Ever since the T20 format came, it changed the entire dynamics of cricket. Although the Test format still remains a vital one, limited-overs cricket, especially T20, has become more and more popular.
Due to the shortest format of the game, even One-Day Internationals (ODIs) have become aggressive these days, and one would have noticed teams posting 300+ scores more often.
The last 15 years have witnessed a lot of fresh innovations in run-scoring. Players like Brendon McCullum, AB de Villiers, and Jos Buttler have shown glimpses of such exciting shots. Due to it, there has been a significant increment in sixes as well.
The fact is that six-hitting is an art, and not many cricketers have excelled in it. Players like Sanath Jayasuriya, Shahid Afridi, Adam Gilchrist, Chris Gayle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, and Kieron Pollard are some names that come to mind straight away whenever there is a discussion of six-hitters.
As per the data in The Cricket Monthly – a digital magazine from ESPNcricinfo – let’s have a look at five players who have smashed longest sixes in the history of international cricket
5.) Yuvraj Singh – 119m
The 2011 World Cup hero, Yuvraj Singh has been a valuable asset for Team India. He single handedly won many international matches for his side. In the inaugural season of the T20 World Cup, Yuvraj registered history when he smacked six sixes in Stuart Broad’s over against England.
But apart from six sixes, Yuvi also reached another feat when he smashed a gigantic six against Brett Lee at Johannesburg. The Chandigarh-born scored 70 off just 30 balls. During his blistering knock, Yuvraj flicked a delivery by Lee over square leg for a maximum. The distance was counted as 119 meters and therefore, it became one of the longest six in international cricket.
4.) Shahid Afridi – 120m
Known as a specialist in six-hitting, Shahid Afridi has smashed 476 sixes in his international career, which is the second-highest after Chris Gayle (534). Afridi was undoubtedly the most destructive batsman of the modern era.
In his massive list of sixes, Afridi smashed a 120 meter maximum against South Africa in the third ODI at Johannesburg in 2013. The Pakistani genius smacked it so hard that the ball went over the roof of the stand at the Wanderers Stadium.
3.) Mark Waugh – 120m
Mark Waugh, one of the elegant and stylish Australian batsman, struck some mighty hits during his playing days. One such hit came against New Zealand in a Test match at Perth where Waugh sent a Daniel Vittori’s ball straight down the ground for a massive six.
The epic hit covered a distance of 120 meters, and it still remains as one of the biggest maximums in the international circuit.
2.) Martin Guptill – 127m
New Zealand’s destructive opening batsman Martin Guptill is quite famous for his attacking cricket and taking the bowlers to the cleaners. In 2012, Guptill struck a mighty hit at Westpac Stadium in Wellington during a T20I against South Africa.
Guptill smashed a Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s delivery for a six that travelled 127 meters over the midwicket boundary. The ball hit the roof of the stand and landed back in the ground.
1.) Brett Lee – 135m
Believe it or not, in international cricket, the longest six has been hammered by a bowler, and that is Australian speedster, Brett Lee. In 2005, during a Test match against West Indies, Lee smashed a humongous hit at The Gabba, which went over the roof and travelled between 130-135 meters.
The thing to note here is that Lee was using a non-standard carbon-fiber-reinforced bat that was banned soon afterward.
