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Cricket PlayersAfter 13 years at the summit, Chris Gayle's untouchable 175 finally falls as Lhuan-dre Pretorius rewrites T20 history
Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed 188* to surpass Chris Gayle's iconic 175 and set a new record for the highest individual score in men's T20 cricket.
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There are some records that, when made, look untouchable. Chris Gayle’s 175 not out had occupied that mythical corner in cricket for about 13 years. On a certain April evening at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2013, the Universe Boss brought down hell on the bowling attack of the Pune Warriors India. The Jamaican raced to his century off just 30 balls and then took the assault up one more gear. Ultimately, he finished with 175 off 66 balls - an innings decorated with seventeen sixes and 12 fours. His destruction helped the Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach a massive total of 263/5, and they eventually won the game by 130 runs.
This record was not just part of the IPL record books. It stood as the highest individual score in a T20 match for nearly 13 years. While the game has evolved and batting tempo has changed, the record had stayed. However, it finally fell on Friday.
South African opener, Lhuan-dre Pretorius produced an extraordinary 188 not out off just 79 deliveries. This record-breaking effort was produced in a game between the Knights and the Titans at Bloemfontein in South Africa’s domestic T20 competition. During his stay in the middle, Pretorius hit 15 fours and 13 sixes at the Mangaung Oval. His destruction resulted in the Titans scoring 267/3 in 20 overs, bundling the opposition out for just 143, and winning the game by 124 runs.
Pretorius storms past Gayle
There was a destructive tempo to Pretorius's approach in the innings. He reached his half-century in just 24 deliveries and upped the gear further. For the next fifty runs, Pretorius just took 16 balls, so he went past 100 off just 40 balls. History was in sight for the left-hander; the 20-year-old had the chance to score the first double hundred in the format. He continued going, but eventually ran out of deliveries, falling 12 runs short of the historic landmark.
Chris Gayle’s previous benchmark stood as one of the defining records of T20 cricket. It was present there not only as an example of destruction, but as an innings that was already ahead of its time. It stood there obstinately, with multiple batters getting close to it but never able to break it. One such example was of Aaron Finch, who got as close as 172 not out.
On a personal note, the innings was an extension of the tremendous form Pretorius has been in. He arrived in the game after scoring a 53-ball 101 for South Africa against Namibia. The left-hander cashed in on the momentum he had in Bloemfontein. However, the 188* was much more than his personal form. Pretorius has been considered a talented, aggressive batter by world cricket for some time. But by surpassing a record set by one of the defining figures in T20 cricket, Pretorius has announced himself to franchises around the world as a batter to have in their team.
