Stats: Top 5 batters with the most sixes in IPL history

Every year, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hosts the Indian Premier League, a professional T20 cricket competition. 

In contrast to the strategic and fast-paced nature of ODI or Test cricket, the IPL is a short-format cricket competition that prioritizes violence and entertainment. In the IPL, dot balls are uncommon, and most batters would rather aim for boundaries or over the boundaries to hit a six.

The IPL 2025 season has already seen 119 sixes being hit by the batters after only 5 matches being played. There has been a 37% increase in the number of sixes this season, and we expect more to be hit as the tournament progresses over two months.

Some players have hit more sixes than fours throughout their careers, both in the IPL and globally. We examine these players today. See which players and teams have the most sixes in IPL history by diving in.

Here are the top 5 batters with the most sixes in IPL history:

5. AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers of South Africa is a legend of the Indian Premier League cricket. He played for two franchises, making his IPL debut for Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils), but shot to fame for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

De Villiers scored 5162 runs in 184 IPL games with a strike rate of 151.68. He hit 3 centuries and 40 fifties. During his IPL career, De Villiers hammered 251 sixes, quite an impressive number for the Proteas batter. 

4. MS Dhoni

The 43-year-old MS Dhoni defines the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise in the IPL. He has won 5 IPL titles with the CSK as captain and also played two seasons for Rising Pune Super Giants when CSK was banned. Dhoni, of late, has relegated himself to being the finisher of the XI, coming into bat at no. 7 or 8.

MS Dhoni has played 265 IPL matches and hit 252 sixes in his career thus far. He has 5243 runs with a strike rate of 137.46, scoring 24 fifties and a best score of 84*. He has hit 43 sixes in the last 5 IPL seasons from 2020 onwards, a staggering number for the veteran.

3. Virat Kohli

Another legend of the IPL, Virat Kohli, is the only player who has played all his career for one franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He was picked in a draft in the 2008 IPL and then captained the franchise from 2013 to 2021, leading the team to the finals in 2016. He holds the record for most runs in one IPL season—973 in 2016, with 4 centuries and 7 fifties in 16 matches.

Meanwhile, Kohli has had the GOAT career in IPL thus far. He has played 253 games and is the highest-ever run-getter in the tournament with 8063 runs at an average of 38.95 and a strike rate of 132.15. Despite being a classic player, Kohli stands third in the list of most sixes in IPL with 275 maximums to his name.

2. Rohit Sharma

The ‘Hitman,’ Rohit Sharma, comes in at number 2 in the list of the best six hitters in the Indian Premier League. Rohit Sharma has played 258 IPL matches, scoring 6628 runs with 2 centuries and 43 fifties. In those matches, Rohit Sharma has hit 280 sixes and has a strike rate of 131.03 in his IPL career.

Rohit Sharma is the only captain in IPL other than MS Dhoni to win five IPL titles. He won the IPL in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 for Mumbai Indians. He also has one Champions League title as well. Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as MI captain in IPL 2024. 

1. Chris Gayle

And coming in first place for most six hitters in the IPL is none other than Chris Gayle. Gayle had a stellar career in the IPL that began with Kolkata Knight Riders, reached its peak with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and ended with Punjab Kings.

Chris Gayle remains the only batter to hit more than 300 sixes in IPL, smashing 357 maximums in his 142-match IPL career. Gayle made 4965 runs with 6 centuries and 31 half-centuries. He still holds the record for the highest individual score in IPL-175*, which came in the 2013 season.

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