The IPL is renowned for its big hitting batsmen and here we have a list of the 10 biggest sixes that have been recorded in IPL history to date
Biggest six in IPL stats last updated May 2022
Albie Morkel, 124 meters, CSK v Deccan Chargers, 2008, MA Chidambaram Stadium
The biggest six ever hit in the IPL came from South African all-rounder Albie Morkel. The left-handed Morkel had a fantastic career in the IPL playing for 4 franchises across a 9 year span. However, his best period came for the men in yellow and he hit this monster of a six measuring 124m off the bowling of Pragyan Ojha.
I’ve seen several other sources state this six was measured at 125m but I’m going to stick with the original distance shown by the broadcasters. Regardless of the final measurement, what makes this hit even more impressive when compared to many of the others on this list is that it happened at sea level. In fact, given the location of the MA Chidambaram Stadium and the size of the six there is a pretty good chance that the ball ended up on the beach!
Praveen Kumar, 124 meters, RCB v Rajasthan Royals, 2008, M Chinnaswamy Stadium
5 of biggest sixes in IPL history have been hit at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, a ground that at 934m above sea level is the highest of the regular venues used to host matches in the IPL.
Praveen Kumar is probably not a name that most cricket lovers would expect to see on a list of the biggest sixes in IPL history but with his RCB side in dire straights at 78-6, Praveen showed some of the more established batsmen in the line-up how to go about things firstly by smoking Yusuf Pathan for a 124m six over long-on and then taking down Shane Warne with a couple more meaty blows. RCB would go onto lose the match but Praveen had at the very least given himself a total to bowl at.
Adam Gilchrist, 122 meters, KXIP v RCB, 2011, Dharamsala
Going even higher up in terms of altitude, the thin air in Dharamsala has seen its fair share of big sixes in IPL matches over the years. In this game Australian great Adam Gilchrist made mince meat of the RCB bowling attack as he stroked a century from just 53 balls. Gilchrist was already well set when Charl Langeveldt attempted a slower ball which the left-hander picked and pumped high into the mountain air, over cow corner and out of the ground. To quote the words of the commentator the ball had gone “out of the ground, out of the stadium and was running down the hill”.
Robin Uthappa, 120 meters, RCB v Mumbai Indians, 2010, Brabourne Stadium
Uthappa has had a distinguished IPL career and has etched himself into the six hitting record books with this 120m effort off the bowling of another established IPL star in the form of Dwayne Bravo. RCB were already cruising towards victory when Uthappa came in at no. 3. Sitting deep in his crease he picked up Bravo’s change of pace and creamed the ball over deep mid-wicket. The look on the great Sachin Tendulkar’s face as he watches the ball exit the ground pretty much sums up just how demoralising it must be for the fielding side to be hit for one of these big sixes.
Ross Taylor, 119 meters, RCB v CSK, 2008, M Chinnaswamy Stadium
2008 was some year when it came to big six hitting in the IPL with Taylor’s effort the 3rd from that season to sit in the top 5 biggest IPL sixes of all time. This particular strike came against his fellow Kiwi and a man known for his own big hitting feats, Jacob Oram who bowled a fairly innocuous looking delivery full on off-stump with Taylor producing incredible bat speed to whip it over the mid-wicket boundary for one of the biggest sixes you’ll ever see.
Chris Gayle, 119 meters, RCB v Pune Warriors, 2013, M Chinnaswamy Stadium
The first of 2 massive sixes hit by the one and only Universe Boss to feature in this list with both of them coming in the same innings! That innings is arguably the greatest T20 knock ever played with Gayle going on to make the highest individual score in IPL history 175*, the fastest century in IPL history (30 balls) and the most sixes in an innings (17). To say that the Pune Warriors bowlers were shell shocked by the end of the innings would be an understatement but young left armer spinner Ali Mortaza had to endure the biggest six of the day and to date Chris Gayle’s longest in a swashbuckling career in the IPL.
Yuvraj Singh, 118 meters, KXIP v CSK, 2009, Centurion
Again it’s difficult not to take into account the altitude of the Supersports Park at Centurion when considering its role in this contribution to the list of biggest sixes. Not for first time the IPL was forced to move outside of India for the 2009 instalment of the tournament and one of the games all-time biggest six hitters in Yuvraj Singh took advantage of the thinner atmosphere to hit this monster six. In a twist of fate the man getting hit out of Centurion is none other than Albie Morkel – I guess if you dish it out you’ve got to be able to take it back! It is a ball in the slot but equally it is met with such a clean and forceful swing that it simply flies over the boundary for one of the biggest sixes in IPL history.
Ben Cutting, 117 meters, SRHv RCB, 2016, M Chinnaswamy Stadium
If you’re going to hit one of the biggest sixes in IPL history then chosing to do so in the biggest match of the season is pretty good timing. This effort from SRH’s Ben Cutting helped his side to a total of 208 in the 2016 final vs a stellar RCB batting line-up who only just failed to chase it down on their home ground. Cutting certainly owed his team after being involved in the comedy run out of Ohja early in his innings and he went on to hit a breath taking 39 off 15 balls including one huge six off fellow Aussie Shane Watson who can’t have been pleased with the waist high full toss that he served up.
Liam Livingstone, 117 meters, PBKS vs GT, 2022, DY Patil Stadium
Again, when talking about the longest sixes in the IPL, it’s always worth considering the stadium’s location and you’d have to imagine that had Liam Livingstone’s massive strike off the bowling of Mohammed Shami have occured at a few of the other venues on this list then the added factor of altitude would likely have seen it travel 120m or more.
Englishman Livingstone had spent a couple of years with Rajasthan prior to the 2022 season without ever getting a sustained run in the side but his big money move to Punjab Kings saw him really announce himself to the IPL and this massive six which left both batsmen and bowler chuckling cemented his reputation as one of the biggest six hitters in the tournament that year.
Rohit Sharma, 115 meters, Deccan Chargers v KKR, 2009, The Wanderers Stadium
It seems wholly appropriate that a man nicknamed ‘Hitman’ should find his way onto the list of biggest sixes in IPL history and once again this maximum came at a venue renowned for creating records in white ball cricket. While Rohit finds himself higher up the order these days back in 2009 he was batting down at number 5 for the Chargers in this match and he came in with his team needing 45 off 22 to win. Rohit bided his time and took it deep needing 21 off the final over in this match. His record six took it to 8 off 3 and he finished the game with another 6 off the final ball of the over. The bowler on the receiving end was Mashrafe Mortaza with this game being the former Bangladesh captain’s first and last appearance in the IPL. After going for 58 from his 4 overs he was probably happy to give it a miss!
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