Chris Gayle Archives

Babar Azam closes in on Chris Gayle’s T20 record

SYDNEY: Pakistan batting star Babar Azam has put himself within touching distance of a major T20 landmark during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15, as he edges closer to breaking a long-standing record held by West Indies great Chris Gayle.

Representing Sydney Sixers in his maiden BBL campaign, Babar endured a quiet start to the tournament, managing just 11 runs across his first two appearances.

However, the right-hander rediscovered his touch in the high-voltage Sydney derby against Thunder on Saturday, producing a composed and timely knock that underlined his class.

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After a cautious beginning, Babar settled in and brought up his maiden BBL half-century off 38 deliveries.

He was eventually dismissed in the 18th over while attempting to take on Reece Topley, walking back with a well-crafted 58 from 42 balls, an innings decorated with five fours and two sixes.

The half-century marked Babar’s 107th score of 50 or more in T20 cricket, achieved in 331 innings. He is currently fourth on the all-time list for most 50-plus scores in the shortest format.

Australia’s David Warner leads the standings with 121 such scores, followed by India’s Virat Kohli on 114, while Gayle sits third with 110.

Catch Big Bash League (BBL) 15 news updates here!

With four more 50-plus scores, Babar Azam will surpass Gayle’s record, and the numbers suggest the milestone is well within reach.

Sydney Sixers still have at least seven group-stage matches remaining in BBL 15, with further opportunities likely should they progress to the playoffs.

Babar’s return to form also played a decisive role in the derby clash. He shared a match-defining 140-run second-wicket partnership with Josh Philippe, lifting the Sixers to a formidable 198 for five against their arch-rivals.

READ: Star batter axed as India name T20 World Cup 2026 squad

Chris Gayle, Jacques Kallis, Shane Watson set to return to action

Cricket fans are in for a nostalgic treat early next year as global icons Chris Gayle, Jacques Kallis, and Shane Watson headline the inaugural Legends Pro T20 League, scheduled to take place in Goa, India.

The tournament, featuring some of the biggest names to have graced the sport, will run from January 26 to February 4, 2026, at the newly built 1919 Sportz Cricket Stadium in Goa.

The league will host six franchise-based teams, bringing together 90 former international stars in a competition designed to blend entertainment, rivalry, and experience.

A long list of high-profile former players has already confirmed participation, including Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Dale Steyn, Shaun Marsh, Amit Mishra, Vinay Kumar, Monty Panesar, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, and Stuart Binny, ensuring the tournament’s opening edition is loaded with star power.

Adding gravitas to the league structure, former Australian captain Michael Clarke has been appointed League Commissioner. Clarke expressed his excitement about taking on the role and returning to a cricket environment he holds close.

“India, being one of the biggest homes of cricket, holds a special place for me,” Clarke said.

“The passion of the fans, the pride, and the privilege of being part of this league, and the chance to reunite with some old friends as well as fierce rivals, make it truly special.

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“I can’t wait to see fans enjoy high-quality cricket and unforgettable moments in Goa.”

The players themselves are equally enthusiastic. West Indies great Chris Gayle, known for his flamboyance and unmatched T20 presence, spoke of the joy in reconnecting with long-time rivals and teammates.

“Some of my best memories involve these guys,” Gayle shared.

“I’ve battled against Kallis when getting past him felt impossible, talked batting rhythm with Uthappa, and taken more Rayudu banter than I can count.

“Seeing names like Dhawan or Watson again brings back the jokes, the competitiveness, the respect. The Legends Pro T20 League is giving us that chance.”

South African legend Jacques Kallis echoed the sentiment, admitting he is eager to “feel like a player once more.”

“I’m genuinely excited to pick it up again, that simple rhythm of hitting balls, finding timing, feeling like a player once more,” Kallis said.

“And seeing Michael Clarke step in as commissioner adds real professionalism and vision. It just makes you look forward even more to enjoying the game with familiar faces.”

