AB joins exclusive club of six-hitters

Cape Town - AB de Villiers, following his highest score in ODI cricket on Wednesday, has joined a unique and exclusive club. 

READ: AB AT PEACE WITH LIFE AFTER CAPTAINCY

While De Villiers' 176 was the most he has ever amassed in a single ODI innings, the attention quickly turned to whether or not the former skipper could better Gary Kirsten's knock of 188* against the UAE in 1996 that remains the highest by a South African in the format. 

That was not to be as De Villiers fell just 12 runs short, but he did enter the record books in a different, more off-beat manner. 

After clearing the ropes seven times against Bangladesh on Wednesday, De Villiers became just the SIXTH player in the history of the game to have hit 200 or more sixes in ODI cricket. 

Pakistan's Shahid Afridi comfortably leads that list with 351 maximums followed by Sanath Jayasuriya (270), Chris Gayle (252), MS Dhoni (213), De Villiers (201) and Brendon McCullum (200). 

The next highest South African on the list is Jacques Kallis with 137 sixes, followed by Herschelle Gibbs (128).