Ranking The Longest Six In Cricket History
Table of content:
Among the countless amazing moments that cricket has given to the world, a few of the records really get stuck in the back of our minds. Like doing the impossible so gracefully that onlookers can’t help but appreciate whatever they are witnessing. One such record-worthy aspect of this sport is hitting the longest six in cricket history. Flicking the ball with the bat, engaged with full strength to send it flying out of bounds in mid-air. There’s no question about that ball touching the ground anytime soon and as it travels so far away, the cheers for the batsmen's graceful six fill the stadium with a joyous rush.
This is what people can expect when a batsman hits one of the biggest sixes in the history of cricket. Even though this is a difficult task to attain, a few popular cricketers around the world have accomplished this task diligently. Some have even gone as far as to hit the biggest six in cricket history, multiple times. In this article, we have accumulated the name of the players, who have struck the longest six in cricket history and all it took was the sheer passion for the sport, core strength, and the correct vision.
GetMega is an amazing platform that lets you play Hold'em Poker with friends & family with real money. Sounds fun, isn't it? Download the GetMega Hold 'em Poker now!
Longest Six in Cricket History with Statistics
1) Shahid Afridi
One of the heaviest hitters in cricket is Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi. His name frequently comes into conversations regarding the longest six in cricket history ever. On 17th March 2013, Afridi was facing bowler McLaren in the third ODI against team South Africa, at Johannesburg. During this match, team Pakistan was chasing South Africa’s established target of 344 and the fourth number ball of the 35th over gradually came in strong but Afridi smashed it out of bounds, and it travelled away from the stadium. With his strike, which arguably had travelled about 158 metres, he unofficially holds the record for the longest six in cricket history that has ever been made. However, the ball was later registered to have travelled a distance of 120 metres.
2) Brett Lee
As a primary role of a bowler, one would not have expected the name of Australian cricketer, Brett Lee, to be in the top section of the longest six in cricket history. One of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket came to the crease with his bat as the number ninth batsman in a match against West Indies in 2005. He was facing Darren Powell, the pace bowler from West Indies, when he delivered the unthinkable, the biggest six in cricket history that travelled far out of the stadium of Gabba. To this day, Brett Lee’s strike tops the official charts as the longest six in cricket history that has ever been made, with the ball distance measured to have travelled about 135 metres.
3) Martin Guptill
The third name in the list of longest six in cricket history is acquired by Martin Guptill, the heavy hitter from New Zealand. It was during a T20I match being played between New Zealand and South Africa, when Guptill was at the striker’s end, facing South African left-arm pace bowler Lonwabo Tsotobe. It is around then when he hit one of his deliveries with such power that the ball flew over and hit the stadium’s roof. The ball was registered to have travelled a distance of 127 metres that day.
4) Liam Livingstone
This one is a very recent incident that happened last year. Team England was playing against Pakistan in their 2nd T20I at Headingley when Liam Livingstone hit one of Haris Rauf’s delivery in over number 16, which travelled outside the stadium. The intensity of Liam's hit on Haris’ pace ball caused it to travel a distance of 122 metres, securing the fourth spot on the longest six in cricket history for him.
5) Corey Anderson
Corey Anderson’s massive strike against India in 2014 is a feast that cricket fans will never forget. It was during the very first ODI of India’s tour of New Zealand when he hit one of the longest six in cricket history. He was facing off Indian bowler, Mohammed Shami when he delivered a nice length area ball to which Corey Anderson answered with a full swing. The ball flew over McLean Park’s roof and has been registered to travel a total distance of 122 metres.
6) Mark Waugh
More than two decades ago, Australian cricketer Mark Waugh made his name on the list with his longest six in cricket history. He was facing off New Zealand in a Test match in 1997 at Perth when one of Daniel Vettori’s deliveries came in hot. However, Mark walked up front and swung the ball with his bat and made it disappear. Mark’s strike was distanced at a length of 120 metres that day.
7) Chris Gayle
The seventh cricketer in the list of longest six in cricket history is West Indies’ Chris Gayle. He is a player who has offered his team countless mesmerizing sixes, including one of the biggest six in cricket history. Facing off team Australia at the ICC T20 WC in 2009, Gayle played 55 balls to score 88 runs. During his quest, he struck a few hard hits, one of which travelled outside of the stadium and fell into the London streets. His phenomenal six is believed to have travelled a distance of about 120 metres.
8) Yuvraj Singh
When we talk about the greatest sixes, the fiery Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh’s name is to be included. It was in 2007, during the ICC T20 WC when team India was facing off team Australia. Brett Lee was at the bowler’s end and delivered a length ball to Yuvraj Singh, who was at the striker's end. He flicked the forthcoming ball with incredible strength and made it travel a total length of 119 metres. It is one of the longest six in cricket history, well-deserving of its eighth place in the list.
9) Ijaz Ahmed
Former Pakistan cricketer, Ijaz Ahmed is the ninth player in the list of longest six in cricket history. It was during an ODI match played in 1999, against team India and Ijaz hit two sixes that day, the only two of the game. One of which was against Virender Sehwag’s ball, which flew off and marked at a distance of 115 metres. His performance that day helped his team in grand ways to chase the target in front of them. Ijaz’s six against Virender Sehwag in that match is one of the longest six in cricket history to have ever registered.
10) MS Dhoni
One of the greatest finishers in cricket MS Dhoni, nicknamed “Captian Cool” proved his greatness once again during playing in the Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series in 2012. Team India was up against team Australia, chasing a target and needed 12 runs to win out of only 4 balls. This is when MS Dhoni wrapped up the game within the next two balls delivered by Clint McKay, one of those six was registered to have travelled a distance of 112 metres, making it the tenth in this list of longest six in cricket history and one of the coolest finishes in the game of cricket.
GetMega Rummy is an amazing platform that lets you play rummy with friends & family with real money. Sounds fun, isn't it? Download the GetMega rummy app now!
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which Indian cricketer has hit the longest six in cricket history? | There are many Indian cricketers who have shot their fair share of the biggest sixes in the history of cricket, but out of everyone, Yuvraj Singh’s name stands at top of the list from India with his 119 metres six against Brett Lee. |
| Which player has shot the longest six in the history of IPL? | To this date, the record for the longest six in the history of IPL is claimed by South African cricketer, Albie Morkel with a six that has travelled 125 metres back in 2008. |
| Which cricketer has shot the longest six in the history of the Test cricket format? | Martin Guptill’s 127 metres long shot against Lonwabo Tsotsobe of South Africa is the longest six in the history of Test cricket. |
