Kolkata: On his day, he can demolish any bowling attack on any given surface. And when he hits the ball, they stay hit and it is an absolute joy to watch him, when he’s in full throttle. Yes, I am talking about West Indian T20 star, Christopher Henry Gayle.
After creating a flurry of records in T20 cricket over all these years, Gayle now becomes the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in the shortest version of the game. He now joins an elite list of cricketers who was the first to reach to the 10,000-run mark in all formats and levels of the game, which comprises of names like Englishman William Gilbert Grace (First class), Kiwi legend Glenn Turner (List A) , the iconic Sunil Gavaskar (Test) and the god Sachin Tendulkar (ODI).
Gayle’s other records in T20 cricket include, the most of hundreds (18), the most fifties (60), the highest score (175* for RCB in IPL), the most sixes (736), the most fours (764) and the joint fastest fifty (of only 12 balls for the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League).
He achieved this historic milestone in the IPL game between Bangalore and Gujarat after he took a single in the fourth over. And there couldn’t be anything better than a RCB win to celebrate this piece of history. The Virat Kohli led Bangalore team finally got their batting unit together as they put on a total of 213 runs on the board.
Gayle’s fireworks in his hard-hitting knock of 77 runs of just 38 balls was instrumental in scripting a victory for his team. Skipper Kohli too scored a wonderful 64.
Earlier, Gujarat skipper Suresh Raina had won the toss and chose to field first. And this idea backfired heavily as openers- Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle started to attack right from the beginning itself, stitching a solid 122 run partnership in just 12.4 overs.
Even when Kohli got out, Travis Head and Kedar Jadav combined to put on a solid 213/2. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was the most of costly of all bowlers today having conceded 57 runs from his four overs.
And coming in to bat, Gujarat Lions lost opener Dwayne Smith and skipper Raina, too departed after having played a cameo. The Gujarat innings however was resurrected by the duo of Aaron Finch and Brendon McCullum.
Despite Finch’s dismissal, McCullum(72) continued fighting the lone battle before he was caught by Adam Milne off the bowling of Yuzvendra Chahal who ended up with 3 wickets giving away 31 runs in this match. The other spinner, Pawan Negi also bowled a beautiful spell.
Ishan Kishan’s valiant 39 from 16 balls towards the end of the match went in vain as Bangalore beat Gujarat by 21 runs.
With their second win in this tournament, Virat Kohli’s Bangalore are now at the sixth position in the league table, while Gujarat’s woes continue this season as they are at the bottom of the list with a solitary win to their name.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 213/2 (Chris Gayle 77, Virat Kohli 64; Basil Thampi 1/31) beat Gujarat Lions 192/7 (Brendon McCullum 72, Ishan Kishan 39; Yuzvendra Chahal 3/31) by 21 runs.