17.7 sixes per match, most sixes in powerplay and Abhishek Sharma make IPL 2024 a season of wallops

It is a season which has seen bat dominate the ball like never before. Soaring run-rates, record totals, 500-plus aggregates and 100+ runs in powerplay – the carnage has been unprecedented and the main reason for it has been the tsunami of sixes hit in the tournament.

When Arshad Khan smashed Rasikh Salam to the sight screen off the third ball of the 18th over in a high run-chase in Match 64 in Delhi on Tuesday, it was a landmark moment in the 17th edition of the IPL – it was the 1125th six of the season, breaking the all-time record for the most maximums in a single edition of the tournament, surpassing the 1124 sixes hit in 2023!

We look at some of the astonishing numbers which define the season of the sixes.

Note: All numbers updated till end of Match 65

1000-mark breached only for the third-time

It is only the third instance when 1000+ sixes have been hit in a season. 1062 sixes were recorded in 2022 and 1124 in 2023. 1133 sixes have already been smashed in 65 matches this season. Whereas it took 70 matches to reach the 1000-Club in 2022 and 67 matches last season, the milestone was reached in just the 57th match in 2024.

Best frequency of hitting a six

A staggering 17.7 sixes per match have been hit in 2024 surpassing the previous highest average of 15.2 last season. 14.5 sixes per match were recorded in 2018, 14.4 in 2022 and 13.1 in 2019.

A six has been hit approximately every 13 balls this season, bettering the previous best frequency by roughly a little over two deliveries – a six was hit every 15.3 deliveries in 2023!

Most sixes in the powerplay

The run-rate in the powerplay in 2024 stands at a stunning 9.49, thus it does not come as a surprise that the first 6 overs have also witnessed the most sixes ever for a season. There have been a total of 299 sixes in the powerplay in the tournament already. The previous record for this phase of play was 245 sixes in 2023. Interestingly, 2018 is third on this list with 225 sixes.

25+ sixes a match hammered a record 13 times!

There have been as many as 13 matches in IPL 2024 which have witnessed 25+sixes. With nine matches still to go, the count will further rise this season. Just for perspective, there were only four such matches in 2023!

An even more stunning statistic is this – 20+ sixes in an innings have been smashed as many as 4 times in 2024. This feat was achieved just thrice in the 16 previous editions combined!

The Sunrisers – leading a revolution with the bat

The Sunrisers have redefined powerplay-batting this season and have been the most destructive batting unit. They have smashed a total of 146 sixes in the tournament. RCB’s late season dash has put them at number two on the tally with 141 sixes. They are followed by the Delhi Capitals (135 sixes) and KKR (125 sixes). At the bottom of the pack is Gujarat Titans with just 67 maximums – that is a story in itself!

While it’s the Sunrisers who have also hit the most sixes in the powerplay (49), surprisingly it is CSK who have the most maximums at the death (37).

Abhishek Sharma – leading in the sixes’ race

Abhishek Sharma has had a breakthrough season in this edition of the IPL and formed a formidable opening partnership with Travis Head. He has an aggregate of 401 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 205.6 and has already blasted 35 sixes – the most for any batter in the tournament.

Interestingly, it is Virat Kohli who is at number 2 on this list with 33 maximums! While an in-form Kohli does hit a number of deliveries to the fence, he seldom goes aerial, always attaching a price on his wicket. However, in what is a welcome departure from his usual style of play, Kohli has taken more risks this season and deliberately hit the ball in the air to up the ante and maximize the restrictions in the powerplay.

Sunil Narine (32), Travis Head, Riyan Parag and Heinrich Klaasen (31 sixes each) complete the top 6.

Raining sixes at the Eden Gardens, Delhi – the best frequency

While a total of 154 sixes have been smashed at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata – the most for any venue this season, it is the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi which has recorded the best frequency of hitting a six. A six has been hammered every 8.95 deliveries in Delhi and it is followed by the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad (10.3 deliveries), Eden Gardens (10.32 deliveries) and the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru (10.79 deliveries).