5 teams with most sixes in a Test inning in cricket history

Test cricket is usually a game of great restraint. Action progresses slowly and steadily in red-ball cricket. As a result, players refrain from playing risky shots and prize their wickets. Batters take their own sweet time to build their innings and often go on to play big knocks. A player's skillset and technical ability is tested during the five-day match and lesser boundaries are seen hit in Test cricket.

However, few batters, such as Virender Sehwag and Brendon McCullum, broke the conservative approach and were fearless enough to use the long handle.

Teams have also, at times, hit a lot of boundaries in Test matches. Be it to chase a target or to reach a score for declaration, many teams have geared up their innings with fours and sixes.

In this article, we will have a look at such teams who have hit the most sixes in an innings of Test cricket.

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#5. South Africa - 15 Sixes vs West Indies

South Africa hit 15 sixes against West Indies

The second Test during South Africa's tour of the West Indies in 2010 was a high-scoring one. Captain Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers hit centuries as South Africa posted a huge 543/6 on the board and declared their innings. 15 sixes were hit during their innings, with AB de Villiers alone hitting six of them.

The match, however, ended in a draw as West Indies batters showed great resistance against the Proteas' bowlers. Shivnarine Chanderpaul top-scored with 166 off 357 balls and moved the match towards a draw.

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#4. India - 15 sixes vs Sri Lanka

Virender Sehwag scored 293 against Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka posted a mammoth first-innings score of 393 in the second Test match played at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. In return, hosts India posted a mammoth score of 726/9, declaring the innings.

The Test match is largely remembered for Sehwag's ruthless display of batting. With 40 boundaries and seven sixes, Sehwag scored 293 runs off just 254 deliveries. Captain M. S. Dhoni, too, hit a brilliant century.

The Indian team hit 15 sixes in their first innings as they beat Sri Lanka convincingly by an innings and 24 runs.

#3. Pakistan, 15 Sixes vs New Zealand

Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a triple century against New Zealand

New Zealand toured Pakistan for a three-match ODI and two-match Test series in 2002. The first Test, played in Lahore, is largely remembered for Inzamam-ul-Haq's brilliance. Following opener Imran Nazir's ton, Inzamam displayed a great show of caution mixed with aggression in his marathon knock of 329 runs.

The right-hander hit 38 boundaries and nine sixes in his knock that lasted 436 deliveries. Pakistan hit a total of 15 sixes as they posted a mammoth 643 runs on the board.

New Zealand could not withstand Shoaib Akhtar's pace as the Kiwis were bundled out for a paltry 73 in their first innings. Following on, New Zealand could make only 246 runs as they faced a huge defeat.

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#2. Australia, 17 Sixes vs Zimbabwe

Matthew Hayden receiving the applause after the triple ton

The Australian team hit 17 sixes in their first innings in a Test match against Zimbabawe in Perth on 9th October 2003. Australia's Matthew Hayden broke Brian Lara's record for the then highest Test score when he played a knock of 380 runs. Hayden alone hit 11 out of the 17 sixes hit by the team.

Australia declared the innings at 735/6 which proved to be enough. Zimbabwe could only make 239 and 321 in both their innings and faced an innings defeat.

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#1. New Zealand, 22 Sixes vs Pakistan

New Zealand tops the list with 22 sixes

New Zealand holds the record for hitting the most number of sixes in an innings of a Test match. The Kiwis achieved this feat against Pakistan in a Sharjah Test match in 2014. New Zealand hit 22 sixes as they scored 690 runs in their first innings. Brendon McCullum played a tremendous innings of 202 runs in just 188 balls, hitting 11 out of 22 sixes alone.

Pakistan were able to score 351 and 259 in both innings and faced an innings defeat.