India opener Rohit Sharma surpassed Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi to hit the most sixes (352) by any hitter in the sport’s history during the first One-Day International against South Africa in Ranchi on Sunday.
Afridi, who scored 351 sixes in 398 ODIs between 1996 and 2015, led Rohit by two going into this series with 349. Rohit got to the mark in 100 fewer innings than Afridi.
Rohit smashed back-to-back sixes over deep midwicket off South African spinner Prenelan Subrayen in the 15th over to draw level with Afridi, before pulling Marco Hansen over deep square leg to claim the world record for most ODI sixes — achieved in the fewest innings.
Shortly after reaching his 60th half-century in ODI cricket, the 38-year-old right-hander set the record.
After five fours and three sixes, Rohit was dismissed for 57 off 50 balls.
Most sixes in ODIs:
352 – Rohit Sharma
351 – Shahid Afridi
331 – Chris Gayle
270 – Sanath Jayasuriya
229 – MS Dhoni
The former India skipper — who led his side to the Champions Trophy title earlier this year and now features exclusively in ODIs — reached the milestone in just his 270th innings, during his 278th ODI for India, having made his debut back in 2007.
