Longest six in cricket history: Verified records, science & myths

There’s a particular hush that falls before a ball is truly launched. The bowler turns, the crowd leans forward, the batter’s backlift rises just a fraction sooner than usual. Then the hands whip through. The seam blurs. For a heartbeat the stadium feels small. And suddenly it is not—because the ball isn’t just clearing the rope; it’s searching for a new postal code.

The longest six in cricket history isn’t just a number. It’s the intersection of technique and physics, of bat profile and ball type, of altitude, wind, and audacity. It is also, if we’re being honest, a realm of folklore. Myths get repeated until they’re confused with records. Graphics appear on screens with distances that seem to belong to javelins. The internet swears by them. Players smile and shrug. Broadcasters move on to the next highlight.

This piece sets the record straight while celebrating the drama. You’ll find verified longest sixes (with measurement methods), a myth-busting section that separates fact from fantasy, the science of how distances are calculated, breakdowns by format and league—including the IPL and other franchise tournaments—and a look at the hitters who consistently threaten the horizon. We’ll also cover women’s cricket, stadium effects, coaching insights, and short answers to the questions fans ask most about the biggest six ever.

What Counts As The World Record Longest Six

Cricket’s laws don’t maintain an official “world record” for the longest six. Distances are typically supplied by broadcasters using ball-tracking, high-speed cameras, or post-processing software. Different systems use different assumptions (for instance, whether to model the ball’s projected path if it strikes a stand). Some venues have multiple camera arrays with calibrated Hawk-Eye; others rely on simpler tools.

That means two things:

• No single “official” record exists across all formats, venues, and eras.
• The best we can do is use verified distances recorded by reliable tracking systems and reputable broadcasters, and be transparent about how those numbers were produced.

We’ll still use the phrases “longest six ever,” “world record longest six,” and “top 10 longest sixes” because fans search for them and the sport debates them. Just remember: the truth lives in the methodology.

How Six Distance Is Measured: Hawk-Eye, Carry, And The Physics That Decide Records

Understanding the measurement systems helps you evaluate every number you read.

Core methods you’ll see

• Hawk-Eye ball-tracking: Multiple high-speed cameras triangulate the ball’s 3D position from the instant it leaves the bat. The system reconstructs the trajectory and calculates carry—the horizontal distance from the bat’s impact point to the first landing point, ignoring any bounce or post-impact roll. Some implementations also provide a projected landing point if the ball hits a structure before touching the ground.
• Broadcast graphics/laser overlays: Used when Hawk-Eye isn’t available or when broadcasters supplement the coverage. Quality varies. Some feeds incorporate partial tracking data; others estimate based on angles and known stadium dimensions.
• Post-event modeling: Analysts or teams run the trajectory through software using frame-by-frame footage and known camera parameters. Accurate when done carefully, but rarely visible to viewers.

Key technical notes

• Carry vs. path length: Most broadcasters present carry. A smaller set present a “true 3D path length,” but that’s less standard. When fans hear “longest six,” they usually mean carry.
• Boundary rope vs. fence/wall: Modern venues use a boundary rope pulled a few meters inside the perimeter. Measurements typically run to the landing point, not the rope. Moving the rope further in doesn’t “add distance”; it just changes where a six begins.
• Altitude and air density: Thinner air reduces drag. At high-altitude venues, the same launch conditions can translate to an extra five to ten meters of carry. This is why the Highveld is known for jaw-droppers.
• Wind: A tailwind can add noticeable carry. A cross-breeze can push a ball foul or fair. A headwind punishes mishits.
• Exit velocity and launch angle: The sweet spot for a long six is a combination: high exit velocity off the bat and a launch angle around the high twenties to low thirties in degrees. Too flat, and the ball bullets to the rope; too steep, and it dies in the heavens.
• Ball type and wear: A newer white Kookaburra, a red SG, or a Dukes ball all behave a little differently. A slightly older ball with a scuffed surface can change drag and lift characteristics.
• Bat profile and sweet spot: A high spine and a big, well-pressed sweet spot can spike exit velocity. Balance (pickup) matters just as much as mass. The best hitters marry bat speed with precise contact.

