The first ODI match was played on January 5, 1971, since then till today many records have been made and broken in this format. In ODI cricket, which is called batsmen’s format, earlier matches used to be of 60 overs, but then ICC changed it to 50 overs. Talking about hitting the most number of sixes in One Day International, for years this record was in the name of former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, but on Sunday, in the first ODI against South Africa, Rohit Sharma, famously known as Hitman, took this record in his name.
Rohit broke Shahid Afridi’s record against South Africa
Rohit Sharma, who has been playing ODI cricket since 2007, now has 352 sixes in 277 matches. Rohit made this record by hitting three sixes in the first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi. Rohit Sharma has 1071 fours in ODIs. So far he has scored 11427 runs in this format.
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has 351 sixes in his name in 398 ODI matches. Afridi has scored 8064 runs during this period. Rohit started his career as a middle order batsman, but since 2013 he has played only as an opener. Whereas Afridi had opened in the initial phase, but he played most of the matches as a finisher.
So far only eight batsmen have been able to hit more than 200 sixes in ODI cricket. Only 3 batsmen have more than 300 sixes in their names. If we talk about the 7 batsmen who have hit the most number of sixes, among them only Rohit Sharma is the only active player, all the rest have retired. Talking about Indian batsmen, MS Dhoni is also included in this record list along with Rohit.
7 batsmen who hit most sixes in the history of ODI cricket
1- Rohit Sharma- 352 sixes
2- Shahid Afridi- 351 sixes
3- Chris Gayle- 331 sixes
4- Sanath Jayasuriya – 270 sixes
5- MS Dhoni- 229 sixes
6- Eoin Morgan- 220 sixes
7- AB de Villiers- 204 sixes
