Christopher Henry Gayle, known as “The Universe Boss,” is a Jamaican cricketer who has been a prominent figure in international cricket for the West Indies since 1999. Renowned for his destructive batting prowess, Gayle is considered one of the greatest Twenty20 cricketers of all time. He played pivotal roles in the West Indies’ victories in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, 2012 ICC World Twenty20, and 2016 ICC World Twenty20.
Gayle holds numerous records across all formats of the game, including being the most capped West Indies player in international cricket. He is the only player to achieve a triple century in Tests, a double century in ODIs, and a century in T20Is. Gayle has also surpassed 14,000 runs and hit over 1,000 sixes in T20 cricket, setting him apart as a dominant force in the format. He is the leading run-scorer for West Indies in both ODIs and T20Is and, alongside Brian Lara, one of the few to score over 10,000 runs in ODI cricket for the team.
Gayle made history by becoming the first West Indian batsman to score a double century in ODIs, with his memorable 215 against Zimbabwe. He also holds the record for the highest individual score by a left-handed batsman in ODI cricket. His impressive batting achievements extend to T20 World Cups and ICC Champions Trophy, where he holds records for the highest individual scores by a West Indian.
In addition to his batting prowess, Gayle has contributed to the game with his right-arm off-break spin bowling, taking over 200 international wickets. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player in the 2011 Indian Premier League and held the Orange Cap in 2012. He made history by scoring the fastest-ever T20 century and also equaled the record for the fastest 50 in T20 cricket.
In Test cricket, Gayle amassed over 7,000 runs at an average of over 42 and captained the West Indian Test side from 2007 to 2010. Although he expressed his desire to retire from ODIs after the 2019 Cricket World Cup, he continued to play in the ODI series against India in August 2019, marking his 301st ODI match with a special jersey number.
In December 2020, Gayle was honored by being included in the ICC T20I Team of the Decade. He continued to be an integral part of the West Indies squad, participating in the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Gayle’s cricket journey began with Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica, where he credits the club for shaping his career. He started his international career as a youth player and made significant strides in 2002 with a series of centuries against India, ending the year with over 1,000 runs. His Test career had its ups and downs, including a congenital heart defect diagnosis that required surgery.
Throughout his career, Gayle played in various domestic leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he showcased his talent for different franchises. He scored centuries in all three international formats and achieved remarkable milestones like being the first batsman to score a century in each of them.
In his late career, Gayle continued to shine, scoring a double century in ODIs during the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and earning accolades as one of the most-capped players for the West Indies in international cricket. He briefly retired from ODIs but returned for the 2019 Cricket World Cup and made significant contributions, setting records for sixes in World Cup matches and becoming the highest run-scorer for the West Indies in ODIs.
In 2021, Gayle participated in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the West Indies and played his last T20I match against Australia. However, he has not officially announced his retirement from international cricket, expressing his desire to retire in front of his home crowd in Jamaica.
