3 Sixes In First Three Balls: A batsman smashing the first ball he faces in an innings for a six has become a common thing now. Hitting his first two balls for maximums is applaudable. But when a batsman whacks 3 sixes in first three balls he faces, it is rare and met with gasped mouths and smiling faces.
It is such a rare feat to achieve, because of various factors, and can be acknowledged by the fact that it has happened only four times in IPL history.
In fact, it never happened until IPL 2020, and all four of these instances have taken place since IPL 2021. This is also an indictment of the kind of flat pitches that have been dished out in recent years in the competition and a reflection of the free mindset that the batsmen carry these days.
Let’s check the instances when batsmen have hit 3 sixes in 3 balls that they encountered in an innings.
Batsmen Who Have Hit 3 Sixes In First Three Balls In IPL:
Sunil Narine vs Dan Christian, IPL 2021
In the IPL 2021 eliminator between KKR and RCB in Sharjah, KKR’s pinch-hitter Sunil Narine walked in to bat at No. 5 when KKR needed 60 runs off 54 balls. Known for his no-holds-barred approach with the bat, Narine blasted RCB medium pacer Dan Christian for three sixes off the first three balls that he faced. Narine’s 26 (15) helped KKR win a last-over thriller.
Nicholas Pooran vs Abhishek Sharma, IPL 2023
In the SRH vs LSG clash in IPL 2023 in Hyderabad, Nicholas Pooran walked in to bat when LSG required 56 off 27 deliveries and had to face left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma, who had just dismissed Marcus Stoinis.
Pooran took on his positive matchup against Abhishek and walloped the spinner for three consecutive sixes. Pooran remained not out on 44 off only 13 balls and sealed the chase.
MS Dhoni vs Hardik Pandya, IPL2024
One of the most famous instances of a batsman hitting 3 sixes in 3 balls in IPL is of CSK’s MS Dhoni hammering MI’s Hardik Pandya at the Wankhede in IPL 2024.
Dhoni walked in to bat with only four balls remaining in CSK’s innings, who were batting first, and faced Pandya. Dhoni deposited the first two balls he faced off Pandya over long-on and then muscled a low full toss over deep square leg. He scampered for a two on the last ball of the innings to finish with 20* off 4 balls. CSK won by 20 runs, Dhoni’s blast proving to be the difference.
Pat Cummins vs Shardul Thakur, IPL 2025
While Pat Cummins is well-known for his excellent bowling and captaincy, the Australian has also time and again shown his hitting prowess against pacers.
One such incident occurred in the SRH vs LSG clash in IPL 2025 in Hyderabad when Cummins clobbered 3 sixes in first three balls he faced in his innings. In the 17th over of SRH’s innings, Cummins got to face the last two balls of the over, which was being bowled by Shardul Thakur, and the SRH skipper smashed them for sixes over point and another straight down the ground.
In the next over, he faced Avesh Khan and collected another six down the ground. He got out on the next ball, recording an innings of 18 (4). His efforts, though, went in vain as LSG won the match.
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