Verified Longest Sixes: A Curated, Sourced List

The following table lists long sixes that have been widely reported with credible measurement methods or data-backed broadcaster figures. It mixes international cricket and major leagues. Distances are rounded to the most-cited figure. Because tracking systems and venue setups vary, treat this as a transparent, best-available snapshot rather than an immutable ledger.

Player	Distance	Format	Venue	Method/Source
Martin Guptill	127 m	T20 International	Wellington (Westpac)	Hawk-Eye/Sky broadcast
Albie Morkel	125 m	IPL	Chennai (Chepauk)	IPL broadcast with distance tool
Liam Livingstone	122 m	T20 International	Leeds (Headingley)	Hawk-Eye/ECB broadcast
Chris Lynn	121 m	BBL	Brisbane (Gabba)	Fox Cricket/Hawk-Eye
Shahid Afridi	120 m	ODI	Johannesburg (Wanderers)	SuperSport/Hawk-Eye
Chris Gayle	119 m	IPL	Bengaluru (M. Chinnaswamy)	Broadcast measurement
Ross Taylor	119 m	IPL	Bengaluru (M. Chinnaswamy)	Broadcast measurement
Nicholas Pooran	118 m	CPL	Basseterre (Warner Park)	Broadcast measurement
Rovman Powell	117 m	IPL	Mumbai (Wankhede)	Broadcaster measurement
Liam Livingstone	117 m	IPL	Mumbai (Wankhede)	Broadcaster measurement
MS Dhoni	112 m	IPL	Bengaluru (M. Chinnaswamy)	Broadcaster measurement
Andre Russell	116 m	CPL	Port of Spain	Broadcast measurement

Popular Claims And Myths: Flagged As Unverified

These entries are part of cricket’s folklore—often thrilling, sometimes plausible, rarely verifiable. They are included not to diminish legends, but to keep the record honest.

Popular claims flagged unverified or disputed

• Shahid Afridi — 158 m — often attributed to a Johannesburg six. Verified data from that match and broadcaster records list a much shorter carry for his longest blow in that game. The 158 number appears to be a myth that fused different distances or projections.
• Brett Lee — 143 m — sometimes cited from a Brisbane six. Unverified and likely includes post-impact roll or inflated estimates.
• Chris Gayle — 132 m — various venues. No credible tracking evidence for this exact figure; Gayle has multiple verified 110–120 m range sixes across leagues.
• MS Dhoni — 125 m — attributed to a Wankhede hit in league play. Dhoni has several verified 110+ strikes; the 125 number lacks a reliable, original measurement.
• Yuvraj Singh — 150 m — a wildly shared internet claim with no verified tracking source.
• Albert Trott — 164 m — the famous “over the Lord’s pavilion roof” six from a pre-tracking era. A historic feat, yes. A modern, like-for-like carry number, no.

Why myths endure

• Inconsistent measurement methods across venues and eras.
• Post-clip edits and fan graphics giving a single hit a new, inflated number.
• Human memory amplifying spectacle—our minds remember how it felt more than what the physics would allow.

The Longest Six By Format

International T20 (T20Is)

• Benchmark: Martin Guptill’s 127 m in Wellington sits at the top of verified, modern-tech-assisted T20 international distances. Liam Livingstone’s 122 m at Headingley is another cornerstone.
• Typical elite range: The very longest T20I sixes routinely sit between 110 and 125 m when perfectly struck.

ODIs

• Benchmark: Shahid Afridi’s 120 m at the Wanderers is up there among the biggest verified ODI sixes, boosted by Highveld altitude, classic Afridi bat speed, and a slot ball begging to be launched.
• Typical elite range: 105–120 m for ODI monsters, with conditions playing a big role.

Tests

• The catch: Test coverage only recently began providing consistent distance data. Many immense blows from the past have no measured carry. Even now, some venues do not display six distances in Tests.
• Reality: Test sixes rarely outstretch T20I and ODI peaks because batters modulate risk. But every so often a short ball sits up at the right venue, and the number crosses three figures with ease.

