ODIs have traditionally been breeding on a delicate blend of stamina, cunning and brute force. However, of all skills, there is no more exciting accomplishment to the fans than the crack of the bat that throws the ball flying over the fence. There have been only a few batsmen who have reigned over the skies over the decades not only with their skill but with sheer power and timing. By late 2025, with the changing approaches to batting and the absence of cowardice, a new set of ranks of the all-time six-hitting players of ODIs has been formed. This paper discusses the top 10 players with the highest number of sixes in ODIs all of which are tributes to the power of winning matches through muscle and consistent violence. Top 10 Players with Most Sixes in ODI Cricket Rank Player Country Matches (ODIs) Innings (ODIs) Career Sixes 1 Rohit Sharma India 277 269 352 2 Shahid Afridi Pakistan / Asia XI / ICC XI 398 369 351 3 Chris Gayle West Indies / ICC XI 301 294 331 4 Sanath Jayasuriya Sri Lanka / Asia XI 445 433 270 5 MS Dhoni India / Asia XI 350 297 229 6 Eoin Morgan England / Ireland 248 230 220 7 AB de Villiers South Africa / Africa XI 228 218 204 8 Brendon McCullum New Zealand 260 228 200 9 Sachin Tendulkar India 463 452 195 10 Sourav Ganguly India 311 300 190 Top 10 Players with Most Sixes in ODI Cricket Detailed Analysis Rohit Sharma (India) Image Source : Getty Images Rohit Sharma is at the peak of ODI six-hitting at 2025, hitting an unbelievable 352 sixes in 277 games. With his easy grace and savage effectiveness, Rohit is the rare artist who can mix book technique and dynamism — a difficult feat. His talent to quicken both the top and middle order innings has helped him to master bowlers in any condition. It could be a flat Indian wicket or a challenging surface overseas, Rohit has an advantage in terms of timing and place. The fact that he has passed recent record-holders not only underlines longevity, but also fitness, versatility and insatiable appetite of big hits even in the later stages of his career. Also Read | Most Runs for India as Openers in ODI & Champions Trophy History Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) Image Source : AFP Shahid Afridi had been the unquestioned ruler of maximums in ODIs over several years, and after the 351 sixes in 398 games, his legacy is hard to challenge. Afridi, known as Boom-Boom, was a swaggering player who approached aggression in reverse, reverse sweeps, slap pulls - a kind of innovation that was made with brutal intent. The six-hitting attitude of Afridi altered the attitude of middle overs in an era where boundaries were difficult to get. He could be a ball one match-winner. His record was the gold standard until in the recent years, when it was surpassed by generations of power-hitters in the subcontinent and further. Chris Gayle (West Indies) Image Source : Getty Images The Universe Boss left an imprint on the world of limited-overs Cricket with one of the most devastating bats. In 301 ODIs, Chris Gayle reduced 331 sixes. Gayle was punishing anything that was slightly short or loose with his imposing physique and free-swinging style. His power and capacity in clearing the boundaries on both sides of the wicket made him a nightmare to the bowlers. Gayle appeared, and it required specific plans, and the opponents had to re-consider the length and fielding strategies. Even now, the most of his sixes, long and high and commanding, are reenacted as models of strength hitting in an ODI. Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) Image Source : ESPN ODIs Sanath Jayasuriya brought change to opening batting. Having 270 sixes in 445 matches he played with aggression in terms of stroke but was reliable even at the beginning of the innings. His power-play antics were dangerous in that Sri Lanka was a side to reckon with at the very beginning by exploiting power-plays; timing short balls, stepping out to spinners, and clearing ropes. The Jayasuriya style had an impact on a generation of openers who had the desire to dominate not to build - a fundamental change that reshaped the philosophy of one-day batting. His efforts made Sri Lanka competitive and could not be caught in the initial overs. MS Dhoni (India) Image Source : AFP Being one of the greatest finishes in the history of ODI, MS Dhoni had composure and the instinct of hitting. He delivered 229 sixes distributed in 350 matches. Dhoni was known to pace innings and in most cases he would turn down early fireworks but could open it at the right moment - when it was a case of chasing or in a crunch over. His