India’s explosive opening batter Abhishek Sharma has created history by setting a new record for the most sixes hit by a batter representing a Full Member nation in men’s T20 Internationals in a calendar year. The left-hander struck his 69th six of 2026 during India’s fourth T20I against the West Indies in Hyderabad, surpassing Suryakumar Yadav’s previous record of 68 sixes, set in 2022.
Abhishek Sharma Goes Past Suryakumar Yadav
Abhishek reached the milestone during India’s innings after taking some time to find his rhythm. It took him 15 deliveries to hit his first six of the match, which came in the ninth over.
Sanju Samson had dominated the strike during the early stages, while the West Indies bowlers managed to keep Abhishek’s scoring rate below 100 after the powerplay. The opener eventually broke free against Shamar Springer, advancing down the pitch and sending the ball over the boundary to register his record-breaking six.
The achievement highlights Abhishek’s aggressive approach and his ability to clear the boundary regularly in the shortest format.
A Mixed but Productive Year for Abhishek
Abhishek began 2026 with an impressive performance against New Zealand in Nagpur, scoring 84 runs off just 35 balls and hitting eight sixes.
He followed that effort with an unbeaten 68 off 20 deliveries in Guwahati, including five sixes. However, a difficult period followed, with the left-hander recording five ducks in his first eight innings of the year.
Despite those setbacks, Abhishek continued to produce powerful performances and eventually moved past Suryakumar’s calendar-year record.
Shai Hope’s Century Powers West Indies to 247/3
Earlier in the match, West Indies captain Shai Hope delivered a spectacular batting performance, scoring an unbeaten 102 off 50 balls to help his team post 247/3.
Hope reached his century with a six off the final delivery of the innings. Sherfane Rutherford provided strong support, finishing unbeaten on 49 from 26 balls. The pair added 91 runs for the fourth wicket in just 43 deliveries, giving India a challenging target to chase.
West Indies hit 16 sixes and benefited from 18 extras. India’s bowlers struggled to contain the scoring, with Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh each conceding 52 runs in four overs.
Hope’s century was his second of the series, fourth on the tour and third in T20 internationals, underlining his outstanding form.
Abhishek’s record-breaking achievement added another major talking point to a high-scoring contest dominated by powerful batting from both sides.