Most Sixes in a Cricket Innings: Records and History

Hitting sixes requires timing, power and the courage to commit fully to a shot when the ball is still travelling at pace. The record for most sixes in a single innings has been rewritten repeatedly as T20 cricket normalised aggressive batting and flat pitches lowered the risk of big hitting. These records reflect a fundamental shift in how cricket is played.

T20 Record: 16 Sixes in an Innings

Hazratullah Zazai hit 16 sixes in his innings of 162 not out for Afghanistan against Ireland in 2019 — a T20I record for sixes in a single innings. His innings came off just 62 deliveries and included an extraordinary powerplay display. The pitch in Greater Noida was flat and the outfield fast, but Zazai's ability to hit the ball clean and straight was the primary factor.

Test Cricket Sixes Records

Wasim Akram's 257 against Zimbabwe included 12 sixes — a Test record at the time — showing that even lower-order batters can accumulate sixes when attacking freely. The general record for most sixes in a Test innings has been challenged repeatedly by players like Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who combined a Test mentality with T20-era power-hitting techniques.

Why Six-Hitting Has Increased

Three factors have driven the explosion in six-hitting across all formats: bat technology (thicker edges, higher sweet spots), pitch preparation favouring batters over bowlers, and the coaching shift toward upper-body power through weight training. Modern batters routinely use bats heavier than 1,300g, while 1980s professionals averaged 1,100–1,150g.