BANGALORE – West Indies opener Chris Gayle set a record for the fastest century in the history of professional cricket yesterday.
Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Jamaican smashed an unbeaten 175 off 66 balls.
Gayle raced to his ton off just 30 balls, battering the Pune Warriors bowling attack in an innings that included 17 sixes and 13 fours at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Gayle, 31, got to his century with a free-hit from medium-pacer Ashok Dinda which went crashing into the roof of one of the stands.
It was the Jamaican’s 11th sixth and by then he had also counted eight fours and failed to score from a mere seven balls.
“It was just one of those days. I went berserk and it just paid off,” said Gayle, who now has a staggering 11 centuries in Twenty20 cricket.
“I had a plain omelette and two pancakes for breakfast. I’m a bit hungry now, though.”
The West Indian’s 30-ball ton erases the previous 34-ball Twenty20 record set by Australia’s Andrew Symonds. The previous highest score in a Twenty20 match was 158 by New Zealander Brendon McCullum in the 2008 IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders against RCB.
The record for the fastest century in 50-over cricket is Shahid Afridi’s 37-ball ton for Pakistan against Sri Lanka in 1996, while the Test record belongs to Gayle’s fellow West Indian Sir Vivian Richards, who flayed England for a 56-ball 100 in Antigua in 1986.
Royal Challengers Bangalore finished on 263 for five from 20 overs to break Sri Lanka’s record of 260 for six against Kenya in the 2007 World Twenty20.
Gayle’s efforts paved the way for an easy victory by 133 runs as the Pune Warriors managed only 133 for nine.
For good measure, Gayle grabbed two wickets for five runs in one over to complete a dream match. (CMC/HG)
