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Abhishek Sharma has set a new record for hitting the most sixes in a calendar year in men’s T20Is among players from Full Member nations.
The Indian opener hit his 69th six of 2026 during the fourth T20I against the West Indies in Hyderabad on Wednesday, going past Suryakumar Yadav’s previous record of 68 sixes, which he set in 2022.
Interestingly, Abhishek had to wait longer than usual to reach the milestone. He took 15 balls to hit his first six of the innings, finally clearing the boundary in the ninth over against Shamar Springer. Coming down the track, the left-hander sent the ball over the ropes to create history.
Before that, Sanju Samson had dominated the strike with his aggressive batting. The West Indies bowlers also kept Abhishek quiet after the powerplay, restricting his scoring rate to below 100.
Most sixes in a calendar year (full-member nations)
| Player | Country | Year | Matches | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 2026 | 33* | 69* |
| Suryakumar Yadav | India | 2022 | 31 | 68 |
| Abhishek Sharma | India | 2025 | 21 | 54 |
| Ishan Kishan | India | 2026 | 33 | 52 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | India | 2023 | 18 | 43 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Pakistan | 2021 | 29 | 42 |
| Martin Guptill | New Zealand | 2021 | 18 | 41 |
| Tanzid Hasan | Bangladesh | 2025 | 27 | 41 |
| Rovman Powell | West Indies | 2022 | 22 | 39 |
| Nicholas Pooran | West Indies | 2024 | 21 | 39 |
Abhishek Sharma’s Roller-Coaster Year With The Bat
Abhishek’s record-breaking year has had its share of ups and downs. He started 2026 in style against New Zealand in Nagpur, smashing 84 off just 35 balls, including eight sixes. He followed it up with an unbeaten 68 off 20 deliveries in Guwahati, hitting five maximums in another explosive performance.
However, the southpaw struggled for consistency after his impressive start. Four ducks in his first eight innings proved a difficult phase, as he searched for runs and lost some of his early momentum.
Abhishek gradually found his rhythm again, scoring 55 against Zimbabwe and 52 against New Zealand. He hit four sixes in the former innings and three in the latter. His performances during the England tour were less consistent, but he soon returned to his destructive best.
Explosive Performances Against Afghanistan
September proved to be a memorable month for Abhishek. He smashed 82 off 32 balls against Afghanistan, hitting seven sixes, before following it up with 39 off 19 deliveries, which included four maximums.
He then produced one of his finest T20I knocks, smashing 108 off just 34 balls and clearing the boundary 11 times. The innings further strengthened his position among the most dangerous power-hitters in the format.
Abhishek Keeps Adding To His Sixes Tally
Abhishek continued his aggressive approach in the matches that followed, hitting seven sixes across games against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He then struck five sixes against the West Indies in Indore.
Even though he remained unbeaten on 23 in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad, he managed to add another six to his tally and move ahead of Suryakumar’s record.