BANGALORE, India, CMC Chris Gayle says it was too soon to grasp the significance of his history making accomplishment after setting a new record for the fastest century in the history of professional cricket yesterday.
Gayle smashed an astonishing ton off just 30 balls playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.
The West Indian opener battered the Pune Warriors bowling attack in an innings that included seven dot balls, four singles, eight fours and 11 sixes at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.
“Words can’t explain how I feel, I think later on tonight when I am by myself I can look back and reflect on what I’ve done today,” said Gayle.
“I’m grateful, overall from a team point of view, I’m really happy with the win,that put us on top of the table, just one of those innings, one of these days when you come out and things go according to how you want it to.”
Gayle’s innings laid the foundation for RCB 130 run win over the Warriors and broke the record for the fastest T20 hundred, the highest individual score in T20 and the most sixes in an innings
The Jamaican batsman finished with a world record score of 175 not out that included 13 fours, 17 sixes from 66 balls.
RCB finished on 263 for five from 20 overs to break Sri Lanka’s record of 260-6 against Kenya in the 2007 World Twenty20.
“I didn’t want to just get the hundred and continue blasting and blasting and get out, you know how quickly this game can change,” Gayle said.
“I wanted to stay there till the end, make sure I bat at least 18 overs, if not all, which I did, I look on that as a point of view, where I try and bat as many overs as possible, get the hundred, and then actually let Dilly [Tillakaratne Dilshan] take charge while I get a break and pick it up back in the end.”
Gayle also picked up two wickets for five runs from one over while his West Indian colleague Ravi Rampaul also grabbed two for 21 as Warriors crawled to 133 for nine in 20 overs.
