Rohit Sharma breaks Chris Gayle's world record tally of sixes in Twenty20 Internationals

Rohit Sharma created history and became the ultimate six-hitting machine in Twenty20 Internationals as he broke Chris Gayle's tally of 105 sixes in the second Twenty20 International against West Indies in Florida on Sunday. Rohit had needed two to break the world record and he equalled Gayle's record in the sixth over when he flicked Keemo Paul over deep midwicket for his first six. The record was broken in style when he clobbered a short ball from Sunil Narine to the deep midwicket fence for his 106th six. The right-hander extended his tally even further by blasting Carlos Brathwaite over deep midwicket for his third six. Rohit notched up his 17th fifty and looked good for a century but he fell for 67 as he miscued a slower ball from Oshan Thomas to the leg side to fall for a brilliant 67. His knock, combined with some good contributions from Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja helped India reach 167/5 after 20 overs.

Rohit needed two more sixes to break the world record for the most sixes in Twenty20 Internationals after hitting two in the first game on Saturday. The current record is held by Chris Gayle, the self-proclaimed Universe Boss and the best Twenty20 player in the world who has blasted 105 sixes in 58 games. Martin Guptill is next on the list with 103 and Rohit went past the mark in his 94th Twenty20 International for India.

Rohit is the favourite to break the record as Gayle will not be playing the three-match Twenty20 International series, with the left-hander on duty in the current Canadian Global T20 League. The Mumbai right-hander is the only player in Twenty20 International history to hit four centuries in the format, with Colin Munro smashing three centuries. Gayle and Brendon McCullum have hit two centuries.

Rohit will be entering the series on a high, having scored a record five centuries in the recently-concluded World Cup, where his team bowed out in the semifinals after a loss to New Zealand. Currently, Rohit is the leading run-getter in Twenty20 Internationals at an average of 32.37 with a strike-rate of close to 140. His first century in the format came in 2015 against South Africa in Dharamshala when he smashed 106. In 2017, Rohit blasted his highest individual score of 118 during the match in Indore against Sri Lanka. The year 2018 was his most prolific year when he smashed two centuries. His first ton came against England in Bristol while he hammered 111 against the West Indies in Lucknow.

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Rohit Sharma has hit the most sixes in T20Is.
• Rohit Sharma also has the most hundreds in T20Is.
• India won a T20I in the Caribbean after eight years.