CRICKET
Chris Gayle surpasses 10,000-run landmark in T20 cricket
The 37-year-old West Indian became the first batsman to accumulate 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket after hitting 77 in the IPL on Tuesday.
West Indies batsman Chris Gayle became the first player to reach 10,000 runs in Twenty20 after scoring 77 in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s victory over Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.
Brought in as a replacement for the injured AB de Villiers, the 37-year-old began the match with 9,997 runs. He smashed 77 off 38 balls with five fours and seven sixes to lead the Bangalore side to a 21-run win over Gujarat Lions.
"Samuel Badree reminded me before the game and said 'Chris only three more runs to go, make sure you get it' so it was actually playing on my mind a bit.
"Once I crossed the line, I said: 'Listen it's time to have a go' and then it eventually paid off, so I am really happy to get the runs," he said on the landmark.
Gayle: "I still have a lot more to offer"
The Jamaican, who has played all over the world in all three formats of cricket, insists that there is still plenty more to come from him.
"It has been fantastic and like I said I still have a lot more to offer to the fans. Hopefully, I can keep entertaining and get a few more thousand runs under my belt," said Gayle.
No rival for his record
No other player has even crossed the 8,000-run mark in T20s. The second highest run-scorer after Gayle is the Lahore Qalandars batsman and former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, who has reached 7,596 runs.