Global tournaments (World Cup, Champions Trophy, Asia Cup)

Verified longest six in global events typically falls in the same high range seen in bilateral ODIs and T20Is. Because these events rotate venues, altitude, breeze, and boundary layouts swing the distances.

The Longest Six In The IPL And Other Leagues

IPL longest six

• Albie Morkel’s 125 m stands as the IPL’s accepted benchmark, repeatedly cited by league and broadcast records.
• Big-chase proof: Liam Livingstone’s 117 m at Wankhede drew gasps not just for distance but for timing—a calculated, leveraged pick-up into the breeze.
• Usual suspects: Chris Gayle, MS Dhoni, AB de Villiers, Ross Taylor, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell—each has posted verified measurements well north of the century mark in the IPL. Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy and Mumbai’s Wankhede remain the IPL’s distance-friendly stages.

PSL

Clean strikers like Asif Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman are regulars in the three-figure club. PSL venues in Karachi, Lahore, and Multan offer a spectrum of air density and boundary shapes; on the right night, the ball just keeps carrying.

BBL

Chris Lynn has long been the BBL’s resident thunderclap. His 121 m at the Gabba is among the league’s most dependable big-distance benchmarks. The Gabba’s hard deck and true bounce encourage clean contact and high exit velocity.

CPL

Caribbean venues combine warm air, sea-level conditions, and square boundaries that often suit power hitters. Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, and Andre Russell regularly leave their mark, with several verified sixes in the 110–118 m range.

The Hundred, SA20, ILT20

The Hundred’s large, windswept grounds in England can either donate extra carry or swallow lofted drives. Liam Livingstone’s power profile translates across formats. In SA20, Highveld venues can supercharge distance. ILT20’s gulf arenas tend to have true pitches and modern sightlines that aid tracking.

Player Spotlights: The Big-Hit Specialists And Their Longest Six Profiles

Shahid Afridi longest six

Afridi’s 120 m at the Wanderers is the definitive, verified entry in his ledger of thunder. That’s the one to cite. The widely parroted 158 m number is the myth that refuses to retire. Technique-wise, Afridi’s palms work late through the line, and he prefers a slightly open stance to create room. Give him a back-of-a-length ball that sits up, and he can flat-bat it into the second tier.

MS Dhoni longest six

Dhoni’s calling card is leverage. The bat lags, the wrists uncork late, and the ball takes off on a rising trajectory that feels effortless. Across league and international cricket, Dhoni has posted multiple verified strikes around the 110–112 m region, including a famous Bengaluru hit measured on broadcast. He tends to prefer length in his hitting arc, often muscling slower balls over long-on with astonishing control.

Chris Gayle longest six

The Universe Boss coasts into the conversation with a catalog of verified 115–120 m blows. His technique isn’t about a long stride; it’s a minimal stride with outrageous hand speed and a towering swing plane. On smaller grounds he’s a cheat code; on big grounds he surges into elite distances when bowlers miss straight or short.

Liam Livingstone longest six

The Englishman owns two of the most credible entries in the all-time list: 122 m in a T20I at Headingley and 117 m in the IPL at the Wankhede. His superpower is bat speed; the swing is big, but the contact point is disciplined—well out in front, using a slightly open base that lets him access the leg-side arc without getting chest-on too early.

Andre Russell longest six

Russell’s best blows come off length balls angling into the hip or chest. He shrugs them into orbit with core power and a violent finish. CPL and IPL tracking have him beyond 110 m on multiple occasions. Few players turn mishits into sixes more often; when he middles one, the ball looks embarrassed to come down.

Rovman Powell longest six

Powell is a straight-hitting exponent who whips lofted drives on a low, piercing trajectory. His IPL and international ledger includes verified mid-to-high teens in meters; when he picks up the angle through midwicket, it travels forever.

Nicholas Pooran longest six

Pure bat speed and clean geometry. Pooran generates power from a steady head and explosive hip-shoulder unwind. CPL broadcasts have logged him as high as 118 m. He is lethal against pace-on length that strays.

