Highest Six Meter in IPL History: Top 10 Longest Sixes (2008–2026)

Albie Morkel hit the highest six meter in IPL history, a 125-metre strike for Chennai Super Kings in 2008, a record that has not been broken across 18 seasons of the tournament.

What Is the Highest Six Ever Hit in IPL?

The highest six meter in IPL belongs to Albie Morkel. Playing for Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 season, the South African all-rounder launched a delivery an extraordinary 125 metres. No batter in IPL history has cleared that distance since.

To put 125 metres in perspective, a standard cricket ground boundary sits between 65 and 90 metres from the pitch. Morkel's hit exceeded even the longest boundary by a significant margin, landing deep into or beyond the stands entirely.

What is often overlooked is that this record was set in the very first IPL season. Power hitting has technically improved since 2008, with better bats, stronger athletes, and more aggressive batting tactics. Yet the number still stands.

Top 10 Longest Sixes in IPL History (2008–2026)

The table below lists the 10 longest sixes recorded in IPL history based on available broadcast and tracking data. Bowler and venue details are included where consistently reported across sources.

*Note: Available sources differ on Praveen Kumar's team and year for this entry. The distance of 124 metres is consistently reported across sources, but the match details (team listed as either RCB or Kings XI Punjab, year listed as either 2008 or 2013) conflict between published records. This entry is included with that discrepancy clearly stated rather than resolved with false precision.

A Closer Look at the Top 10 Longest Sixes in IPL

1. Albie Morkel — 125 Metres (CSK, 2008)

Albie Morkel was not primarily known as a big hitter in the conventional sense. He was a medium-pace bowling all-rounder for South Africa, with a first-class batting average of 44.0.

According to Wikipedia's profile of Albie Morkel, he played for Chennai Super Kings from the inaugural IPL season and was well-regarded for his big-hitting abilities throughout his time in the tournament.

In 2008, batting for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Daredevils, he hit a delivery that traveled 125 metres, the biggest six meter in IPL history. The six is widely credited as being struck off Pragyan Ojha, though some sources list the opposition as Deccan Chargers.

What is consistent across all records is the distance: 125 metres, set in the inaugural IPL season, still unbroken.

2. Praveen Kumar — 124 Metres (2008/2013)

Praveen Kumar is primarily remembered as a skilled swing bowler, not a power hitter. His 124-metre six sits just one metre short of Morkel's record. As noted in the table above, published sources conflict on which team he was playing for and which season this occurred. The distance itself is the one point of agreement.

3. Adam Gilchrist — 122 Metres (Kings XI Punjab, 2011)

Adam Gilchrist was one of the most destructive openers in cricket history, and his IPL record reflects that. Playing for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011, he hit a 122-metre six, third on the all-time IPL list. Gilchrist's ability to clear the ground from ball one made him a natural fit for the format.

4. Robin Uthappa — 120 Metres (RCB, 2010)

Robin Uthappa's 120-metre six came during his time with Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians in 2010. The bowler on the receiving end was Dwayne Bravo. Uthappa was known for inventive strokeplay rather than raw power, which makes this entry on the list a genuine surprise for many who follow the data.

5. Chris Gayle — 119 Metres (RCB, 2013)

Chris Gayle is widely regarded as one of the biggest hitters in T20 cricket history. His 119-metre six for RCB against Pune Warriors India in 2013 fits the reputation entirely. Interestingly, despite his enormous volume of sixes across IPL seasons, this single hit is his highest recorded distance in the tournament.

6. Yuvraj Singh — 119 Metres (Kings XI Punjab, 2009)

Yuvraj Singh's 119-metre six came in 2009, playing for Kings XI Punjab against Chennai Super Kings. The delivery was bowled by Albie Morkel, the same player who holds the overall IPL distance record. Yuvraj was at his physical peak during this period and was one of the most feared middle-order hitters in world cricket at the time.

7. Ross Taylor — 119 Metres (RCB, 2008)

Ross Taylor hit his 119-metre six in the same inaugural 2008 season as Morkel's record, playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore against CSK. Three players share the 119-metre mark, each from different seasons and different teams. Taylor's inclusion here is a reminder that the 2008 season was genuinely exceptional for big hitting distance across the board.

8. Ben Cutting — 117 Metres (SRH, 2016)

Ben Cutting's 117-metre six came during his memorable cameo for Sunrisers Hyderabad against RCB in 2016. Cutting was known for his ability to clear the ground in the death overs, and this hit was consistent with that role.

