Bangalore, Apr 23: Explosive opener Chris Gayle slammed the fastest century in cricket history, reaching the triple figure in just 30 balls during the Royal Challengers Bangalore-Pune Warriors IPL clash on Tuesday.
Though, the milestone came in an IPL clash, and not in any international tie, Gayle's fireworks will be remembered by cricket buffs for long.
Gayle pulverised Pune attack and scored 175 not out in just 66 balls and hit 17 sixes, most in a T20 innings, and 13 boundaries in the process, to send the crowd in delirium. This was also Gayle's second ton in his IPL career.
Gayle blitz powered Bangalore to a T20 record 263 for five. The previous highest total by a team in this form of the game was 260 by Sri Lanka.
The Jamaican also became the highest-ever individual scorer in a T20 game surpassing Kolkata Knight Riders' Brendon McCullum who hit 158 off 73 balls against RCB.
By the time he had reached his century, 98 off Gayle's runs had come in boundaries (8 Fours and 11 Sixes). For the record, he consumed 23 balls to reach 150 from 100, which was the slowest of the three fifties, giving a fair indication of what he actually did to the clueless bowlers.
Pakistan's flamboyant batsman Shahid Afridi holds the record of fastest century in ODI (37 balls) while, Viv Richards is credited for scoring fastest ton (56 balls) in Test history.
South African Richard Richard Levi holds the record for fastest international T20 hundred. Levi had slammed 45-ball century against New Zealand in 2011 at Hamilton.
Gayle had, earlier, also scored record 50-ball 100 in T20I before Richard Levi surpassed his feat.
Gayle also beat the previous 34-ball ton Twenty20 league record set by Australia's Andrew Symonds.
10 fastest centuries in T20 cricket
Players Balls Team
C Gayle 30 RCB
A Symonds 34 Kent
van der Westhuizen 35 Namibia
YK Pathan 37 Rajasthan Royals
SB Styris 37 Sussex
Ahmed Shehzad 40 Barisal Burners
LL Bosman 41 Eagles
H Davids 41 Cape Cobras
BF Smith 42 Worcestershire
AC Gilchrist 42 Deccan Chargers
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