IPL 2017, Match 20, GL vs RCB: CT Player of the match – Chris Gayle

Royal Challengers Bangalore were desperate for a win today having lost three on the trot. RCB were losing ground in the race for the top four and today, a win was a must for them. After losing the toss, the team from Bangalore was asked to bat and they embraced the opportunity with both hands.

There were quite a few changes in the visiting squad but Chris Gayle coming in was one of the major changes. After being dropped in the previous game, Gayle took this opportunity to prove himself as he smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Gayle scored a smashing 77 of just 38 deliveries which makes him our player of the match. His innings helped RCB get to a total of 213 for the loss of just 2 wickets. Let us break his innings down to get a better understanding of the phenomenon called Chris Gayle.

Slow and steady to start off.

Gayle was determined to do well today. Like before, Gayle opened the innings with Kohli and both the openers were gearing up for a big partnership. Out of the first four overs, Kohli had faced 17 deliveries and Gayle had not scored much of the seven he faced.

He was watchful as he let Kohli take the upper hand at the start. Gayle had scored only 17 runs of 11 deliveries and was planning to launch an attack soon. The attack came immediately after the powerplay as the man from the Caribbean went on the offensive against the opposition.

Gayle-storm hit the stadium of Rajkot.

Chris Gayle was not letting this opportunity go. After a steady start, Gayle was lining up every bowler but took a liking for Ravindra Jadeja. The Indian spinner was in top form but that did not bother Gayle as he scored 21 runs off the ace spinner.

This was just a starting as he went on to hit seven massive sixes in his innings and five boundaries as 62 of his 77 runs came in boundaries. This innings of his proved to be vital as RCB went on to score in excess of 200 which was a bit too much for Gujarat Lions to chase.

Laid a solid foundation for the other batters.

Kohli took the initiative at the start of the innings and then passed the baton to Chris Gayle as he just watched Gayle bludgeon the bowlers from the other end. Hitting the bowlers to all parts of the ground, this pair brought up their 100 run partnership in the 11^th over.

Gayle was involved in what went on to be a match-winning partnership as the pair of Kohli and Gayle put up a solid 122 for the first wicket, laying a good foundation for the other batters to come.

Reached a place where no other player has ever been.

Chris Gayle has been fantastic for Royal Challengers Bangalore over the years but today was a special day for him. The man from West Indies achieved a rare feat today, he reached a milestone as he became the first batter ever in T20 cricket to reach 10,000 runs.

After playing for countless franchises in different countries and scoring runs all around the world, Gayle achieved this tremendous feat. He has scored these runs at an impressive strike rate of 149 and that makes him the fastest and the only person to reach 10,000 runs.

For this amazing feat and his incredible innings, Chris Gayle has earned 4 stars out of 5 and is CricTracker’s player of the match.