Hitting sixes are synonymous with T20 cricket as the format demands players who can hit the ball a long way. This was one of the major reasons the Indian Premier League (IPL) has had many six hitters.
This article, which discusses the top 5 batsmen with the most sixes in a single IPL season, belongs to Chris Gayle, who has featured thrice in this top 5 list.
5. Chris Gayle (44 – IPL 2011)
In 2011, one of Chris Gayle’s Orange cap winning seasons, the West Indian legend also topped the chart of six hitters with 44 big hits. Playing for RCB for the first time in his IPL career, Gayle made sure he owned every batting record that year. Along with the 44 sixes he hit in 2011, he also hit 56 fours and scored 2 centuries, becoming the first batter to score two centuries in a single IPL season.
4. Jos Buttler (45 Sixes – 2022)
With 45 sixes and the Orange Cap, the English wicketkeeping-batsman has had more reasons to enjoy the 2022 season – his team Rajasthan Royals, made it to the finals that year. Buttler also scored 83 boundaries, which is the season’s best and hit four centuries that season, equalling Virat’s record for most centuries in a single IPL season. KL Rahul, who also had a great season, followed Buttler on the list with 30 sixes.
3. Chris Gayle (51 Sixes – 2013)
Once again, it’s the Gaylestorm who made it to the list. 2013 was the year of batters, where 7 players crossed the 500+ runs mark that season. The IPL’s best knock of Chris Gayle’s 175* also came in that year – the performance which saw the highest number of sixes hit by a batter in an IPL innings. It was the second time the master of T20s crossed the 50-sixes mark in an IPL season. Gayle’s aggregate of 708 included 1 century, 51 sixes, and 57 fours in IPL 2013.
2. Andre Russell (52 Sixes – IPL 2019)
Popularly referred to as “Russell Muscle”, Andre Russell has made a reputation for hitting sixes in the IPL. He has been one of the biggest six hitters the tournament has ever seen. His ability to hit the ball a long way has been appreciated by all the cricket pundits. Russell almost made the 12th edition of the league his own. He single-handedly won a lot of matches for KKR that season. He hit a whopping 52 sixes that season.
1. Chris Gayle (59 Sixes – IPL 2012)
Is any list about sixes even complete without the “Universe Boss”? We think not. Chris Gayle has made it a habit to hit sixes in the IPL for fun. He has hit the most number of sixes in an IPL season more than just once; he topped the charts in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Gayle has hit the most number of sixes in an IPL season, this was when he hit 59 sixes in 2012, and this record remains intact. He has also hit 44 sixes in 2011, 51 sixes in 2013 and 38 sixes in 2015. And without doubt, Gaylestorm lightens the first place of the overall six-hitting stats.
It is highly unlikely that any player in the future could hit the most number of sixes in an IPL season so many times. Gayle has set some high standards, to say the least.