supernatural skill at reading the game, speeding when he wanted, and being on the field to see it out in the face of adversity gave another dimension many captains would have killed to have. To bowlers Dhoni was a national menace, waiting, cruel, never satisfied with limits. Eoin Morgan (England) Image Source : Getty Images The fact that Eoin Morgan has transformed the modern ODI batting (particularly in the case of England) is highlighted with 220 of his 248 matches yielding sixes. As both captain and batsman, he always led by example: he welcomed risk, innovation and power when not many other people could. Morgan was able to adapt to deep batting, accelerating late, and even redefine flexibility of batting order depending on the circumstances of the matches, due to his flexibility. He facilitated the shift in England towards classical conservatism to fearless aggression -a model that most teams were using. AB de Villiers (South Africa) Image Source : Getty Images Mr. 360 - the man had a nickname that suits his skill in playing shots cut across the wicket. In 228 ODIs AB de Villiers hit 204 sixes. His genius was not only in strength, but in freestyle: scoops over the keeper, reverse ramps, flays off-spin or seam - he cost bowlers a fortune when he did it. The multiple personality allowed de Villiers to play at various positions, adapt to circumstances, and hurry the innings with minimum trouble. His six-hitting coupled with classical technique still is an inspiration to the modern batsmen. Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) Image Source : Getty Images One of the strongest legacies of ODI by Brendon McCullum is his total of 200 sixes in 260 matches. McCullum was often aggressive on the first ball and has taken a risk and transformed the New Zealand approach to limited overs. His fearless batting particularly in power-play overs, put the opposition bowlers under instant pressure. The aggressive spirit and boundary-hitting skills of McCullum contributed to the way of introducing modern attacking styles in even the conservative teams. Sachin Tendulkar (India) Image Source : AFP Little Master Sachin Tendulkar was perhaps best remembered because of his excellent technique and consistency, yet he was no mediocre in sixes - he had 195 sixes in 463 ODIs. ODI batting in the era was not as aggressive, and the sixes of Tendulkar were usually tactical, having to be both aggressive and cautious at the same time, varying with the match scenarios. He was the pioneer of numerous in following his steps to go the extra mile and his skills in timing the innings, blending aggression with discipline is a lesson that players still learn to this day. Sourav Ganguly (India) Image Source : Getty Images India Sourav Ganguly - who has played as the backbone of India ODIs613 in 311 matches - hit 190 sixes. Ganguly popularized the concept of power hitting in India with his aggressive off side play, good bottom hand finish and fearless approach towards pace and spin. He was among the first explosive batsmen of the 1990s and early 2000s in India as his sixes seemed to come when the team was in need of a momentum either at the start of the match to leave a good impression or during the middle overs in order to pick up the pace. Also Read | Top 10 Highest Individual Scores for Afghanistan in ODI Conclusion It is not merely a list of the Top 10 Players with Most Sixes in ODI Cricket, but it is the history of development of the limited-overs hitter. Since the earliest aggression of legends such as Afridi and Jayasuriya, to the fined tuned power game of the current day beasts like Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers each age has repackaged the definition of what big hitting should be like. The only thing that all of the top-10 players have in common is the skill of adjusting: finding the right balance between technique and power, alternating innings with outbursts of aggression, and knowing when to play a game of a building game and when to explode. Their sixes did not only make runs - they transformed match dynamics, raised crowds, and frequently turned the run-chases which were tense into rides of celebration. ODI cricket takes a new direction in terms of rules, better balls, and faster outfields, but the art of the six is still the focus. The following generation will strive to make a record-breaking, yet these ten names will be an example. In a form where 300 and more becomes 350 and more with a couple of overs of superiority - the heritage of these six-hitting giants is an important element of the success plan of every team.