Former West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle is popular for his fierce batting and ability to hit long sixes during his cricketing career. He is among the best hitter in T20 cricket and has played many iconic knocks in the shortest of the game. Gayle has also scored the first-ever century in the history of the T20 World Cup. During the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007, 27-year-old Chris Gayle showed his beast mode in a match against the hosts South Africa in Johannesburg on September 11.
Although West Indies couldn’t win that match, Chris Gayle became the first player in the history to score a century in the T20 World Cup. With West Indies batting first against South Africa, Chris Gayle opened the innings with Devon Smith as both the openers added 145 runs for the first wicket in 13.3 overs. Gayle went on to smash a century in 50 balls.
The left-hander got out after scoring 117 runs in 57 balls with the help of seven fours and 10 sixes at a strike rate of 205.26. With the help of his knock, West Indies 205/6 in their 20 overs. However, it wasn’t enough as the Proteas chased the target in just 1.7.4 overs losing two wickets with Herschelle Gibbs smashing 90*(55) runs.
Chris Gayle scored most centuries in T20 World Cup
Chris Gayle also boasts the record for scoring most centuries in the history of the T20 World Cup. Nine years after his maiden century during the 2007 T20 World Cup, he went on to score another ton during the 2016 T20 World Cup. In the match against England at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 16, Gayle smashed an unbeaten 100*(48) runs as West Indies won the match by six wickets. With this, Chris Gayle also scored the fastest century in the T20 World Cup history as he reached the triple figure mark in just 47 balls.
Till now, total 11 centuries have been scored in 17 years of the T20 World Cup. Out of which, Chris Gayle has scored most centuries in the tournament’s history. Apart from that, batters like Suresh Raina, Mahela Jayawardene, Brenden McCullum, Alex Hales, Ahmed Shehzad, Tamim Iqbal, Jos Buttler, Rilee Rossouw, and Glenn Phillips have also a century to their name in the T20 World Cup.
List of Centuries in the T20 World Cup