Rinku Singh longest six

Rinku’s power emerges from compact mechanics and sky-high intent at the death. Broadcast figures show consistent three-figure carry. The contact point is always in front; he rarely gets jammed.

Yuvraj Singh longest six

A flow hitter whose lofted drives looked like practice swings, Yuvraj peppered the high nineties and three-figure club many times. Viral claims push his long six beyond all logic; the verified distances settle him among the era’s purest ball-strikers, not its most exaggerated.

Rohit Sharma longest six

Rohit’s longest sixes come from that signature extension through extra-cover or the pick-up over midwicket. He accesses one of the widest hitting arcs in cricket. Broadcast numbers have Rohit comfortably over the century mark on several occasions.

Virat Kohli longest six

Kohli’s repertoire leans toward timing over brute force. His longest verified sixes cluster near the hundred-meter line, typically slog-sweeps or straight lofts against pace-off. His economy of movement keeps him reliable even without the raw-outlier distances.

Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav

Hardik achieves big carry via a sturdy base and violent wrist turn. Suryakumar cheats geometry: scoop, slice, flick—then once in a while, a towering pick-up that sails into the night. Both have posted three-figure distances across formats.

AB de Villiers longest six

AB engineered angles with genius. When he decided to go old-school and hit straight, the ball took off. Verified distances put him well into the hundred-plus club across leagues.

Albie Morkel longest six

The IPL’s longest six remains his calling card: 125 m and clean as a whistle. A strong bottom hand and a punchy transfer through the front leg gave his lofted hits a venomous launch.

Kieron Pollard, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller

Pollard is a wall when he swings; contact out in front and a flat, brutal trajectory. Maxwell’s longest sixes arrive when he resists too much invention and lets a stable base do the work. Miller is a straight hitter; when he extends through the ball, the carry is majestic. All three have verified 110+ numbers tied to their names.

Martin Guptill longest six

Guptill’s 127 m stands not only as a monumental strike but as a shining example of the effect of technique and conditions aligning perfectly. Open stance, tall base, big levers, and a free swing.

Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes

Buttler’s best long sixes are violently straight; he can hit a yorker length for a flat, rising six. Stokes, in rhythm, can pick short balls into the stands at great grounds—his technique keeps the blade in the slot for longer than most.

Iftikhar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Asif Ali

The Pakistan power trio thrive on anything in their slot. Verified PSL and international broadcasts consistently tag their longest into three-figure territory, with Asif’s pick-up power and Fakhar’s bat speed particularly striking.

Sanju Samson, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan

Samson’s fast hands and late hit-through make him a clean straight hitter. Gill’s geometry and timing mean his biggest hits often look effortless. Kishan brings left-hand leverage; when he clears the front leg, he accesses extra meters.

The Longest Six In Women’s Cricket

Women’s cricket now produces a steady stream of clean, long sixes—and the distances are climbing as bat profiles, strength training, and batters’ intent evolve. While the absolute numbers tend to sit below the men’s top end, there are verified entries near and above the ninety-meter mark that demand attention.

• Sophie Devine has planted multiple sixes traveling into the nineties, with broadcaster data in domestic and international T20s confirming serious carry. Her base remains still, and the blade sweeps through with savage control.
• Hayley Matthews marries bat speed with a strong bottom hand. Several of her best have kissed the ninety-meter line and beyond on friendly nights.
• Alyssa Healy’s straight hitting is textbook; when she gets full, she lofts with minimal spin and surprisingly long carry.
• Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana both rely on clean extension. Harmanpreet, especially, can take pace-on length and lift with authority over the straight arc.
• WPL longest six: as the league matures, distances have crept upward, with several batters logging measured sixes in the high eighties and into the nineties. Expect a verified century-meter six to become a regular headline as coverage standardizes measurements.

Stadium Science: Venues That Produce The Biggest Sixes

Altitude and air density

• The Wanderers, Johannesburg: Thinner air on the Highveld means less drag. A well-struck ball feels lighter through the air; you see why so many verified monsters come from here.
• Centurion (SuperSport Park): Similar effect. Swings that feel standard at sea level suddenly carry beyond expectation.

Dimensions and geometry

• M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru: Compact dimensions, particularly straight and square, plus a hard surface that frees batters to swing through the line. Verified IPL distances here are consistently impressive.
• Wankhede, Mumbai: Sea air, true bounce, and a mild sea breeze that sometimes aids straight and leg-side carries. When the dew comes, bowlers struggle to find grip; batters feast.
• Eden Gardens, Kolkata: Large but fair. Once the square is quick and the air still, the ball hurries to the stands.
• Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad: Vast stretches can keep a six shy of the very top distances, but when the ball is in the slot and conditions are hot and dry, off-the-bat speed is superb.
• Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi: On truer nights, batters put a charge into slightly shorter straight boundaries and midwicket arcs.

Classic and overseas grounds

• Lord’s: Traditional dimensions and a breeze that can swirl. Longest sixes here feel iconic rather than purely enormous; stands positioning can interrupt tracking projections.
• MCG and SCG: The MCG’s sheer scale tests power hitters; SCG squares can play shorter. For truly long sixes, batters almost always go with the breeze.
• Eden Park, Auckland: The geometry is unique: short straight boundaries. Batsmen target those channels for 100+ carries that don’t require giant swing planes.
• Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi: Sharjah’s reputation is made on cozy square boundaries; Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer truer pitches and consistent measurement setups.
• Headingley, The Oval, Old Trafford: On dry, quick days, English venues can produce long, high sixes; the opposite is true in heavy, cool air.
• The Gabba, Adelaide Oval: The Gabba’s bounce and hard deck amplify bat speed; it’s a BBL distance paradise. Adelaide offers a beautiful straight arc when the pitch is pristine.

What Actually Decides Whether A Six Travels 85 m Or 120 m

• Exit velocity: The single biggest determinant. Top pros regularly generate off-the-bat speeds well past professional baseball levels on the right ball. Every extra km/h adds meaningful carry.
• Launch angle: Think high twenties to low thirties in degrees for optimum carry. Too steep, you sky it. Too flat, it drills the seats without elite distance.
• Contact point: Striking the ball slightly out in front of the body lets the bat’s swing plane deliver loft and speed. Get jammed on the hip, and the ball dies.
• Spin and seam: Pace-on, in the slot, is jackpot. Pace-off requires you to supply power; a bowler’s scrambled seam or heavy cross-seam can kill your distance.
• Wind and altitude: A tailwind or thinner air doesn’t just add a meter or two; it can add a small handful of meters, enough to separate a great six from a once-a-season monster.
• Ball condition: A ball with just the right surface roughness can alter drag. A wet ball at night reduces friction off the bat; sometimes that helps the ball fly cleaner, sometimes it dampens exit speed.
• Bat and pickup: A heavier bat means nothing if you can’t accelerate it. Top power hitters choose blades that feel lighter in the hands than the scale suggests.

How Broadcasters Calculate Six Distance: The Practical Version

• Cameras track the ball from the instant it leaves the bat.
• Algorithms fit a ballistic curve through those points, adjusting for gravity and air resistance.
• If the ball lands on the grass, carry is measured to that first touchpoint on the ground.
• If the ball hits a roof, railing, or seating before touching the ground, the system either measures to the point of impact or projects the landing point if obstructions weren’t present. Not all feeds do that projection; some show an “as-struck” projection line in replays.
• Fat-finger errors happen. A graphic can show an impossible number. That’s why verified entries are those repeated by multiple reputable sources and backed by the tracking data.

Who Truly Holds The Longest Six Record?

If you’re looking for a single name and a single number that everyone agrees on across all cricket, you won’t find it. The sport hasn’t maintained a universal registry with standard methodology. What you will find is a consensus cluster near the top:

• Martin Guptill’s 127 m in international T20 is a high-water mark with ball-tracking behind it.
• Albie Morkel’s 125 m is the IPL’s accepted summit.
• Liam Livingstone’s 122 m in international T20 is one of the cleanest modern measurements.

