As international cricket boards shape their roadmaps and squad compositions ahead of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, statistical milestones from the tournament’s 50-year legacy continue to capture global attention. While Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar remains the all-time benchmark for aggregate runs and centuries on the grandest stage, the towering record for clearing boundaries belongs to India’s dynamic opening batsman Rohit Sharma. Known globally as the ‘Hitman’ for his effortless pull shots and clean striking, Rohit holds the unmatched world record for smashing the highest number of sixes in ODI World Cup history, establishing a commanding lead over legendary power-hitters like West Indian icon Chris Gayle and Australian swashbuckler Glenn Maxwell.

Hitman’s Half-Century of Maximums: Only Batsman to Clear 50 Sixes in World Cups

Rohit Sharma’s boundary-hitting rate across just three editions has rewritten the record books of limited-overs cricket:

54 Sixes in 28 Innings: Rohit stands alone at the pinnacle of the list with 54 sixes across 28 innings, making him the only batter in international cricket history to surpass the fifty-six milestone in the quadrennial showpiece.

Single-Edition Record in 2023: Demonstrating ruthless aggression from the opening over, Rohit set an all-time tournament record during the 2023 ODI World Cup on home soil, launching 31 sixes in a single tournament campaign to power India’s dominant march to the final.

Gayle and Maxwell Trail Behind: Universe Boss Chris Gayle occupies the second position on the global list with 49 sixes, followed by Australian heavyweights Glenn Maxwell (43 sixes) and David Warner (41 sixes), while South African batting maestro AB de Villiers rounds out the global elite with 37 maximums.

All-Time Most Sixes in ODI World Cup History

The elite global leaderboard features the sport’s most destructive ball-strikers:

Rohit Sharma (India): 54 sixes

Chris Gayle (West Indies): 49 sixes

Glenn Maxwell (Australia): 43 sixes

David Warner (Australia): 41 sixes

AB de Villiers (South Africa): 37 sixes

Virat Kohli Misses India’s Top 5: Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Iyer Hold Upper Hand

A deep dive into Indian batting metrics reveals unexpected placement for modern cricket’s run-machine:

Sachin and Dada on the Podium: Behind Rohit, Sachin Tendulkar ranks second among Indian batters with 27 World Cup sixes, followed closely by former captain Sourav Ganguly, who cleared the ropes 25 times during his World Cup appearances.

Shreyas Iyer Surges into Fourth: Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer holds fourth place among Indians with 24 sixes, built primarily on his explosive, high-strike-rate performances during the 2023 campaign.

Virender Sehwag Completes Top 5: Explosive opener Virender Sehwag seals the top five with 18 sixes, followed by MS Dhoni with 15 maximums.

Kohli Tied with Kapil and Rahul: Despite holding the record for the most runs in a single World Cup edition, Virat Kohli does not feature in India’s top five six-hitters, sitting tied at 14 sixes alongside 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul.