma’s third double-century came in the year 2017. In the second ODI against Sri Lanka, Sharma notched an unbeaten 208-run knock off 153 balls, including 12 sixes. India won that game by 141 runs.

Rohit Sharma: 39 sixes in 2018

India’s newly-appointed captain in white-ball cricket, Rohit Sharma continued his impressive run in 2018 as well. For the second consecutive time, he scored the second-most number of runs in a calendar year in 2018. He played 19 ODIs in the year 2018 and scored 1030 runs at an average of 73.53. Rohit Sharma hit 39 sixes in ODIs in 2018-the most by any player. Overall, Rohit Sharma has the fourth-most number of sixes in ODIs. He currently has 244 sixes in 227 ODIs.

In his illustrious career thus far, Rohit Sharma has 9205 runs at an average of 49.00. He has 29 centuries and 3 double-centuries to his name in ODIs.

Chris Gayle: 56 sixes in 2019

Despite scoring the second most number of sixes in ODIs, Chris Gayle has only managed to hit the most sixes once in a calendar year in the last decade. Gayle wreaked havoc with the bat in ODIs in 2019. He played 17 ODIs in 2019 and managed to score 753 runs at an average of 50.20. He struck 56 sixes in that year-the most by any player.

Popularly called the Universal Boss, Chris Gayle entertained the fans for more than two decades, Over the years, he has played some sensational knocks in international cricket. Gayle has more than 10,000 runs in one-day internationals, including 25 centuries. In his ODI cricket career, Chris Gayle hit 333 sixes, which is the second most in world cricket.

Glenn Maxwell: 22 sixes in 2020

Glenn Maxwell is regarded as one of the most destructive hitters of the balls. With his array of shots under his armoury, Maxwell is known to tear apart the opposition’s bowling attack. He can put any bowler under pressure with his range of shots.

Since his ODI debut in 2012, Maxwell has played a number of outstanding knocks with the bat. Maxwell enjoyed a great outing in the year 2020. He played 6 matches and scored 353 runs at an average of 70.60. He hit the most sixes by any player in ODIs in that year. The Australian cricketer notched 22 sixes in ODIs in the year 2020.

In his ODI career so far, Maxwell has managed to score 3230 runs in 116 matches at 34.4

Jaskaran Malhotra: 22 sixes in 2021

USA cricketer, Jaskaran Malhotra recently made headlines for hitting six sixes in an over against Papua New Guinea. He went on to score 173 runs off 124 balls, a knock that was laced with as many as 16 sixes. With that knock, he also broke AB de Villiers’ record of the highest ODI score by a number five batsman. He hit six sixes in six balls during his swashbuckling knock and with that, he became the only second batsman after Herschelle Gibbs to do so.

No cricketer has hit more sixes than Jaskaran Mahotra in ODIs in 2021. In only 6 ODI innings, he managed to hit 22 sixes, which is the most by any player. Paul Sterling is second in the list with 17 sixes. The USA cricketer, so far, has managed to score 313 runs in 11 ODIs at an average of 39.1 in his One-Day International Cricket Career.