Rohit Sharma breaks Shahid Afridi’s long-standing ODI record
India’s former captain and veteran opener Rohit Sharma has rewritten cricket history after surpassing Pakistan’s ex-skipper Shahid Afridi’s iconic milestone, as Rohit Sharma breaks Shahid Afridi’s long-standing ODI record by becoming the player with the most sixes in One Day International cricket. The 38-year-old Indian batsman achieved the historic feat during the opening match of the three-game ODI home series against South Africa in Ranchi, where he scored a steady 57-run knock that included five boundaries and three towering sixes. The latest strikes pushed him past Afridi’s total, setting a new benchmark in world cricket.
Shahid Afridi, who retired from ODI cricket in 2015, had held the record for a decade with 351 sixes in 398 matches, a figure long considered nearly impossible to eclipse. Rohit Sharma has now moved to 352 sixes, securing the top spot in the all-time ODI six-hitting charts. West Indies’ power-hitter Chris Gayle remains in third with 331 sixes. Among current stars, Rohit is followed by Virat Kohli with 157 and Australia’s Glenn Maxwell with 155, highlighting the longevity and dominance of Rohit’s white-ball career.
Rohit’s latest achievement comes at a crucial moment for Indian cricket, as the team looks to regain momentum after a disappointing Test series defeat against South Africa. KL Rahul, who is captaining the ODI side while Shubman Gill recovers from a neck injury, said ahead of the match that India needed to move past the recent setbacks and focus entirely on winning the ODI series. The Indian side had suffered a 30-run defeat in Kolkata and a crushing 408-run loss in Guwahati, marking their fifth defeat in seven home Tests, prompting Rahul to stress unity, composure, and a reset in mindset. The stand-in skipper told reporters in Ranchi that winning was the only thing on the team’s agenda.
The remarkable shift from Test despair to ODI celebration reflects the volatility of India’s current cricketing phase, but Rohit’s achievement has injected a wave of positivity among fans. Analysts say that breaking Shahid Afridi’s record—often associated with unmatched aggression and charisma—marks one of the most significant milestones of Rohit’s storied career. For Pakistan fans, Afridi’s long-held record represented an era of fearless cricket, and its fall at the hands of Rohit Sharma has quickly become the most talked-about cricket headline across South Asia.
As Rohit Sharma breaks Shahid Afridi’s long-standing ODI record, the cricketing world continues to reflect on the evolving nature of ODI power-hitting and the rivalry that has historically shaped Pakistan-India sporting narratives. With the ODI series underway and both teams looking for redemption for different reasons, Rohit’s record-breaking moment has set the tone for what promises to be an intense cricketing month ahead.
Latest ODI cricket records and milestones
