In cricket, avoiding sixes is a testament to a bowler's precision and resilience. While no player has escaped the boundary rope across ODI, T20, and Test cricket, certain athletes have achieved near-immortality in specific formats.
The record holder is Keith Miller from Australia. Over his career, Miller bowled 10,461 balls without conceding a six—a feat unmatched in Test cricket history. A legendary fast bowler of the 1940s–1950s, Miller was renowned for his pinpoint line and unpredictable pace. Spanning 1939–1956, his career saw him concede just one six: a boundary off Cyril Washbrook's bat during the 1946/47 Ashes series against England.
Australia's Glenn McGrath holds the record for the most balls bowled without conceding a six in ODIs. In 250 matches, McGrath delivered 4,863 balls without a six—a testament to his metronomic accuracy. As one of the most successful ODI bowlers (381 wickets), McGrath specialized in yorkers and death-over control, prioritizing boundary restriction to stifle batters in high-pressure situations.
West Indies' Dwayne Bravo leads the charge in T20 cricket, having bowled 1,247 balls without conceding a six across 461 matches. Known for his slow deliveries and variations, Bravo excels at neutralizing aggressive batters in death overs. His legacy includes a historic six consecutive dot balls against Chennai Super Kings in the 2021 IPL final, setting a T20 single-over record for zero sixes.
Bowler | Team | Sixes Conceded | Deliveries Bowled | Econ Rate (RPO) |
Mohammed Siraj | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 12 | 384 | 8.2 |
Jasprit Bumrah | Mumbai Indians | 14 | 420 | 7.9 |
Ravichandran Ashwin | Chennai Super Kings | 10 | 360 | 7.5 |
Yuzvendra Chahal | Gujarat Titans | 11 | 336 | 7.8 |
Ajaz Patel | Delhi Capitals | 9 | 312 | 7.3 |
Kagiso Rabada | Lucknow Super Giants | 13 | 396 | 8.5 |
While T20 cricket's power-hitting era has made avoiding sixes nearly impossible, the defensive artistry of bowlers like Keith Miller, Derek Pringle, and Rashid Khan reflects the sport's strategic depth. Their careers prove that precision, variation, and mental resilience can outwit even the most aggressive batters.More and more bowlers are constantly breaking records, demonstrating the pursuit and transcendence of cricket.
Q1: Which Bowler Never Conceded a Six in the IPL?
No bowler has completely avoided sixes in the IPL. However, Rashid Khan (Gujarat Titans) has the lowest six-concession rate (0.6 sixes per match) as of 2025
Q2: Has Any Bowler Taken Six Wickets in an Over?
Yes. Australian club cricketer Sam Morgan achieved this in 2023.
Q3: Which Bowler Conceded the Most Sixes?
Test: England's James Anderson.
ODI: Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.
T20: India's Yuzvendra Chahal.