Top 5 Highest individual scores in T20Is with just a single 6

T20 cricket, the shortest and probably the most exciting format of the game. Fans associate T20 cricket with explosive and aggressive batting, big sixes and cracking strokes. It's hard to imagine a game of T20 without witnessing a bunch of extraordinary hits sent out of the park.

Despite the hard-hitting nature of the game, there have been instances where some super talented players managed to score big without the help of huge sixes. These players relied on timing, old-school cricket technique and placement to score big rather than forming their innings on the basis of some blind slogging. The subsequent slides contain the highest individual scores, by some modern-day stars, on the back of just one maximum.

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#5 Aaron Finch: 89 vs India, 2013

Aaron Finch of Australia

The Australian superstar who tops the list of highest T20I innings ever and is the only man to score a 150 in this format features at number 5 in this list. The incredible talent scored an 89 vs India back in 2013 at Rajkot. He played a total of 52 balls to help his side score a huge target of 202 for Team India. It's hard to imagine that his innings had just one six as he was the highest run scorer of the match. Unsurprisingly. the total proved to be very much achievable for the Indian side having the likes of Yuvraj, Dhoni, Kohli and Raina and they managed to win the game with a couple of balls to spare.

Finch's strike rate in that particular innings was around 171 and he hit a total of fourteen 4s. His tally of fourteen 4s is the highest ever in a single innings of T20I, a record which he shares with his countrymen Glenn Maxwell, who hit fourteen 4s during his majestic knock of 145 not out against Sri Lanka, and Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa who scored a 90 not out against the West Indies on the back of his fourteen 4s in the opening game of the inaugural T20 World Cup.

In the all-time list of highest T20I individual scores, this innings features at the sixty-fifth position where Finch shares the spot with seven other players.

#4 Virat Kohli: 89* vs the West Indies, 2016

Virat Kohli of India

Whenever there's some mention of a modern-day batting list, it's hard to imagine the absence of Virat Kohli. The modern-day superstar features in this list as well on the back of his extraordinary effort against the West Indies in the semifinal of the 2016 T20 World Cup. The match was played in Mumbai where India set up a healthy target of 193 for the eventual Champions. Kohli scored a brilliant 89 not out off just 47 balls only to see his side finish at the losing end in front of the jam-packed home ground.

Kohli's strike rate in the innings was around 190 while he hit a total of eleven 4s in the innings and relied mostly on some exceptional running between the wickets.

In the all-time list of highest T20I individual scores, this innings features at the sixtieth position where Kohli shares the spot with five other players.

#3 Graeme Smith: 89* vs Australia, 2006

Graeme Smith of South Africa

The former South African captain features at the third position in this list. Although he scored the same number of runs as Kohli who occupies the fourth spot, he has been placed above him because he played a greater number of balls and thus got a greater number of chances to hit a lot more sixes. His innings is also the oldest entrant in the list. This came in just the sixth T20I ever played.

Smith's incredible effort helped his side to register a brilliant 201 against Australia. His innings included eleven fours and he played a total of 58 balls with a strike rate of around 153. This game proved a be a great thriller in early days of T20I cricket as Australia nearly managed to reach the target. Ultimately, South Africa managed a win by just two runs with Smith winning the Man of the Match award.

#2 Joe Root: 90* vs Australia, 2013

Joe Root of England

Another modern-day batting superstar features at the second position in the list. Joe Root scored an unbeaten 90 vs Australia in this high scoring game back in 2013. He played a total of 49 balls and hit thirteen fours with a strike rate of around 184. However, his innings proved to be of no use as Australia managed a comfortable win of 39 runs on the back of Finch's record-breaking 156. England could only reach 209 at the loss of six while chasing a mammoth target of 249.

In the all-time list of highest T20I individual scores, this innings features at fifty-second position where Root shares the spot with four other players.

#1 Babar Azam: 97* vs the West Indies, 2018

Babar Azam of Pakistan

The talented Babar Azam features at the top of this list with the most recent innings as well. He scored a 97 not out against the World Champions just a few months ago when cricket returned home for his side. He hit a total of thirteen fours at a strike rate of around 167 in this action-packed game held at the National Stadium, Karachi.

His innings helped Pakistan in setting up a target of 206 for the West Indies. The target proved to be more than enough as the inexperienced and relatively new West Indian side lost their way at just 123 runs. Pakistan, thus, registered a victory of 82 runs with Babar winning the Player of the Match award as well.

In the all-time list of highest T20I individual scores, this innings features at the thirty-ninth position where Azam shares the spot with Hashim Amla of South Africa.