These are the distances experts point to when asked for the “longest six ever” in the modern, measured era. Anything much beyond that—figures in the one-thirties and one-fifties—belongs to rumor, miscalculation, or incomparable historical feats.

Longest Six By Country: A Reality Check

India

MS Dhoni’s longest verified league strikes sit beyond 110 m, with multiple three-figure distances documented. Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Shubman Gill, and Ishan Kishan have all deposited deliveries into the hundred-meter bracket in international and league play.

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi’s verified 120 m is the showpiece. Fakhar Zaman, Asif Ali, and Iftikhar Ahmed have all produced long, broadcast-measured sixes above a hundred meters, particularly in PSL conditions.

England

Liam Livingstone’s 122 m is a calling card for the national side. Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes have posted three-figure lofts; Buttler’s straight hitting is more than just power—he gets the ball to carry on a piercing, rising line.

Australia

Chris Lynn’s BBL ledger includes 121 m at the Gabba. Glenn Maxwell’s longest carry strikes tend to appear when he commits to a classical arc. David Miller (though South African) appears so often on Australian grounds with long sixes that he feels part of the story.

South Africa

Albie Morkel’s 125 m is the IPL record but suits the South African power-hitting DNA. David Miller and AB de Villiers, with tidy technique and levers, have peppered the three-figure mark across venues.

New Zealand

Martin Guptill’s 127 m sits atop the island’s mountain of verified big hits. Corey Anderson has been linked to triple-digit blows with broadcast measurement in NZ domestic and international cricket.

West Indies

Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, and Nicholas Pooran: a pantheon of long-distance specialists. Several CPL venues are now synonymous with seeing triple-digit carry as a routine part of high-tempo chases.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan

Sri Lanka’s big strikes often come from all-rounders with core strength and clean arcs; Thisara Perera, for instance, has peppered long-on with thumping carries. Bangladesh’s batters have posted growing triple-digit entries as power-hitting evolves. Afghanistan’s middle-order lofts—think Najibullah Zadran and company—continue to push distances as technique and bat speed sharpen.

Which Grounds Are “Easiest” For Long Sixes?

• High altitude: Wanderers, Centurion—altitude gives you free meters.
• Short straight: Eden Park—geometry makes the straight hit incredibly rewarding.
• Compact squares + good pace: M. Chinnaswamy—when the pitch is true, distance records wobble.
• Dew-friendly night matches: Wankhede—slippery ball, flat batting deck.
• Cozier boundaries: Sharjah—shorter squares, quick outfields.

Coaching Corner: How To Hit Longer Sixes (And Why It Matters For Distance)

• Build a base: Start with a slightly wider-than-shoulder stance, knees soft. A stable base lets you rotate without lunging. Distance hates overstride.
• Load, then explode: Trigger a small load into the back hip as the bowler releases. The hips and shoulders uncoil together—bat follows hands, hands follow hips.
• Contact in front: The further out in front you meet the ball, the more the swing plane can add loft and speed. Get jammed on the thigh, and distance dies.
• Choose your ball: Slot balls with pace-on are perfect. That can be a length ball pivoting into the arc or a short-of-a-length ball you can pick up over cow corner. Respect the hard length at the hip—it’s designed to rob you of extension.
• Train for bat speed: Rotational core strength, forearm conditioning, and posterior chain work. Medicine ball throws, cable rotations, heavy-slow-resistant presses, and speed swings with lighter bats.
• Groove the launch angle: Practice hitting over poles or nets set at target heights down the ground. Feel the difference between flat missiles and carry lofts. Film your sessions and track your launch conditions.
• Bat setup: A bat with clean pickup that allows fast acceleration beats raw weight. You want the sweet spot matching your impact zone—a mid-to-low sweet spot for drop-in pitches; a mid-to-high profile for hard decks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who hit the longest six in cricket history?

In the modern, measured era, the top tier includes Martin Guptill’s 127 m in international T20, Albie Morkel’s 125 m in the IPL, and Liam Livingstone’s 122 m in international T20. There is no single, universally sanctioned “world record,” but these are the best-verified benchmarks.

