India become first team to hit 400 sixes in a calendar year, lose fifth T20I in Hamilton

India have become the first team to hit 400 sixes in T20 internationals in a single calendar year, a record no side had held before. The milestone came in the last match of the series against New Zealand, which India lost.

The fifth and final T20 international between the two sides was played at Seddon Park in Hamilton. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl first. India scored 191 for 8. Some batters played good innings, but the middle order failed to click. Even so, the match saw plenty of fours and sixes.

India made history despite the defeat. The team has hit 400 sixes so far in 2026. No team had previously reached 400 T20I sixes in a calendar year. India have played 40 matches this year.

Indian batters kept up their aggressive approach against New Zealand this year as well. In the T20 matches between the two sides in 2026, India hit 142 sixes in all, a big tally against a single opponent in a calendar year.

The Indian side has aggressive batters in Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, all of them power hitters. Abhishek's batting in particular leans heavily on hitting sixes. He has hit more than 80 so far. Sanju and Ishan have also set several records for sixes.

Batters repeatedly sent the ball over the boundary in this series. A total of 116 sixes were hit in the five matches, the fourth-highest number in a T20 international series.

The list is headed by the 2026 series between Germany and Austria, which produced 132 sixes. Second is the 2023 series between England and West Indies, with 120. Next comes the 2025 series between Australia and West Indies, in which 117 were hit.

New Zealand beat India in the last match, but India won the series 3-2.