READ: Debutant Mitchell Hay helps put New Zealand on top in West Indies Test

Chris Gayle excited for ‘new era’ of India-Pakistan rivalry

DUBAI: Former West Indies superstar Chris Gayle has joined the chorus of voices building up to the blockbuster Asia Cup 2025 clash between Pakistan and India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Gayle shared his excitement about the encounter, calling it a new chapter in one of cricket’s greatest rivalries.

“It’s the #IndvsPak game again & it always brings excitement for fans across the globe,” Chris Gayle wrote.

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“Both teams have moved on from their superstars, and it’s the new era for the rivalry. The atmosphere will be great & hope for a cracker of a game. #AsiaCup2025.”

The former T20 trailblazer, who has played against both nations at the highest level, underlined how the rivalry continues to thrive despite the transition away from iconic names like Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Rohit Sharma, and Mohammad Rizwan.

The highly anticipated showdown will be the first T20I meeting between the two sides since India edged out Pakistan in a tense, low-scoring thriller during the World Cup 2024 in New York.

Catch Asia Cup 2025 news updates here!

Both teams come into the contest in strong form. India dismantled the UAE in their opening match, bowling them out for just 57 and chasing the target in 4.3 overs, while Pakistan brushed aside Oman with a 93-run win on Friday.

Pakistan squad: Salman Agha (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.

READ: Key update on Pakistan’s Playing XI ahead of India clash

‘I cried because I was really hurt’: Chris Gayle opens up on difficult time with IPL franchise

Former West Indies opener Chris Gayle has revealed a massive revelation about his troubled time with Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Overall, Gayle played 141 matches for three franchises in IPL from 2009 to 2021. His last stint came for the Punjab Kings in 2021, a franchise for which he has played for four years, mainly as an opening batter.

Speaking during a recent podcast, Gayle shed light on his IPL career and revealed the difficult time of his career in India’s premier T20 competition.

“My IPL ended prematurely with Punjab. To be honest, I was disrespected at Kings XI Punjab. I felt I wasn’t treated properly as a senior player who had done so much for the league and brought value to the franchise, he said.

“Instead, they treated me like a kid. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was slipping into depression,” Gayle recalled.

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The 45-year-old emphasized mental well-being and recalled the instance of calling Anil Kumble, who was head coach of the franchise.

“Your mental health is more important than money. I called Anil (Kumble) and told him I was leaving. At the same time, we were stuck in a bubble, which was destroying me mentally,” Gayle explained.

He also stated that he was not amused with the way the team was managed, noting that he burst into tears while talking to Kumble.

“I broke down talking to Anil, and I cried because I was really hurt. I was disappointed with him and the way the franchise was run. KL Rahul, the captain, even called me saying, ‘Chris, stay, you’ll play the next game.’ But I just said, ‘I wish you all the best,’ packed my bag, and I walked out.”

“I was mistreated. I am available—if they want me, I’ll come. But yes, I do have grudges. Loyalty means a lot to me,” Gayle concluded.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed reacts to Pakistan tri-series victory over Afghanistan

Chris Gayle slams ‘Panicked’ Mulder for not breaking Brian Lara’s world record

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle has launched a scathing attack on South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder for forgoing the chance to break Brian Lara’s world record.

Last week, Proteas stand-in skipper Mulder played a monumental 367* runs knock against Zimbabwe. By doing this, he etched his name in South African history for recording the highest individual score in the longest form of the game.

However, Wiaan Mulder left the cricket fraternity amused when he decided to declare South Africa’s innings just when he was 33 runs shy of Gayle’s teammate Brian Lara, record of 400* runs.

The 27-year-old innings was peppered with 49 fours, just shy of John Edrich’s world record of 53 boundaries, along with four maximums.

At the end of the day’s play, Wiaan Mulder revealed the reason behind not going past the legendary batter’s record.

“We had enough to bowl at. Brian Lara is a legend. He scored 400 or 401 runs against England, and for someone to hold that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) and spoke about letting the legends keep that record. Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be,” he said.

Now, Chris Gayle has shed light on Wiaan Mulder’s decision, noting that such opportunities come rarely.

