New highs and lows as strong Gayle hits

Veteran West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has again lived up to his self-titled billing as 'the Bradman of T20 cricket', but it was a horror night for Afghan superstar Rashid Khan on Thursday.

Kings XI Punjab opener Gayle, who struggled to attract attention at this year's IPL auction, hammered a spectacular 104 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, a 63-ball innings that included 11 sixes and one four.

It was his sixth IPL hundred and his 21st in all 20-over cricket, which is 14 more than the next best. Despite reaching the milestone in just 58 balls, it was the second-slowest T20 hundred of his career.

The left-hander was only selected in the third round of bidding at the player auction, with Kings XI signing him for the relatively low reserve price of$314,000.

But he's repaid their faith in two matches so far, blasting 63 from just 33 balls in his side's win over Chennai last week.

"A lot of people thought I'm too old," the 38-year-old said. "After this innings, I have nothing to prove.

"I'm always determined, wherever I go in the world and whichever franchise I represent.

"(Kings XI advisor Virender) Sehwag said in an interview: 'If Chris wins you two games, we have our money's worth'. I need to have a chat with him about that!"

Gayle was particularly harsh on Sunrisers leg-spinner Rashid, the world's No.1 ranked bowler in T20s and a valuable talent in domestic leagues around the world.

Gayle hit Rashid for six sixes in total, which is the equal-most by any batsman against a single bowler in a T20 match.

Four of those six sixes came off consecutive deliveries, the third time Gayle has inflicted such punishment in a T20.

And the 11 sixes Gayle hit in all represented the 16th time he's hit 10 or more maximums in an innings, with no other player managing to do it more than twice.

For Rashid, his figures of 1-55 from four overs (at a run rate of 13.75 an over) were the worst of his 95-game career.