Chris Gayle Birthday Special: Reliving His Highest IPL Scores

Aakash Saini

Best of Chris Gayle in IPL [Source: AFP Photos]Best of Chris Gayle in IPL [Source: AFP Photos]

Chris Gayle, one of the greatest of the Indian Premier League (IPL), redefined power-hitting in the Indian tournament with his larger-than-life presence. The West Indies icon decimated bowlers with astonishing sixes and unmatched flair, and often turned IPL stadiums like Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy into festivals of T20 cricket.

Celebrating Chris Gayle’s 46th birthday in September 2025, we take a look back at five of his best batting spectacles from his glorified IPL career.

5. Chris Gayle 104* vs SRH, IPL 2018

On April 19 back during the IPL 2018 season, Chris Gayle notched up the final of his six IPL hundreds, and his first and only for a non-RCB franchise. Opening the innings for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) alongside KL Rahul, Gayle smeared 104 unbeaten runs off just 63 balls with 11 huge sixes and a solitary boundary at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. The legendary opener formed explosive 50-plus stands with Rahul and number four Karun Nair as Punjab mounted 193-3 in 20 overs.

Chris Gayle was also adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ after Punjab Kings bowlers limited SRH within 15 runs from their target.

4. Chris Gayle 107 vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2011

Chris Gayle recorded his second IPL century, also his second of the IPL 2011 season, doing so against Punjab Kings in match number 47 of the tournament. The broad-shouldered opener belted nine towering sixes and another 10 boundaries to race to 107 off just 49 balls. Maintaining a staggering batting strike rate of 218.36, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise carted a colossal 205-6 in 20 overs, with AB de Villiers’ mere 27*-run act being the next biggest benefactor of the innings.

Chris Gayle also celebrated the occasion with three Punjab Kings wickets to cap a remarkable all-round performance as RCB won the match by 85 runs.

3. Chris Gayle 117 vs Punjab Kings, IPL 2015

Chris Gayle rained down 117 runs off just 57 balls against Punjab Kings in Bengaluru in match number 40 of the IPL 2015 season. The legendary RCB opener slapped seven fours and 12 huge sixes, and shared a 119-run partnership with silent opening partner Virat Kohli (32 off 30). Gayle’s another 71-run stand with AB de Villiers catapulted the RCB to 226-3 in 20 overs.

Even though Mitchell Starc and Sreenath Aravind picked up four wickets each to demolish Punjab Kings for just 88 in RCB’s huge 138-run win, it was Chris Gayle who walked away with the ‘Player of the Match’ honour.

2. Chris Gayle 128* vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2012

Chris Gayle clattered seven boundaries and 13 sixes in Delhi against hosts Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) in match 67 of the IPL 2012 season. Facing just 62 deliveries, the T20 batting behemoth tonked 128 unbeaten runs at a strike rate of 206.45. Gayle formulated a scintillating 204-run partnership for the second wicket with number three Virat Kohli (73* off 53) after the early loss of opener Tillakaratne Dilshan as RCB recorded 215-1 in 20 overs.

RCB ended up winning the match by 21 runs, with Gayle bagging the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

1. Chris Gayle 175* vs Pune Warriors, IPL 2013

April 23, 2013 was the day when Chris Gayle pretty much immortalized himself forever into the archives of IPL cricket. The seasoned opener notched up the highest individual score in the history of the league by a landslide, cracking 175* runs off just 66 balls with 13 fours and 17 huge sixes against Pune Warriors in Bengaluru. Moreover, Gayle blasted his century from just 30 balls, an astonishing record that stands to this day.

Batting throughout the innings, Gayle’s mayhem helped RCB amass a record 263-5 in 20 overs, with AB de Villiers adding the finishing touches through his explosive eight-ball 31.