Longest Six in Cricket History and the Player Who Launched it

There are no standardized methods for measuring the six distances in cricket. The accuracy of these distances also depends on the availability of technology. However, the six distances displayed on the TV screen generate a great deal of excitement among fans and enhance the viewing experience.

The longest six in cricket history was hit by former Pakistan captain, all-rounder and T20 World Cup winner Shahid Afridi, whose 153-meter-long six had stunned the cricketing world. That feat could never be repeated.

While no extra runs are added for hitting a longer six, it is a source of huge entertainment for the spectators. A huge six is also a testament to a batsman’s power and technique, the two components that equate to the ball travelling the distance.

Below we list the top 10 longest sixes in cricket and the players who pulled off those feats.

Shahid Afridi - 153 meters

Not the most fluent of batters, but Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi was surely one of the dangerous ones. While he excelled in checking runs, scalping wickets and fielding brilliantly, it was his batting that opponents feared mostly. A hugely popular name in the nation, Afridi was often given the license to have a go right from the start and he was at his productive best that way.

While Afridi’s 37-ball-100 remained cricket’s fastest century for 17 years, his six of 153m is still the longest. Facing South Africa’s Ryan McLaren on March 17, 2013, during Pakistan’s third ODI at Johannesburg, Afridi picked the length ball early and sent it out of the stadium. It must be noted that the distance of 153m was unofficial and later the ICC registered it at 120 meters.
 

Brett Lee - 130 - 135 meters

A World Cup winner with Australia in 2003, Brett Lee was a handy lower-order batsman for the team who could chip in with crucial runs in the end. One such instance was in 2005 when Australia were taking on West Indies at the Gabba in a 2005 Test match. Lee was in superb form and would add 47 runs to the scorecard with some hard-hitting that had just one six - a 130-meter-long one.

Officially, Lee’s sixer remains the longest six in cricket as the camera caught the ball travelling well beyond the roof of the stadium and reaching the practice nets off a Darren Powell delivery. The ball was believed to have gone 135 meters as well.

Martin Guptill - 127 meters

One of the best power-hitters on this list, New Zealand’s Martin Guptil has hit the third-longest six in world cricket with a stupendous 127-meter six against South Africa’s Lonwabo Tsotsobe. In one of the more recent events, when the Kiwis were playing the Proteas in a T20I game at the Westpac Stadium in Wellington, Guptill managed to get the connection just fine as the ball was seen hitting the roof of the stadium after travelling over the mid-wicket boundary and falling.

The top-order batsman eventually ended the match scoring 78 runs off 55 balls, thereby helping New Zealand to a six-wicket victory in their backyard.

Liam Livingstone - 122 meters

Counted amongst England’s better white-ball players, the towering Liam Livingstone is known for using his strength to good use while whacking the ball. And it was on exhibition in England vs Pakistan 2021 T20I in Headingley, when Livingstone sent Pakistan’s premiere bowler Haris Rauf for a massive six.

Livingstone was facing Rauf in the 16th over when he picked his ball and sent it over the roof and to the rugby turf beside the stadium, which was 122 meters away. Livingstone’s quickfire 38 runs helped England put 200 runs on board and Pakistan eventually lost the match by 45 runs.

Corey Anderson - 122 meters

Martin Guptil’s compatriot, and yet another hard hitter, Corey Anderson sits fifth on this list with his massive 122-meter six against India in 2014. New Zealand were playing the Men in Blue in the first ODI when Andreson picked Mohammad Shami over the square leg boundary for a huge hit as the ball landed on the roof.

This took place in the 44th over and Anderson’s unbeaten knock of 68 helped the Kiwis post a total of 292 runs in 50 overs. India could only make 268 runs and Anderson’s later heroics fetched him the Player of the Match award.

Yuvraj Singh - 119 meters

Former Indian batsman and World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh deserves a special mention. The southpaw was in mercurial form during the World T20 in 2007 and Australia’s Brett Lee suffered his wrath in the semi-final of the tournament.

Coming to the tournament after winning the 2007 ODI World Cup for the third consecutive time, the Australians were the massive favourites, but Yuvraj Singh’s 119-meter six against Lee’s 90mph plus length delivery had silenced the stands. He had hit six consecutive sixes in an over against England in the same tournament. India would beat Pakistan to win the tournament that year.