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Legendary batter Chris Gayle, who represented West indies in the international cricket from 1999 to 2021 , was born on September 21, 1979. Gayle, nicknamed “The Universe Boss,” is regarded as one of the greatest batters to have played Twenty20 cricket. Over the course of his career, Gayle set numerous records across all the formats of the game. He is the only player to score a triplets of centuries, including a triple hundred in Tests, double hundred in ODIs, and a hundred in T20Is.
Not only this, but he is also the most capped player for his side in international cricket. Apart from this, Gayle also hold the record for hitting more than 14,000 runs and smashing more than 1000 sixes in T20. Moreover, the Jamaican has also recorded most number of runs for West Indies in both ODIs and T20Is. The cricketer, who turned 45, was also the first batter to score a double century in ODI cricket before repeating the same feat in World Cup cricket, where he scored 215 against Zimbabwe.
Accomplishments and highlights of Chris Gayle's career
As the Windies batter turns 45, let us have a look at his career highlights:
- Chris Gayle made his first-class debut in 1998 at the age of 19 for Jamaica and played his first ODI just eleven months later in 1999. Gayle’s first Test match came six months after his ODI debut.
- Since his debut, he was regarded as a destructive batter who recorded his maiden Test century against Zimbabwe, where he had scored 175.
- Gayle went on to become one of the only six players in the ODI history to have three or more scores of 150.
- In 2005, Gayle joined Worcestershire and played eight matches. He made two half-centuries in three first-class matches and two half-centuries in five one-day matches.
- Chris Gayle made the first century in international Twenty20 cricket where he scored 117 against South Africa in the first match of the tournament. With the ton, he became the first batter to score a century in each of international cricket’s three formats.
- The cricketer went on to become the first international player to remain not out throughout the entire innings in the format during the semifinal against Sri Lanka in the 2009 World Twenty 20.
- In April 2008, Chris Gayle was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL auction, but he missed the action due to Sri Lankan tour to the Caribbean.
- In November 2012, Gayle became the first player in the Test format to hit a six off the first ball of the match during first Test against Bangladesh.
- On July 1, 2019, Gayle, playing against Sri Lanka, became the most capped player for the West Indies in international match, where he was playing in the 455th match.
- Gayle played his last T20I match against Australia on November 6, 2021, and while he has not announced his retirement from international cricket yet, he wanted to play his last game in front of home crowd.
- Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, Gayle scored a 30-ball century and went on to become the highest individual T20 score with 175*. He also holds the record for most centuries in T20 cricket (21).
- He was a part of the ICC Champions Trophy 2004 winning squad as well as ICC World Twenty 20 winning squads in 2012 and 2016 for West Indies.
