Chris Gayle set the record for the highest individual score in Twenty20 cricket with an undefeated 175 runs against the now-defunct Pune Warriors India (PWI) on this day eight years ago. Among the many other IPL records, his achievement still stands out. Prior to Gayle, the award had gone to Brendon McCullum, who had 158 runs for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the league’s inaugural season. Gayle’s epic 66-ball knock is now etched in the minds of most die-hard fans.
Punjab Kings posted a photo of the ‘Universe Boss’ from their net session on Friday, captioning it, “Highest-ever T20 score (175), Fastest T20 century, Most sixes in an innings. #OnThisDay, we all witnessed a #GayleStorm.”
Highest-ever T20 score (175)💥
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 23, 2021
Fastest T20 century 🔥
Most sixes in an innings 💪#OnThisDay, we all witnessed a #GayleStorm 🤩#SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings #IPL pic.twitter.com/hvUlqvZAOT
The historic moment occurred during the IPL 2013’s 31st games. Since it was rainy that day, the match had to be postponed for a few minutes. What happened next, though, no one could have predicted.
Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan opened the batting for RCB, and Gayle quickly raced to his fifty off just 17 balls. After that, he only needed 13 balls to reach his century. Gayle’s 30-ball century in that game is also the IPL’s fastest century. Gayle went on to score 75 runs in the next 36 bats. His 175-run innings had 17 sixes.
RCB scored 263 runs for the loss of five wickets in their 20 overs, becoming the first team in the IPL to reach the 250-run mark. RCB’s 263 against PWI remains the highest ever team total in the event’s history.
Pune could only muster a paltry 133/9 in response, as RCB cruised to victory by 130 runs.