Rohit Sharma becomes 1st Indian batsman to smash 400 international sixes

Indian opener Rohit Sharma on Wednesday added yet another feather in his already illustrious hat as he became the first batsman from the country to hit 400 international sixes during the third and final T20I of the three-match series against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.  

The 32-year-old created the record when he smashed a Sheldon Cottrell delivery in the third over towards deep midwicket for the first maximum of the match after West Indies won the toss and asked India to bat first. 

By achieving the landmark in his 354th international match across formats, Rohit also became the fastest batsman to reach the mark.

Though West Indies swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle (534) and former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi (476) have more sixes in international cricket than Rohit Sharma, the duo had taken more matches than the Indian to hit 400 maximums.

While Gayle reached the landmark in 414 matches across all formats, Afridi took 446 games to achieve the feat. 

Rohit also went on to smash his 19th half-century in the shortest format of the game and guide India past 100-run mark during the Mumbai T20I with his opening partner KL Rahul, who too have smashed a fifty. 

Rohit reached the 50-run mark off just 23 balls and that too with a maximum. He eventually finished at 71 after being caught by Hayden Walsh at deep midwicket on a Kesrick Williams delivery.  

Meanwhile, Rohit also holds the record for the most number of sixes in international cricket this year with 72 maximums in his account.