Rajkot: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) opener Chris Gayle silenced his critics with a well-made 77-run knock against Gujarat Lions in Match 20 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 played at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
With the match-winning knock, Gayle also created history as he completed 10, 000 runs in the shortest format of the game. Not in the best of form, Gayle played a crucial knock for his team as RCB were languishing at the bottom in the points table with just one win from five matches.
As wishes poured in from all corners, Vijay Mallya, former owner of RCB took to Twitter to congratulate the big-hitting West Indian.
"Congrats Henry Gayle @henrygayle Universe Boss for an incredible 10,000 runs in T20 cricket," he tweeted.
Congrats Henry Gayle @henrygayle Universe Boss for an incredible 10,000 runs in T20 cricket
— Vijay Mallya (@TheVijayMallya) April 18, 2017
After being invited to bat first, Gayle and skipper Virat Kohli (64) got the team off to a brilliant start by adding 122 runs for the opening wicket in 12.4 overs. The partnership was broken by Basil Thampi, who trapped Gayle in front of the wicket.
Travis Head (30) and Kedar Jadhav (38) accelerated the pace of the innings in death overs to take the team to a formidable 214-run target.
In reply, after losing Dwayne Smith (1) in the second over of the innings, Lions never looked in control. Opener Brendon McCullum (72) played a brilliant knock but the hosts fell short by 21 runs.
