Most Sixes in IPL Season by Season: Total Sixes & Highest By Players
Cricket has evolved into a grand venue of power, precision and entertainment and nowhere is this more evident than in the IPL. Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has become a major sport, transforming T20 cricket into a festival of excitement filled with big hits and boundaries.
Over the years, one thing that has consistently captured the imagination of fans is the increasing number of sixes hit every season. From the early days when clearing the boundary ropes was considered a rarity, it has now become a regular occurrence with the growth of the IPL.
This blog will highlight here the players who have hit the most sixes in an individual season.
IPL Sixes: Season-Wise Overview (2008-2025)
The table below shows how sixes have progressed in each edition of the IPL from 2008 to 2025.
| Season | Matches | Total Sixes | Sixes/Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59 | 622 | 10.54 |
| 2009 | 59 | 506 | 8.58 |
| 2010 | 60 | 585 | 9.75 |
| 2011 | 74 | 639 | 8.64 |
| 2012 | 76 | 731 | 9.62 |
| 2013 | 76 | 672 | 8.84 |
| 2014 | 60 | 714 | 11.90 |
| 2015 | 60 | 692 | 11.53 |
| 2016 | 60 | 638 | 10.63 |
| 2017 | 60 | 705 | 11.75 |
| 2018 | 60 | 872 | 14.53 |
| 2019 | 60 | 784 | 13.07 |
| 2020 | 60 | 734 | 12.23 |
| 2021 | 60 | 687 | 11.45 |
| 2022 | 74 | 1062 | 14.35 |
| 2023 | 74 | 1124 | 15.19 |
| 2024 | 72 | 1260 | 17.50 |
| 2025 | 73 | 1294 | 17.72 |
Statistics
The Rise in Power-Hitting
The IPL began in 2008 with 622 sixes in 59 matches, an average of 10.5 per game. Fast forward to 2025, and the league saw 1,294 sixes hit in 73 matches, an average of 17.72 sixes per match. The turning point came in 2018, when the number of sixes hit increased due to flat pitches, bigger bats and new batting strategies. That season saw 872 sixes, and the trend has only accelerated since then.
2022: The Year Of Breakthroughs
IPL 2022 became historic as it crossed the 1,000 sixes mark for the first time. With 10 teams and 74 matches, a total of 1,062 sixes were hit.
However, what is notable is that despite the slight change in the number of matches, the average sixes per match continued to increase in the following years.
Recent Years: A Power-Hitter’s Paradise
By 2024 and 2025, the IPL had turned into a fireworks festival. With 1,260 and 1,294 sixes respectively, the recent editions of the tournament have been the most explosive in history. The reasons are obvious, with better batting technology, improved fitness and fewer boundaries. Teams like SRH, CSK and RCB have built their entire game plans around hitting maximum sixes per innings. What has been the result? The audience is treated to record-breaking entertainment every season.
Players Who Have Hit The Most Sixes in a Season
While the IPL as a tournament has seen a steady increase in the total number of sixes hit, individual talent has also been a defining feature. Here’s a look at some of the players who dominated the season with their six-hitting machines.
| Player | Team | Season | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2012 | 59 |
| Chris Gayle | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2013 | 51 |
| Andre Russell | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2019 | 52 |
| Jos Buttler | Rajasthan Royals | 2022 | 45 |
| Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2016 | 38 |
| Glenn Maxwell | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2021 | 37 |
| Shivam Dube | Chennai Super Kings | 2024 | 41 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2025 | 44 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | Chennai Super Kings | 2025 | 39 |
Chris Gayle: The Undisputed King of Sixes
When it comes to sixes, no name shines brighter than Chris Gayle. Known as the “Universe Boss”, Gayle redefined T20 batting during his IPL career. His record of 59 sixes in IPL 2012 is still the most by any player in a single season. That same year, Gayle also played a famous innings of 175 runs off 66 balls against Pune Warriors India, hitting a record 17 sixes in an innings.
Andre Russell: The Muscle Powerhouse
Another Caribbean powerhouse, Andre Russell, joined Gayle in redefining brute force in the IPL. In 2019, playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Russell hit 52 sixes. That is the second-most in IPL history. What made Russell’s achievement even more astonishing was that his strike rate was over 200. He often just turned the game around, hitting sixes with ease, often on both yorkers and short deliveries.
Indian Six-Hitters
While foreign players like Gayle and Russell topped the all-time charts, recent seasons have seen some changes. How, with Indian players like Shivam Dubey, Ruturaj Gaekwad, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya emerging as power six-hitters.
In IPL 2016, Kohli hit 38 sixes during a record campaign of 973 runs, his most in a single season. By 2024, Shivam Dubey had established himself as India’s premier power-hitter, hitting 41 sixes in a season for Chennai Super Kings. His ability to clear boundaries against both pace and spin has made him one of the most valuable finishers in modern T20 cricket.
Interesting Facts
- Chris Gayle’s 17 sixes in an innings (2013) is the record for the most sixes hit by a player in a single IPL match.
- Royal Challengers Bangalore hold the record for the most sixes hit by a team in a single match, with 21, (also during Gayle’s 175*).
- Mumbai Indians have hit the most sixes in IPL history.
- RCB have hit the most sixes overall, which is a strange twist given their aggressive batting heritage.
Conclusion
The rise in the number of sixes hit in the IPL is a testament to how cricket has evolved. What started as a tournament that blended entertainment and sport has now become a global showcase of power and precision. From Chris’ sixes to modern hitters like Jos Buttler, the IPL literally keeps pushing the boundaries. With each passing season, the number of sixes increases, and one thing is certain: hitting sixes is here to stay, and the IPL is its biggest phase.
Continue Reading: Most Dot Balls Faced by a Batsman in Cricket (ODIs/Tests/T20Is)
FAQs
Q1. Which IPL season saw the highest number of sixes hit in total?
The 2025 IPL season holds the record of hitting 1,294 sixes in 73 matches. That’s an average of 17.72 sixes per match, which is the highest ever in IPL history.
Q2. Who has hit the most sixes in a single IPL season?
Chris Gayle holds the record for hitting the most sixes in a single season with 59 sixes in IPL 2012. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gayle’s powerful hitting enabled him to score 733 runs that season.
Q3. Which IPL team has hit the most sixes in the history of the tournament?
Mumbai Indians lead the all-time sixes chart. They have power-hitters like Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma and Tim David.
Q4. Why has the number of sixes increased dramatically in recent IPL seasons?
There are several factors, improved batting technology, smaller grounds and flat pitches. The impact player rule gives teams batting depth, allowing the top-order batsmen to attack freely.
Q5. Who is the most consistent sixer in IPL history?
Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Andre Russell, MS Dhoni and Kieron Pollard have been the sixers hitters throughout the season. Speaking of Indians, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have emerged as reliable six-hitters.
