The Indian captain has become the most prolific six-hitter in the history of One Day International cricket, overtaking Shahid Afridi’s long-standing tally during the series opener against South Africa.
Rohit Sharma has officially surpassed former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi to hold the world record for the most sixes in ODI cricket history. The 38-year-old achieved the historic milestone during India’s first ODI against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday, hitting his 352nd six to eclipse Afridi’s record of 351, which had stood for 15 years.
Rohit entered the match needing just three sixes to claim the top spot. He equalled the record in the 15th over by smashing back-to-back sixes off South African spinner Prenelan Subrayen.
The record-breaking moment arrived in the 20th over when Rohit pulled a delivery from pacer Marco Jansen over deep square leg, sending the crowd at the JSCA International Stadium into a frenzy. He achieved this feat in just 269 innings—100 fewer than it took Afridi to set the benchmark.
Rohit was eventually dismissed for a 51-ball 57, which included five fours and three sixes. Before his departure, he shared a commanding 136-run partnership with Virat Kohli, helping to set a strong platform for the hosts.
“Rohit was not a prolific six-hitter at the beginning of his ODI career… but his six-hitting skyrocketed after becoming India’s captain,” noted cricket analysts, highlighting his evolution from a touch player to a power hitter.
Commentators described the record-breaking shot as being hit with his “trademark short-arm power,” a signature stroke that has defined his dominance in white-ball cricket.
Rohit now sits at the top of an elite list of power hitters. He is followed by Shahid Afridi (351), West Indies legend Chris Gayle (331), Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya (270), and former Indian captain MS Dhoni (229).
This is not the only six-hitting record Rohit holds; he also has the most sixes in international cricket across all formats (Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined) and holds the record for the most sixes by a captain in ODI history.
With the three-match series against South Africa just beginning, Rohit has the opportunity to extend his lead further. His form suggests he will continue to make it difficult for future batters to catch up, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest openers in the limited-overs format.
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