The T20 World Cup, which is set to start on Saturday is being keenly anticipated, as the best hitters from around the world come together on the batting friendly tracks of India and Sri Lanka.

Long gone are the days where a few sixes at tail end of an innings were the most that could be expected. Now, many of the top batsmen hit sixes more often than they hit fours. It positively rains sixes in the modern game. But which side clears the ropes most frequently?

Let’s take a look at each squad and tally the number of sixes hit by their players since October 2023 and work out the average number of balls faced per six. It makes for astounding reading.

Please note this list includes only sixes hit in T20Is by players in the current World Cup squads.

1. India

• Sixes hit: 1081
• Balls per six: 10.99

India tops the list in efficiency, striking a six roughly every 11 balls – that’s a maximum more than every two overs. That is a remarkable figure for a side that blends orthodox technique with brutal power.

While big name stars of the past like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired the team is still studded with stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh give India depth from the top order to the lower middle.

Suryakumar in particular has redefined what is possible in T20 batting, capable of hitting sixes to any part of the ground without compromising strike rotation. The key for India is not just volume, but consistency.

They maintain pressure even after early wickets, and few sides can match their ability to sustain six-hitting across all 20 overs.

2. Australia

• Sixes hit: 872
• Balls per six: 11.72

Australia remains one of the most destructive sides in world cricket, even without some of the big names from the past like David Warner.

Blessed with stars like Travis Head and Mitch Marsh at the top of the order and the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Tim David in middle order, Australia are bursting with power.

Not always the most elegant, they are relentlessly aggressive. Maxwell alone can shift momentum in a handful of deliveries, and Australia’s philosophy remains simple: take the game deep, then launch.

3. West Indies

• Sixes hit: 1198
• Balls per six: 12.18

West Indies lead the list in total sixes, which feels entirely on brand. Stars like Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell may have retired.

But the current squad includes power-hitters like Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford and Shimron Hetmyer who form a lineup built almost entirely around clearing the ropes.

The slightly lower efficiency compared to India reflects their higher-risk style, but when it works, it overwhelms opponents. No side in the tournament is more capable of turning a par score into a losing one in the space of two overs.

4. South Africa

• Sixes hit: 915
• Balls per six: 13.54

South Africa have quietly become one of the most powerful white-ball teams in the world. Quinton de Kock’s resurgence, combined with Aiden Markram, David Miller and the rise of Dewald Brevis, gives them six-hitting threats throughout the top six.

Brevis, in particular, has emerged as one of the most feared spin hitters in the game, comfortably filling the void created by the retirement of Heinrich Klaasen. South Africa may not match the sheer chaos of West Indies, but their power is more structured and often more reliable.

5. New Zealand

• Sixes hit: 770
• Balls per six: 14.39

New Zealand’s numbers reflect their more conservative batting identity. They are not short of power, with Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Seifert capable of clearing any boundary, but they prioritise match control over sustained violence.

Their six-hitting tends to come in bursts rather than waves. This can make them dangerous in tight chases, but vulnerable if required to set imposing totals.

6. England

• Sixes hit: 909
• Balls per six: 14.81

England’s ranking is slightly deceptive. On paper, they possess as much firepower as anyone, with Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt and Harry Brook.

However, inconsistency has plagued them over the past year. When England click, they look unstoppable. When they do not, they struggle to maintain pressure. Their six rate suggests raw potential rather than sustained dominance.

7. Afghanistan

• Sixes hit: 781
• Balls per six: 15.38

Afghanistan’s rise as a batting force is one of the most striking developments in T20 cricket. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provide strong foundations, while Mohammad Nabi remains one of the cleanest strikers of spin in the world.

Their six-hitting is more calculated, often targeting specific bowlers rather than launching indiscriminately. On Asian pitches, this method could prove extremely effective.

8. Pakistan

• Sixes hit: 771
• Balls per six: 16.50

Pakistan’s numbers reflect a team still searching for balance and a team whose home games are often played on pitches that are not conducive to stroke-play.

Babar Azam remains a key figure in the middle order but these tends he tends to anchor the batting rather than flay the bowling. That leaves players like Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman to supply the power.

Pakistan often builds slowly and relies on late acceleration, which limits their overall six count. Their approach is less about sustained dominance and more about timing the surge correctly.

9. Sri Lanka

• Sixes hit: 482
• Balls per six: 17.78

Sri Lanka sit well adrift of the pack. Their batting has leaned heavily towards accumulation rather than intimidation, with limited genuine power hitters.

Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis offer fluency, but few players consistently clear the ropes. On home surfaces, they may benefit from familiarity, but in a tournament increasingly defined by boundary hitting, Sri Lanka are currently at risk being left behind.