Gayle blew past the previous record of 37 balls set by Yusuf Pathan before the first strategic time-out, which was taken at the end of the ninth over.
Chris Gayle left a trail of shattered bowlers on his way to the fastest 100 in IPL history. BCCI by Tariq Engineer 33 mins ago
Chris Gayle shattered the record for the fastest 100 in the IPL and the fastest 100 in T20 history with a six that flew out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. It was carnage on a grand scale as Gayle raced to three figures in just 30 balls, having smashed 11 sixes, most of them straight and over long-on, and eight fours.
The previous IPL record was owned by Yusuf Pathan, who bludgeoned a 100 from just 37 balls back when he played for Rajasthan Royals, but Gayle blew past that mark before the first strategic time-out, which was taken at the end of the ninth over.
He actually began sedately, scoring just a single from his first three deliveries. That has been his pattern this season, to take his time before flexing his hitting muscles. It was poor Ishwar Pandey who got Gayle up and running. Playing in his first game this season - and now possibly his last - Pandey started with two wide deliveries outside off that Gayle smacked for four. A no-ball and a free hit led to two more fours and by the end of the over, Gayle had 21 from 10 balls.
Mitchell Marsh was the next to suffer - in an over that was briefly the most expensive this season. Gayle went 6, 6, 4, 0, 6, 6, the last of which brought a burst of laughter from Virat Kohli sitting in the dugout. It was clean, powerful hitting from a man who has become synonymous with T20 cricket, and whom crowds the world over flock to see for this very reason.
Gayle's first 50 took just 17 balls but it turns out he was just getting warmed up. Pune Warriors brought on the left-arm spin of Ali Murtaza in desperation, but that was just more meat and drink to Gayle, who plundered 17 from the over. For reasons best known to him, Aaron Finch decided to bowl his own left-arm spin despite Gayle's assault on Murtaza. The result was devastatingly predictable.
The first ball Gayle faced in the over disappeared over deep midwicket; the second over nearly carried onto the roof over long-on. The third just went for four back over....
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