Playing against his previous team, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Gayle became the first-ever batsman to register hundred 50-plus scores in the T20 cricket. The Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) opener missed his ton by one run, remaining unbeaten on 99.
Gayle carried his bat, recording his highest score of this IPL season blasting five sixes and as many as 10 hits to the fence to single-handedly anchor the Punjab innings. He stitched a 66-run opening stand off 38 balls with KL Rahul (18) and kept the scoreboard ticking even though he lost partners on the other end at regular intervals.
He made RCB pay for the mistake as he hit a four and six off Umesh's next over, before smashing Navdeep Saini for a boundary. In the sixth over, Gayle exploded as he welcomed Mohammad Siraj with a four at long off and followed it up with a six over long-on and another boundary across the cover.
Needing 10 runs in the last over to complete his century, Gayle fell short by just one despite hitting the last ball for another four.
Gayle has played 7 matches so far in the tournament and has scored 322 runs at an average of 53.66.