West Indie cricketers are known for their cheerful and fun-loving personalities. Apart from that, they can turn the game upside down with their electrifying shots. They don’t shy away from belting the bowlers ruthlessly. Here we have a list of 10 West Indie power hitters who leave the crowd and the opposition wonderstruck with their eloquent monstrous shots.
1. Chris Gayle
The 'Universe Boss' times the ball so well, that it helps him add an extra eight to 10 meters to his lofty shots. His body allows him to use the three-pound bat in such a way, that he manages to hit the ball straight out of the stadium. His international career’s longest six was 132 meters, which that came against Australia. In 2013, he hit the fastest cricket century ever in just 30 balls during an IPL Match. His artistry of hitting big shots is what makes him stand out from the crowd.
2. Andre Russell
An explosive batsman, who believes in banking runs through power hitting, has proven to be a match-winner in the shorter format of the game. Be it IPL or CPL, he saved enough matches with his explosive hitting after his team was on the brink of losing the game. He leaves the bowler bemused with his shots. It is often said that Russell’s mishit also manages to clear the boundary line.
3. Kieron Pollard
Pollard has developed an image of a power hitter in the cricket universe. He has proved his ability to strike the ball with ease, time and again. Recently he hammered Akila Dhananjay, Sri Lankan Bowler for six consecutive sixes. His ability to attack spinners and hit natural sixes makes him a match-winner.
4. Nicholas Pooran
Pooran is an attacking batsman. He likes to accelerate the game through middle overs and play unorthodox shots. He completely rocks while playing against spin, and watching him hit the spin for a pull is mesmerizing. He likes to dominate the T2o format by quickly fetching runs through big shots, and this is one of the reasons he is a part of numerous T20 leagues.
5. Rahkeem Cornwell
Rahkeem Cornwall primarily plays CPL and has the highest attacking rate in the powerplay. He is a near-perfect blend of power and attack. His long arms allow him to hit the ball into the stand and tear apart the bowling attacks during the powerplay. He slammed a 50 against Tallawahs in just 19 balls inside the powerplay with a strike rate of 252.9.
6. DJ Bravo
The “champion” of the West Indie team is a game-changer for sure. He is more of a bowling all-rounder, although he is blessed with a good set of batting skills. Be it CSK or Trinbago Knight Riders, he never left his team amidst crisis; from hitting five consecutive sixes against patriots to saving matches for CSK, he always has his team covered.
7. Shimron Hetmyer
An explosive batsman who loves ripping off the spinner, Hetmyer is a middle-order batsman and likes to charge up the game in death overs. He got a whopping seven cr. contract from Delhi Capitals, because of his prowess. He gouged 53 of 25 balls for DC against RCB and fired booming sixes. In 2020, he became the youngest player to hit a century in CPL; it took him 45 balls to achieve this feat. Hetmyer had registered 15 sixes in a single match in a Test series against Bangladesh, in 2019 and completely endeared the crowd.
8. Sherfane Rutherford
Rutherford’s batting is as dynamic as his personality. The hard-hitting southpaw scored a blistering 56 against Multan Sultans in PSL 2021. This youngster lacks experience, but we’ve seen a glimpse of his muscle power in CPL when he hit 45 of just 13 balls. This ferocious hitter changes his gear in the middle overs and hits the winning runs for his team.
9. Diandra Dottin
How can you forget Diandra Dottin while talking about power hitters? Popularly known as the female Chris Gayle, Diandra holds the record of hitting the first-ever T20I century in women’s cricket. She was just 18 years old when she smacked 50 of just 25 balls and stunned the cricketing world. She scored a record-breaking 112 in just 38 balls against South Africa, comprising of five fours and nine whacking sixes. With her ability to hit gigantic shots, she can turn the game on its head.
10. Shai Hope
A perfect blend of class and power, Shai Hope is more of an old-school batsman who believes in following the unorthodox batting style. His arm strength allows him to hit thunderous shots that leave the people awestruck. He is more into the longer format of the game, but he still loves towering the ball into the stands.
