Birthday special: Top 3 IPL records held by Chris Gayle

One of the all-time greats, Chris Gayle, turned 43 on Wednesday, September 21. Born in Jamaica, the Universe Boss has truly been a legend of the game, who has asserted his dominance across formats.

The southpaw has been a great servant for the West Indies and all the franchises he has played for across the globe. Since his debut in 1999, Gayle has showcased his mighty prowess and hard-hitting strokeplay with the bat.

While he played his last international game for West Indies in 2021, he has yet to announce his official retirement.

👕 483 international matches
🏏 19593 runs
💯 42 centuries
☝️ 260 wickets

✅ Only player to score a triple 💯 in Tests, double 💯 in ODIs & 💯 in T20Is
🏆 Champions Trophy (2004) and T20 World Cup (2012, 2016) winner

Happy Birthday,@henrygayle! 🥳🎉

#CricketTwitter https://t.co/kfT55q7t87

Gayle, who has represented over 30 different franchises in his career, has been an ambassador of T20 cricket. However, his exploits in the Indian Premier League (IPL) hold a special place in the hearts of Indian fans.

With almost 5000 runs in 142 IPL matches, Gayle has accomplished many unimaginable feats in his IPL career. Since his debut in 2009, the left-hander has played for three IPL franchises: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).

With Chris Gayle celebrating his 43rd birthday today, let's take a look at the top three IPL records that are in the name of the Universe Boss.

#1 Highest individual score in the IPL

On this day 7 years ago, one of most entertaining knock of all time from Chris Gayle. The Gayle Storm that just blown PWI all the way, an all time great knock that we witnessed. Records were disintegrating in that innings, all thanks to that 175* (66). https://t.co/6l1cDy9cC9

The record for the best individual score in an Indian Premier League innings belongs to Chris Gayle. In an IPL 2013 match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Pune Warriors India (PWI), Gayle scored an astounding 175 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The former RCB opener's riveting 66-ball innings featured 13 fours and 17 maximums. The highest team total in IPL history was achieved during the game as the Bengalore-based franchise registered 263/5 in 20 overs courtesy of Gayle's breathtaking 175 runs.

Apart from this, Gayle's once-in-a-lifetime innings broke several other IPL records, including the fastest century and the record for most sixes in a single innings. The Jamaican reached his immaculate ton in just 30 deliveries and clobbered 17 sixes in total on that day.

#2 Most number of hundreds in the IPL

Chris Gayle scored six centuries in his IPL career

Despite scoring his last IPL century back in 2018, Gayle still holds the record for notching up the most number of centuries in the cash-rich league.

The Caribbean batter has six hundreds to his name, one more than Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler, who both have five tons in the IPL.

Five of Gayle's IPL hundreds came for RCB, while his last one came as a PBKS player against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

#3 Most sixes in the IPL history

Chris Gayle is a brand in T20 cricket history, the first big superstar of the IPL and probably the biggest IPL draw. From most international sixes record to one of only three to smash 2 triples in Tests, he was a complete batsman!

A very happy birthday to The Universe Boss! https://t.co/vv2cl936gh

It's no surprise that Gayle leads the six-hitting charts as well. The newly-turned 43-year old has recorded as many as 357 maximums in IPL history and is at number one position on the list of batsmen with the most IPL sixes.

While he has whacked over 350 sixes in the league, no other batter has even hit 250 sixes, barring AB De Villiers, who clobbered 251 maximums in his illustrious career.

Gayle has been a fantastic showman in the IPL, and it remains to be seen whether he returns for the final time next year.