Chris Gayle: 175* in T20 Cricket, 10,480 ODI Runs — The Universe Boss of T20
Christopher Henry Gayle was born on 21 September 1979 in Kingston, Jamaica. He played 103 Tests (7,214 runs at 42.18, 15 centuries), 301 ODIs (10,480 runs at 37.11, 25 centuries) and 79 T20Is (1,627 runs at 35.37). He is the greatest T20 franchise batter of all time: his 175 not out off 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India in the IPL on 23 April 2013 is the highest individual innings in the history of T20 cricket anywhere. He has scored the most IPL runs of any player (14,562 across 12 seasons), and 6 IPL centuries (also a record). He won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2012. He was a West Indies opening batsman who could destroy any attack — his 333 against South Africa at Antigua in 2005 was the highest Test score at that ground and one of the highest individual Test scores of the era. In franchise T20 cricket he played for teams across IPL, CPL, BBL, PSL, BPL and more, rewriting records at every stage.
Chris Gayle was born on 21 September 1979 in Kingston, Jamaica. He made his Test debut vs Zimbabwe in March 2000 and played 103 Tests, scoring 7,214 runs at 42.18 with 15 centuries. He played 301 ODIs (10,480 runs at 37.11, 25 centuries) and 79 T20Is (1,627 runs at 35.37). An explosive left-handed opening batsman, he played a key role in the early era of T20 cricket and became the defining figure of the franchise T20 era. In Test cricket he averaged 42 with 15 centuries; yet his legacy has been shaped most powerfully by his T20 batting, where he rewrote what was considered possible with a bat in 20 overs.
175 Not Out: The Greatest T20 Innings
On 23 April 2013 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, Chris Gayle scored 175 not out off 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India in the IPL — the highest individual innings in T20 cricket history anywhere in the world. He reached his century in just 30 balls — the fastest T20 century ever at that time. He hit 17 sixes and 13 fours; RCB posted 263/5, then the highest T20 total in India. Gayle was dismissed on the second-last ball of the innings (by Rahul Sharma). He was named Man of the Match. The innings remains the highest in IPL history and one of only a handful of T20 scores above 150. He also scored the most IPL runs of any player (14,562 across 12 seasons) with 6 IPL centuries — both records.
Test Career and West Indian Legacy
Gayle was also a genuine force in Test cricket — his 333 vs South Africa at Antigua's Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in 2005 was the highest score at that ground. He has 15 Test centuries across 103 matches at an average of 42.18 — solid for an opener. His Test career is often overshadowed by his T20 celebrity, but he was a top-order batsman capable of batting for long periods in the longest format as well. He won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2012 with West Indies — the second T20 World Cup title for the Caribbean. In franchise cricket he played across IPL (RCB, KXI Punjab — now PBKS), CPL (Jamaica Tallawahs), BBL (Brisbane Heat), and PSL (Peshawar Zalmi), generating T20 records in multiple leagues. His nickname, 'Universe Boss', reflects how he viewed — and carried — his status as the defining batter of the T20 franchise era.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Chris Gayle's 175 not out in IPL 2013 so significant?
Chris Gayle's 175 not out off 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India on 23 April 2013 is significant for multiple reasons: it is the highest individual innings in T20 cricket history (across all formats and competitions); his century came in 30 balls — the fastest T20 century when scored; he hit 17 sixes and 13 fours; and RCB's total of 263/5 was then the highest T20 total in India. The innings combined exceptional timing with extraordinary power and was scored against a Test-quality bowling attack. It set records that stood for years: his 175* still (as of 2026) tops all T20 innings globally, and his 17 sixes in an innings has been equalled but not exceeded consistently.
What are Chris Gayle's most important records in international and franchise cricket?
Chris Gayle's key records span two formats: in international cricket he scored 10,480 ODI runs at 37.11 (301 ODIs, 25 centuries) — placing him among the highest ODI run-scorers ever; and 7,214 Test runs at 42.18 (103 Tests, 15 centuries). In franchise T20 cricket his records are unmatched: most IPL runs ever (14,562 across 12 seasons), most IPL centuries (6), and the highest T20 innings globally (175* off 66 balls). He also hit the most sixes in T20 cricket across all competitions. He won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2012 with West Indies. His combination of international longevity (Test debut 2000) and T20 franchise dominance (IPL debut 2009 through 2021) makes him a unique figure across cricket's evolution.