The big hits: Top players to have hit the longest six in international cricket

With the advent of shorter formats in cricket, sixes and fours have become all the rage in the game now. While the aggressive style of play has picked significant ire from the fraternity for clashing with the authenticity of the game, no one can deny the exciting factor it adds up to the game. Nothing thrills a cricket fan quite like a powerful strike that soars over the boundary. While a gritty Test knock filled with careful singles, doubles, and defensive strokes is positioned as a classical display in traditional cricket, few moments rival the electrifying feel of a match-winning six. As cricket evolves, aggressive play styles have taken the spotlight, especially with the rise of T20s as a marquee format. However, players igniting the field with a powerful shot is not a new happening in the game. Over time, many players have made their mark as power-hitters, sending unforgettable sixes deep into the stands. Let’s explore the players who rank at the top for the hitting the longest six in international cricket.

Longest Six in International Cricket: Top 3 record-breakers

• Shahid Afridi

Leading this elite list is Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who holds the record for hitting the longest six ever in international cricket. In an ODI against South Africa, Afridi hammered a massive 153-meter six off Ryan McLaren in the 35th over. Although Pakistan eventually lost that match by 34 runs, Afridi’s monstrous hit remains etched in the memory of fans. While some question the distance as slightly exaggerated, Afridi’s hit is still officially recorded as the longest six in international cricket.

• Brett Lee

Right behind Afridi is an unexpected name as a pacer among the list of seasoned batters is least anticipated. However, there is almost nothing that Australia's lethal pacer, Brett Lee has not achieved. The Kangaroo is known more for his fiery bowling than his batting. However, Lee stunned the cricket audience when he launched a huge six against West Indies in 2005. Batting at number nine during the first innings of a Test at the Gabba, Lee managed 47 runs. Interestingly, his knock that amounted almost to a half-century consisted of only maximum hit. However, that sole sixer remains as one of the best-recorded sixes witnessed in the history of the sport. Going against Darren Powell, Lee hit the ball out of the park to cover a distance of 130 meters. This shot, the only six Lee hit in that innings, remains one of the longest ever in Test cricket.

• Martin Guptill

The third spot is held by a known wielder of the willow. Former New Zealand opener, Martin Guptill comes third in the list of batters to have hit the longest six in international cricket. A well-known boundary-hitter, Guptill delivered one of the most iconic sixes of his career in 2012 during a T20I match against South Africa. He sent Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s delivery rocketing over the mid-wicket boundary, striking the roof of the stands before rolling back to the field. This shot is one of the largest sixes ever recorded in international cricket, solidifying Guptill’s place in the record books.