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“If I could get the chance to get 400, I would get 400,” Gayle said. “That doesn’t happen often. You don’t know when you’re going to get to a triple-century again. Any time you get a chance like that, you try and make the best out of it.”

“Come on, you’re on 367, automatically you have to take a chance at the record. If you want to be a legend… how are you going to become a legend? Records come with being a legend.

Chris Gayle called Mulder’s decision an error on his part, stating it was a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity.

“I think it was an error from his side, not to try and go to get it,” Gayle said. “We don’t know if he would go on and get it or not. But he declared on 367, and he said what he had to say. But listen, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get 400 runs in a Test match. Come on, youngster, you’ve blown it big time,” Gayle explained.

The left-handed explosive batter said Mulder crumbled under pressure and made a big mistake.

“Like I said, he panicked and he blundered, straight up,” he concluded.

For the unversed, Chris Gayle, popularly known as the T20 giant, has two triple centuries to his name in Test cricket. He recorded his best score, 333, against Sri Lanka in Galle back in 2010.

READ: Full Schedule announced for Top End T20 Series 2025 featuring Pakistan Shaheens

Chris Gayle named in star-studded West Indies squad for WCL 2025

The West Indies Champions have named iconic all-rounder Chris Gayle in their squad for the World Championship of Legends (WCL) season 2, set to be held in England from July 18 to August 2.

Gayle is joined by white-ball stalwarts Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, and the ever-reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who brings calm to an otherwise explosive unit.

There’s no shortage of firepower in the batting department with Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, and William Perkins adding muscle at the top and middle.

In terms of bowling, the West Indies have opted for a combination of experience and speed.

The pace attack will consist of Fidel Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, and Sheldon Cottrell, forming a formidable trio.

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Additionally, the spin department includes several proven match-winners: Sulieman Benn, Ashley Nurse, Dave Mohammed, and Nikita Miller.

The 2025 WCL will be contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams—India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies—will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.

West Indies Champions squad for WCL 2025

Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kieron Pollard, William Perkins, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Dave Mohammad, Nikita Miller, Chadwick Walton, Ashley Nurse, Sulieman Benn.

READ: Full schedule unveiled for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

Babar Azam breaks Chris Gayle’s all-time T20 record

Pakistan batter Babar Azam surpassed West Indies legend Chris Gayle on Friday to become the fastest batter to amass 11,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Babar reached the elusive milestone during the second T20I against South Africa in Centurion, where he played a quick 31-run knock to set up Pakistan’s total of 206-5.

Chris Gayle achieved the feat in 314 innings, however, Babar Azam took only 298 innings to score 11,000 runs in T20 cricket.

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The right-handed maestro is not only the 11th player globally to accomplish this extraordinary feat but also the second from Pakistan after Shoaib Malik.

However, Shoaib and Babar also hold the record for slowest to reach the milestone in terms of strike rate. Shoaib completed his 11,000 runs at a strike rate of 127.47, while Babar’s strike rate was 129.37.

The record for the fastest to 11,000 runs in T20 cricket in terms of strike rate is held by Kieron Pollard, who achieved the feat with a strike rate of a whopping 150.51.

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Moreover, Babar Azam has also surpassed 14000 runs in international cricket, marking himself as just the fifth Pakistani batter to reach this prestigious milestone.

Notably, he stands out as the second-fastest Pakistani to achieve this landmark, trailing only the legendary Mohammad Yousuf.

During his brief 31-run innings, Babar smashed one six, which propelled him to equal Shahid Afridi’s tally of 73 sixes in T20I cricket.

READ: PCB reacts to Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim’s retirement

Chris Gayle shares his prediction for T20 World Cup 2024 final

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle shared his predictions for the highly-anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between South Africa and India, scheduled today at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

The upcoming final of the 20-team mega event is promised to be a treat for cricket fans as the two unbeaten sides will collide for the prestigious title.

Meanwhile, West Indies great Gayle also acknowledged both sides’ power and strength and thus found it hard to pick a winner.