What is the longest six distance recorded?

Verified modern measurements congregate between 120 and 127 m for the longest legitimate carries. Anything far beyond that is almost certainly a myth or uses a different measurement basis.

Who has the longest six in IPL history?

Albie Morkel with 125 m, as accepted by league and broadcast records.

What is the longest six by an Indian player?

Multiple Indian batters have registered verified three-figure sixes in international and league play. A widely cited benchmark is MS Dhoni’s league strike measured at around 112 m in Bengaluru, with Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav logging comparable triple-digit entries.

Is Shahid Afridi’s 158 m six real?

No verified tracker or broadcaster backs 158 m for Afridi. His accepted, measured monster sits at 120 m at the Wanderers. The 158 number is a conflation and belongs in the rumor column.

Which ground produces the most or the biggest sixes?

For raw length, altitude helps: the Wanderers and Centurion are fertile ground. For frequency, compact venues like M. Chinnaswamy and Sharjah encourage prolific six-hitting. Eden Park’s geometry invites long straight hits.

Which bowler conceded the longest six?

Because long sixes are distributed across formats and bowls, attaching a single bowler name to the “longest ever” is unreliable. Focus on the verified distances and the batter’s execution rather than the bowler’s identity.

How accurate are cricket six distances?

When Hawk-Eye is used, very accurate. When broadcasts estimate without full tracking, numbers are more approximate. Treat each distance as a best effort—accurate enough to compare like-for-like within a match or tournament, but not always comparable across all venues.

What bat was used for some of the biggest sixes?

Big hitters choose modern English willow profiles with pronounced spines and large sweet spots, tuned for each player’s pickup preference. The exact brand matters less than balance and pressing quality.

Does altitude increase six distance?

Yes. Thinner air reduces drag. The same swing at a high-altitude venue can add several meters to the carry versus sea level.

Longest Six Lists That Actually Help Fans And Analysts

Top 10 longest sixes needs more than names and numbers. It needs:

• Verification: source and method (Hawk-Eye, broadcaster, or post-event analysis)
• Venue conditions: altitude, wind, boundary geometry
• Ball/bat context: pace-on vs pace-off, fresh vs older ball

When those details accompany each entry, we move from a clicky list to a piece of cricketing truth.

A Format-By-League Snapshot Of Longest Sixes

International cricket

• T20Is: Modern tech makes this the best-documented format. Guptill and Livingstone headline, with a constellation of hitters—Buttler, Maxwell, Rohit, Russell—pushing the envelope at the right venues.
• ODIs: Afridi’s verified 120 m forms the genre’s poster strike. ODI sixes often occur off pace-on balls intended to be hard length.

IPL

Albie Morkel at 125 m; then a cohort of big-hitters from Gayle to Livingstone to Pooran to Powell around the high-teens to low-twenties in meters. The IPL’s two most distance-friendly venues are Bengaluru and Mumbai on good nights.

PSL

Packed with pure power. Verified 100–115 m sixes are weekly occurrences at the right grounds, with Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed serial offenders.

BBL

Chris Lynn owns the narrative with verified entries up to 121 m. The Gabba and Adelaide are repeat hosts for monster blows.

CPL

Warm air, true pitches, and batters like Russell, Pooran, and Pollard mean the CPL deserves its reputation for long maximums.

The Hundred, SA20, ILT20

The Hundred: Big outfields but often fresh wickets for clean hitting; Livingstone’s longest still cuts through the summary. SA20 at altitude is a distance lab. ILT20’s venues, with their modern setup, often deliver consistent measurement and visuals for long hits.

Women’s cricket

WPL and international women’s T20s are producing verifiable long sixes in the high eighties and nineties. The combination of athletic development, better bats, and a fearless approach points only one way: upward.

