Heinrich Klaasen Becomes Fourth Player To Hit 100 Sixes In T20 Cricket Calendar Year

Heinrich Klaasen of South Africa reached a significant milestone on November 9 during the first T20I against India. The wicketkeeper-batter became the fourth cricketer to hit 100 sixes in a calendar year in T20s. This achievement places him among an elite group of players known for their power-hitting abilities.

Klaasen's accomplishment came with a single six during South Africa's unsuccessful run chase at Kingsmead, Durban. By doing so, he joined the ranks of West Indies' Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell as the only players to achieve this feat in a year.

Chris Gayle, a legendary figure in T20 cricket, has managed to hit 100 sixes in a year on six occasions: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Nicholas Pooran achieved this milestone earlier in 2024, while Andre Russell first crossed it in 2019 and is close to repeating it.

Pooran leads the list for most sixes by a batter in a single year with an impressive tally of 165 sixes already this year. He is followed by Gayle's record of 135 sixes set in 2015. Below is the list of players with the most sixes in a calendar year:

• Nicholas Pooran - 165 sixes in 2024
• Chris Gayle - 135 sixes in 2015
• Chris Gayle - 121 sixes in 2012
• Chris Gayle - 116 sixes in 2011
• Chris Gayle - 112 sixes in 2016
• Chris Gayle - 101 sixes in 2017
• Andre Russell - 100 sixes in 2019
• Chris Gayle - 100 sixes in 2013
• Heinrich Klaasen - 100 sixes in 2024
• Glenn Phillips - 97 sixes in 2021

Klaasen's journey to hitting over a hundred maximums includes his performance in IPL 2024. He struck an impressive total of 38 sixes during the tournament, tying with Virat Kohli for second place. His Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Abhishek Sharma led with an outstanding tally of 42.

Nicholas Pooran also made his mark during IPL this year by hitting third-most with his tally of thirty-six maximums. Additionally, he has contributed thirty-four more international sixes this year and might increase this number against England soon.

Klaasen has managed only fourteen international sixes for South Africa despite surpassing one hundred overall. Meanwhile, India's Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav have each hit twenty-two maximums this year.

Suryakumar Yadav holds India's record for most T20I calendar-year maximums after smashing sixty-eight last year. He also ranks joint-fourth on that list with forty-three hits recorded this year.