“It’s going to be a tough call with both teams playing excellent and aggressive cricket throughout the tournament. We have a final fit for the occasion,” stated Gayle.

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Chris Gayle also picked India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah as the player to watch out for in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, highlighting his prowess in death bowling.

“India are going to be so hard to beat. They bat so deep and in Jasprit Bumrah, have a world-class death bowler who can break the hearts of the opponents,” Gayle said.

“In contrast, I picked South Africa as a dark horse before the tournament began, and it is very special to see them finally reach their first final after so many semi-final upsets.

“Getting over the hump and winning a World Cup is so special and if they can do it, it will create memories that will last a lifetime for the players and the nation.”

It is pertinent to mention that both India and South Africa are currently unbeaten in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

South Africa won all their eight matches while India won seven as their group-stage fixture against Canada was abandoned without a ball bowled.

READ: AB de Villiers predicts T20 World Cup 2024 winner

T20 World Cup 2024: Chris Gayle predicts winner of Pakistan-India clash

Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle has predicted the winner of the much-anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, scheduled on June 9.

Gayle handpicked India to win the match against Pakistan, considering the recent form of both teams. However, he also stated that anything can happen in a high-octane clash.

“India are in the driver’s seat, definitely a more relaxed seat. But this is India vs Pakistan at a World Cup, so you can take nothing for granted,” Chris Gayle told ICC.

“Their (Pakistan) backs are up against the wall and coming off a loss like that straight into playing a team like India, who traditionally have the upper hand in these games, is a huge challenge.”

The two-time T20 World Cup winner also expressed shock over USA’s upset victory over the Green Shirts.

“Like the rest of the cricketing world, I was gripped by the USA’s victory over Pakistan. It is a huge result which is not only incredible for them but massive for cricket as a whole.

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“You always expect a few upsets at World Cups and having started well by beating Canada, USA put Pakistan under the pump for pretty much the whole game. I think it marks the day the World Cup really started.”

For the unversed, Pakistan and India will lock horns for the eighth time in a T20 World Cup when they square off at the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 9.

Out of seven matches played thus far between the arch-rivals, India emerged victorious six times while Pakistan tasted triumph only once.

The two teams boast contrasting momentums as India eased past Ireland by eight wickets in the campaign opener while Pakistan succumbed to a humiliating defeat against the USA.

Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Azam Khan, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2024

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

READ: Rohit Sharma wary of Pakistan’s potential to bounce back

Babar Azam leaves Chris Gayle behind to become fastest batter to 10000 T20 runs

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam has completed 10,000 runs in T20 cricket during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 match against Karachi Kings.

Babar Azam became the 12th batter in the world to achieve this historic feat, however, he is now the fastest to 10,000 T20 runs after surpassing West Indies’ legend Chris Gayle.

Azam completed his 10,000 runs in only 271 innings, while Gayle took 285 innings, followed by Indian star batter Virat Kohli, who took 299 innings to reach the milestone.

Azam reached the elusive milestone during his valiant 72-run knock amid his side’s dramatic collapse against Peshawar Zalmi.

Zalmi faced a horrible collapse courtesy of brilliant bowling by Karachi Kings and were bowled out at a meagre 154 despite being at 136-5 at one point.

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Karachi Kings drew first blood with veteran Shoaib Malik castling Saim Ayub on the first ball. Babar Azam kept the scoreboard moving but could not get support from the other end early on as his side slipped to 40-3 inside the power play.

Rovman Powell then joined hands with the skipper and together they knitted a partnership of 68 runs from 46 balls to help their side recover from the early damage.

Powell was the core aggressor of the partnership with a 25-ball 39, which featured three boundaries and two sixes, while Azam played the anchor’s role.

Powell’s entertaining knock came to an end when he tried to reverse hit Mohammad Nawaz but top-edged the ball only to land in the safe hands of Mir Hamza.

Azam top-scored for Zalmi, scoring a gutsy 72 off 51, which featured seven boundaries and one six.

READ: Wasim Akram questions Shadab Khan’s decision to bat in lower-order