IPL 2015: Chris Gayle Creates History, First Man to Hit 500 Sixes in T20 Cricket

Two years after smashing the highest-ever individual score in the Indian Premier League, Chris Gayle found his way to the record books again, becoming the first man to hit 500 sixes in Twenty20 cricket. Playing his 201st T20 game, Gayle managed to score only 10 in Royal Challengers Bangalores' rained-out match against Rajasthan Royals but ensured he took something away from the game, when he dispatched Tim Southee over long off.(Scorecard | Highlights)

Gayle is miles ahead in the pecking order as far as sixes are concerned. Kieron Pollard, his West Indian teammate and Mumbai Indians rival, is second with 348 'maximums'. Besides, Gayle's tally of fours (569) is the second highest next only to the 638 by Brad Hodge of Australia.

Gayle, who started off playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, before moving over to RCB, has amassed 2927 runs from 74 matches. He has four hundreds, the most in the IPL, besides his 18 fifties. But the Jamaican has had an indifferent season so far, managing just 219 runs in six games, with a highest of 96 against his former employers, KKR. Gayle was even dropped for a match, before widespread protests followed a recall.

Other Numbers From RCB vs RR:

- For the first time a match between Rajasthan and Bangalore has failed to produce a result. Both teams have won seven games each out of 15 played in the IPL.

- Royal Challengers Bangalore (200 for seven) have recorded their highest total vs Rajasthan Royals - their sixth total of 200 or more in the IPL.

- Bangalore's highest ever total in the IPL is 263 for five vs Pune Warriors at Bangalore on April 23, 2013.

- Six totals of 200 or more have been recorded against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL - the previous occasion being Chennai's 246 for five at Chennai on April 3, 2010.

- de Villiers (57 off 45 balls) has posted his 15th innings of fifty-plus in the IPL - a hundred and fourteen fifties. The said innings is his eleventh fifty for Bangalore in the IPL.

- de Villiers has managed 233 runs in six innings at an average of 46.60 - the most by a Bangalore batsman in this IPL. The second place is shared by Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle - 219 runs each. His 41-ball fifty today is his slowest in the IPL - his first in this IPL.

- de Villiers is the first batsman to hit five fifties in twelve innings vs Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, eclipsing the four hit by Shaun Marsh in seven innings.

(Stats Courtesy: Rajesh Kumar)