Top five knocks by Chris Gayle in Indian T20 League

If there’s any cricketer in the world who has lit up the T20 leagues across the globe, he’s none other than the ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle. The southpaw has owned the T20 format like no other plundering runs across countries. And when it comes to the grandest league of all the ‘Indian T20 League’, the West Indian superstar brings out his best being every bowler’s worst nightmare.

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As another season of the Indian T20 league is drawing closer, let’s go back in time and look at the top five knocks from Gayle’s illustrious career in the cash-rich league:

5. 102 (55) Bangalore vs Kolkata, 2011

117 (57) Bangalore vs Punjab in 2015 (Source: Twitter)

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It was the 24^th match of the Indian T20 League 2011 when Kolkata realised their mistake of leaving the explosive left-hander ahead of the season. After batting first, Kolkata put up 171 runs on the board in their allotted 20 overs. What followed after was pure carnage as Gayle ripped apart the lacklustre bowling attack of Kolkata and scored a magnificent 102 off just 55 balls. Bangalore chased down the target in 18.1 overs as Gayle made a strong statement with his performance who went unsold in the auction ahead of the season.

4. 117 (57) Bangalore vs Punjab in 2015

128 (62) Bangalore vs Delhi, 2012 (Source: Twitter)

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After Punjab captain George Bailey won the toss and elected to field first, little did he know that he was going to regret his decision a few minutes later. Punjab were met with an annihilating Gayle Storm that was in no mood to stop. The T20 legend clobbered 117 off 57 balls as Bangalore posted a massive 226/3 in their allotted 20 overs.In reply, Punjab faltered under pressure and got bundled out for just 88 in 13.4 overs as Mitchell Starc and Sreenath Aravind picked up four wickets each.

3. 107 (49) Bangalore vs Punjab, in 2011

175 (66) Bangalore vs Pune, 2013 (Source: Twitter)

It looks like Gayle loved scoring against Punjab as he once again unleashed his wrath on the franchise scoring 107 off 49 balls in the 47^th match of the Indian T20 League 2011. Captain Adam Gilchrist won the toss and invited the star-studded batting lineup of Bangalore to bat first who posted a mammoth 205/6 courtesy of Gayle’s hundred. In reply, Punjab could only manage to score 120/9 in 20 overs.

2.128 (62) Bangalore vs Delhi, 2012

107 (49) Bangalore vs Punjab, in 2011 (Source: Twitter)

In 2012, Gayle was in no mood to stop as he once again unleashed his beast mode batting first against Delhi. He plundered a mammoth 128 off just 62 balls taking Bangalore to 215/1 after their allotted 20 overs. In reply, Delhi put up a good fight but eventually fell 21 runs short of the target finishing their innings at 194/9.

1.175 (66) Bangalore vs Pune, 2013

102 (55) Bangalore vs Kolkata, 2011 (Source: Twitter)

Aaron Finch won the toss in the 31^st match of the Indian T20 League 2013 at Bengaluru and invited the home team to bat first. Until then, the world was known to the ‘Gayle Storm’ but on that day the explosive opener introduced the world to ‘Gayle Storm 2.0’. Pune bowlers were left searching for answers as Gayle was seen in no mood to settle. He mercilessly thrashed the bowlers one after the other into the stan

ds and brought up the fastest-ever hundred of the league in just 30 balls. He finished with an unbeaten 175 off 66 balls smashing 13 fours and record-breaking 17 sixes.