Gayle destroys KXIP with a brutal ton, takes RCB to 205/6

Bangalore, May 6 (PTI) Chris Gayle played one of the most
destructive innings in Twenty20 cricket as he plundered a
49-ball 107 lashed with a record nine sixes to single-handedly
take Royal Challengers Bangalore to 205 for six in their IPL
match against Kings XI Punjab here on Friday.
During his brutal innings which took his side to the
second highest total of IPL 4, Gayle went past a flurry of
records as he became the first player to score two centuries
in the tournament's history after his 55-ball 102 against
Kolkata Knight Riders in his first match this year.
Friday's sensational knock by Gayle which left the M A
Chidambaram Stadium crowd spellbound was the fastest hundred
in IPL 4, bettering Virender Sehwag's 48-ball ton against
Deccan Chargers by two balls.
Gayle, however, was way behind Yusuf Pathan's record
37-ball hundred last year, the fastest centuty in the IPL
history.
The nine sixes smashed by the West Indian on Friday was
the most in IPL 4, two more than his own seven during his
unbeaten 102 against Kolkata. Gayle, who played for Kolkata in
the last two seasons, has now struck 21 sixes in the IPL, the
highest in the tournament's history, three more than Delhi
captain Virender Sehwag's 18.
Out of Gayle's 107 on a spongy track on Friday, 94 came
from fours and sixes, also the most in the IPL history.
Gayle was out in the 15th over bowled by Piyush Chawla as
his pull shot landed into the hands of Ryan Harris at deep
midwicket to the relief of KXIP players. RCB were 103 for one
at the halfway mark and 154 for two when Gayle was out with
the scoring rate over 10 runs per over.
The departure of the West Indian saw the scoring rate dip
a bit with Virat Kohli (27) out in the second ball after the
fall of Gayle.
Saurabh Tiwary (13) and Asad Pathan (0) fell in
consecutive balls in the 18th over bowled by Harris who,
however, failed to take a hat-trict of wickets. He though
removed Mohammed Kaif (3) in the last over. A B de Villiers
remained not out on 27.
Harris was the most successful KXIP bowler with 3/38 from
his four overs while Chawla took 2/37 from his quota of four
overs.
RCB openers Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan (16) kept
quiet for the first three overs though both hit a four each in
the first over bowled by Praveen Kumar.
Gayle launched himself with two sixes off Harris in the
fourth over. Dilshan joined the party with two fours in the
same over which yielded 21 runs.
Dilshan was, however, out in the next over holing out to
Praveen Kumar while going for a big shot.
Gayle milked 22 runs from Praveen Kumar in the eighth
over with two sixes and as many fours as he reached his fifty
in just 28 balls.
The West Indian, who joined RCB midway into the IPL as
replacemnet of injured Dirk Nannes after being overlooked by
his Board for the home Pakistan series, greeted Chawla, who
was introduced in the 10th over, with two sixes.