The T20 format was largely an unknown commodity when the inaugural World Cup was played in 2007. It was regarded as a compressed version of ODI cricket. Teams didn’t have specialists, matchups, or analytics to bank on. They went largely with their gut instincts.
15 years since the game has evolved largely. Six-hitting is an integral part of the modern T20 game. Teams who hit the most number of sixes tend to finish on the winning side more often.
We look at the top 5 Teams With the Most Sixes in T20 World Cup:
#5 Sri Lanka – 172 sixes
They have been one of the most consistent teams in the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka in fact boasts of having the highest win percentage in T20 World Cups. They are fifth on the list of scoring most maximums in the tournament’s history. The Lankans have crossed the boundary ropes 172 times across the 7 editions. Mahela Jayawardene tops the individual charts with 25 sixes. Charith Asalanka with 9 sixes tops the list among Lankan cricketers participating in this edition.
#4 England – 194 sixes
It was the first piece of ICC silverware that the England team had ever won. Paul Collingwood led England won the T20 World Cup in 2010 amidst zero expectations. But it wasn’t until 2015 that the England white-ball side was taken seriously. They finished as runners-up in 2016 while reaching the semis in 2021. They have collectively hit 194 sixes so far. Jos Buttler, the current England captain leads the charge with 26 sixes to his name.
#3 Pakistan – 195 sixes
Edging out England on a slender margin is Pakistan with 195 sixes to their tally. They were one of the strongest outfits in the first four editions of the tournament. In 2007 they were runners-up, they became champions in 2009, and reached the semis both in 2010 and 2012.
Pakistan seemed to have found the lost mojo in the last World Cup where they put on a scintillating display of T20 cricket. Their eternal superstar, Shahid Afridi tops the chart with 21 sixes in the T20 World Cups.
#2 West Indies – 210 sixes
They are the only team so far to have won the T20 World Cup twice. It was in 2016 when their strategy of outscoring the opposition came to the fore. In the semifinal game against India, the Windies hardly broke a sweat chasing a score of 192. It was owing to their faith in six-hitting.
The Windies unsurprisingly have hit the second most number of maximums (210) in the T20 World Cup. Universe Boss, Chris Gayle tops the list among all batsmen with 63 sixes to his name.
#1 Australia – 211 sixes
They are the most successful white-ball side of all time if one has to count the number of ICC trophies they have in their cabinet. Australia finally broke the T20 World Cup jinx last edition in 2021 when they won the trophy for the first time. Their topping the list in terms of hitting the most sixes though is a big surprise. Australians have smashed 211 sixes with David Warner and Shane Watson topping the charts with 31 sixes apiece.