A Short, Sane “Top Longest Sixes” Rollup, The Verified Way

• Martin Guptill — 127 m — T20 International — Hawk-Eye verified
• Albie Morkel — 125 m — IPL — League broadcast measurement
• Liam Livingstone — 122 m — T20 International — Hawk-Eye verified
• Chris Lynn — 121 m — BBL — Hawk-Eye verified
• Shahid Afridi — 120 m — ODI — Broadcaster/Hawk-Eye verified

That’s your grounded, defensible top cluster in the modern era. Others may graze these heights, but these entries carry the widest acceptance across cricket’s data-savvy community.

Technique Case Study: One Ball, Two Outcomes

Picture pace-on, length in the slot, seam upright.

• Outcome A: Batter commits early, front leg clears too wide, head falls away. Launch angle climbs beyond the sweet spot, bat face cuts across the line. Result: towering, spinning mishit—caught inside the rope, distance lost.
• Outcome B: Batter sets a stable base, weight transfers late, wrists unlock through the slot. Contact just in front of the pad, blade square for longer. Exit velocity spikes, launch angle settles near thirty degrees. Result: a long, flat carry that lands deep into the second tier.

The only difference is control inside aggression. The longest sixes are violent, yes—but they’re also precise.

Why Broadcast Distances Sometimes Look “Wrong”

• Projections vs. reality: If the ball hits a stand, some systems project the landing further into the seats; others stop the carry at the first impact point. The numbers can differ by several meters.
• Camera occlusion: If the ball disappears behind a roofline before landing, sample points shrink, broadening the error band.
• Miskeyed overlays: On fast-moving productions, a wrong figure can slip on screen. Most crews correct it quickly; the incorrect screenshot can still go viral.

A Note On Albert Trott And Pre-Tracking Legends

Albert Trott clearing the Lord’s pavilion is a story that still thrills. But without modern ball-tracking, it can’t be compared apples-to-apples with today’s verified carries. The shape of the roof, the angle of the loft, and the exact landing point combine to make any hard number a guess. Celebrate it as a singular achievement of its era, not as a measure-beating statistic.

Power-Hitting Evolution: Why Longest Sixes Keep Nudging Up

• Professionalized strength and conditioning: Rotational power training and bat-speed work are mainstream.
• Bat technology and pressing: Higher spines, bigger sweet spots, refined pressing give batters more forgiveness and power.
• Bowling patterns: More pace-on in certain phases invites long lofts, while mistakes in yorker length become long, straight sixes with modern bats.
• Attacking intent: T20 culture has normalized risk and taught batters to groove long-hitting shapes without fear.

What It Means For The Next “Longest Six Ever”

On the right night—high altitude, tailwind, a new white ball, and a fast bat with a player who catches length in front—the modern game absolutely has room for a carry number that puts pressure on the current top cluster. The floor for elite hitters is rising. The ceiling inches upward with it.

A Compact Buyer’s Guide For Power-Hitting (No Hype, Just Principles)

• Bat weight vs. pickup: Choose the heaviest bat you can accelerate quickly. If you lose bat speed, you lose distance.
• Sweet spot location: If you play on hard decks, a mid-to-high sweet spot rewards lofted drives. On slower pitches, a mid-low sweet spot helps keep the blade hot when the ball isn’t flying off the surface.
• Handle and grip: Slightly thicker grips can help control twist on off-center hits, preserving exit velocity.
• Practice balls: Mix fresh and used balls in net sessions. You’ll learn how distance changes with wear.

Final Word: The Longest Six Is A Feeling And A Fact

The feeling is undeniable: when a ball leaves a bat and everybody knows, instantly, that the scoreboard operator needs a wider screen. The fact, though, demands respect. The verified longest sixes in cricket history live around 120 to 127 meters when measured by reliable systems. Martin Guptill, Albie Morkel, and Liam Livingstone anchor that modern pantheon. Shahid Afridi’s 120 m at the Wanderers glows with authenticity. Chris Lynn’s BBL thunder at the Gabba belongs in the reel.

Everything beyond that? Measure it. Track it. Then celebrate it like crazy.

Until the next time a batter finds the perfect arc, at the perfect venue, with the perfect wind, and we can say—truthfully, and with the data to back it—that the game just found a new edge of the map.