Credit: @RajputM30467636
Dive into the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium carnage as Chris Gayle smashes records and obliterates Pune Warriors in an unforgettable display of power hitting
On April 23rd, 2013, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore witnessed an extraordinary display of batting power. Chris Gayle, the West Indian juggernaut, unleashed an innings that would redefine the limits of T20 cricket. This article revisits that night, exploring the records broken, the bowlers dismantled, and the sheer dominance of a batsman in his prime.
Imagine a world where boundaries are afterthoughts, a world where sixes rain down like a relentless monsoon, and a world where bowlers lose their nerve before bowling a single ball. This wasn't a fantasy; it was the reality that unfolded for the hapless Pune Warriors bowling attack. Ishwar Pandey, the season's leading wicket-taker in the prestigious Ranji Trophy, was left shell-shocked after his first over was dispatched for a staggering 21 runs. This was just the first tremor in the coming earthquake.
Gayle wasn't interested in the niceties of building an innings; he was here to demolish one. The bowlers, a mix of hopeful youngsters and seasoned veterans, were simply no match for his raw power and unquenchable thirst for runs. The fastest T20 century? Gone in a whirlwind of 30 balls. The highest individual score in T20s? A new benchmark of 175* was set, a mountain that still stands tall today.
Credit: @mejayjoshi
Gayle celebrating his ton
The most sixes by a batsman in a T20 innings? A staggering 17 balls disappeared into the night sky, a testament to Gayle's ability to turn even the most innocuous delivery into a missile. Royal Challengers Bangalore, inspired by their talisman, also rewrote the record books by notching up the then highest team total in T20 history—a mammoth 263 for 5, which is broken by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL.
There was a poetry to Gayle's brutality that day. He treated spinners with disdain, launching them over the ropes with effortless ease. Even length deliveries were dispatched with minimum fuss, the immense power behind his strokes evident in the way the ball disappeared into the distance.
The despair on the faces of the Pune Warriors players painted a thousand words. Luke Wright's forced smile when facing Gayle, Yuvraj Singh's helpless head shake as ball after ball sailed over the boundary, and Aaron Finch's quick retreat after being carted for four sixes in a single over—these were snapshots of a team utterly demoralised.
Chris Gayle (Universe Boss) 175*🔥@henrygayle #IPL pic.twitter.com/NM1aQWnJvj
— Fred🔴 (@Cricketclips501) March 28, 2024
Credit: @Cricketclips501
While Gayle was the undisputed star of the show, a true colossus wouldn't be complete without a supporting cast. Tillakaratne Dilshan played the role of the perfect opening partner, contributing a steady 33 at the top. This not only allowed Gayle to dominate but also ensured a solid foundation for the carnage to come.
AB de Villiers, the master of the audacious, unleashed his fury at the death, smashing a quickfire 31 off just eight balls. Chasing an improbable target of 264, the Pune Warriors crumbled under the pressure, succumbing to a 130-run defeat, the second-biggest loss in IPL history.
The Chris Gayle we witnessed that day was a far cry from the shy youngster who made his international debut against India in 1999. This was a man reborn, a colossus of power-hitting who had redefined the art of batting in T20 cricket.