9. Liam Livingstone — 117 Metres (Punjab Kings, 2022)

Liam Livingstone is the most recent addition to this list. His 117-metre six for Punjab Kings against Gujarat Titans in 2022 is the only entry from the past decade to reach the top 10. Livingstone's 360-degree hitting and exceptional ball-striking make him one of the few active players capable of challenging the upper entries on this list.

10. Gautam Gambhir — 117 Metres (KKR, 2013)

Gautam Gambhir was not typically associated with maximum hitting. His inclusion here at 117 metres for Kolkata Knight Riders against Rajasthan Royals in 2013 reflects how the IPL format can produce outlier moments from players not primarily known for power.

How Are Six Distances Measured in IPL?

Six distances in IPL broadcasts are typically measured using ball-tracking technology integrated into the production feed. According to Wikipedia's overview of Hawk-Eye, the system works via up to ten high-performance cameras positioned around the stadium, which track the ball from different angles. The video from these cameras is triangulated and combined to create a three-dimensional representation of the ball's trajectory, with an advertised accuracy of within 2.6 mm.

In practice, the distance shown on screen during a broadcast represents the estimated carry of the ball, not the full distance it travels after bouncing or rolling. This means two sixes can look similar in height or trajectory but produce different numbers depending on the angle of descent.

It is worth noting that these measurements are broadcast estimates and not governed by a single official IPL standard. Different production setups across seasons and venues can introduce minor variations in how distances are captured. The figures in the top 10 list above come from widely cited sports publications, but no single official IPL database publicly confirms all entries with full match-level detail.

Why Has Albie Morkel's Highest Six Meter in IPL Stood Since 2008?

Eighteen IPL seasons and the record has not moved. That is a genuine curiosity worth thinking about.

Part of the answer is simple probability. The top 10 list shows that hitting beyond 120 metres is extremely rare. Only three players have done it in IPL history. Reaching 125 metres requires the specific combination of bat speed, ball condition, timing, and trajectory that comes together once in hundreds of thousands of deliveries.

There is also a structural point. Modern T20 batting has shifted toward consistency and strike rate management. Batters today are often trained to maximise scoring across an over rather than attempt one outlier hit. In practice, this means the conditions that produce record distances are becoming less common, not more.

Additionally, Morkel's hit came in 2008 when IPL crowds and cameras were capturing data for the first time. Some analysts suggest early-season measurements in 2008 may have benefited from less calibrated tracking setups, though this cannot be confirmed either way.

Longest Sixes in IPL 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026

No batter in the 2023, 2024, 2025, or 2026 IPL seasons has entered the all-time top 10 for six distance. Liam Livingstone's 117-metre hit from 2022 remains the most recent entry on the list.

Notable big hitters active in recent seasons include Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Heinrich Klaasen, and Tim David, all of whom are known for clearing the ground consistently. However, none have recorded a single six that matches or exceeds the 117-metre threshold required to enter this list based on currently available data.

The 2025 and 2026 seasons saw several six-heavy performances, but distance tracking data for individual hits from those seasons has not been widely published in a format comparable to the historical list above.

Conclusion

Albie Morkel's 125-metre six in 2008 remains the highest six meter in IPL history. Across 18 seasons, no batter has surpassed it. The top 10 list spans from 2008 to 2022, with only three players ever reaching 120 metres or beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who hit the longest six in IPL history?

Albie Morkel hit the longest six in IPL history. Playing for Chennai Super Kings in 2008, he struck a delivery 125 metres, a record that has not been broken across 18 IPL seasons.

What is the exact distance of the highest six meter in IPL?

The highest six meter in IPL history is 125 metres, hit by Albie Morkel for Chennai Super Kings in the 2008 season.

Has any batter hit a six longer than 125 metres in IPL?

No. As of IPL 2026, no batter has hit a six beyond 125 metres in the tournament. Praveen Kumar's 124-metre hit is the closest anyone has come to the record.

Which team was Albie Morkel playing for when he hit the longest six in IPL?

Albie Morkel was playing for Chennai Super Kings when he hit the 125-metre six in 2008, which remains the longest six in IPL history.

What is the longest six hit in IPL 2024 or 2025?

No single six from IPL 2024 or 2025 has been reported to have entered the all-time top 10 distance list. Liam Livingstone's 117-metre hit from 2022 remains the most recent entry.