He has set numerous records across all three formats of the game. He is the most capped player for the West Indies in international cricket and is the only player to score a triplet of centuries – a triple hundred in Tests, double hundred in ODIs and a hundred in T20Is. Gayle is the only player to score more than 14,000 runs and hit more than 1000 sixes in T20 cricket[4][5] He is also the leading run scorer for West Indies in both ODIs and T20Is and, after Brian Lara, was the second player to score more than 10,000 runs for West Indies in ODI Cricket. Gayle was the first West Indian batsman to score a double-century in ODI cricket and subsequently in the history of World Cup cricket, where he scored an innings of 215 against Zimbabwe. His innings of 215 is currently the highest individual score by a left-handed batsman in ODI cricket. Along with the ODI record, he has the highest individual score in the T20 World Cup as a West Indian with his 117 runs against South Africa. Moreover, in the ICC Champions Trophy, he has the highest score made by a West Indian with his innings of 133 not out against South Africa in the 2006 tournament. In addition to his batting, He has picked up over 200 International Wickets with his Right-arm off-break spin bowling. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player in the 2011 Indian Premier League and held the Orange Cap in 2012. On 23 April 2013, He broke the record for the fastest ever T20 hundred in his landmark knock of 175 runs from 66 balls for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors India in the IPL, which is also the highest score ever by a batsman in T20 history. He also equaled the record for the fastest 50 in T20 cricket while playing for Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.[6]
Playing Tests, Gayle scored over 7,000 runs at an average of over 42 and captained the West Indian Test side from 2007 to 2010. He last played in a Test match in September 2014, against Bangladesh. After initially expressing his desire to retire from ODIs after the 2019 Cricket World Cup He nonetheless played in the ODI series against India after the World Cup playing his final and 301st ODI match wearing the special jersey number 301 in August 2019, against India. In December 2020, Gayle was included in the ICC T20I Team of the Decade.[7]
Gayle started his cricket career with Lucas Cricket Club in Kingston, Jamaica.[9] Gayle claimed: "If it was not for Lucas, I don't know where I would be today. Maybe on the streets."[9] Lucas Cricket Club's nursery has been named in honour of Gayle.[9]
He was made captain of the West Indies side in the ICC T20 World Cup 2009 after getting criticized for playing in the IPL 2008 and missing an international series a few months before. Gayle scored a quickfire 88 in the opening game of the tournament and helped the Windies beat the mighty Australians. They lost in the semi-final to Sri Lanka.
International career
Debut years
Gayle first played at the international level as a youth where he topscored for the Windies at the 1998 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[10] He eventually made his first-class debut in 1998, at age 19 for Jamaica. He played his first One Day International eleven months later in 1999, and his first Test match six months after that. Gayle went on to establish himself as a destructive batsman who's most effective whilst playing square of the wicket. In July 2001, Gayle recorded his maiden Test century by scoring 175 against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo. In partnership with Daren Ganga they added 214 to equal the record for opening stands against the host country.[11]
Rise in ranks
An innings-by-innings breakdown of Gayle's Test match batting career up until 2008, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line).
Gayle had a slow start to his international career, but invigorated it in 2002, ending the year with three centuries against India in November and becoming the third West Indian to score over 1,000 runs in a calendar year, along with Vivian Richards and Brian Lara.[12] He is one of only six players in One Day International history to have three or more scores of 150. In 2005, Gayle was dropped for the first Test against South Africa along with six other players following a dispute over sponsorship issues (see below). He returned for the second Test but had a poor series until the fourth Test, where he made a match-saving 317. It was the first-ever triple century against South Africa and up until Mahela Jayawardene made 374, it was the highest individual Test score against them. In another match of the series, Gayle had to leave the field after complaining of dizziness. During a subsequent series against Australia, Gayle again complained of dizziness and shortness of breath during his innings. He left the field for a time, and was after the match sent to hospital where he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect causing a cardiac dysrhythmia. He underwent heart surgery following the series to correct the defect.[13][14] Gayle was only the fourth West Indian to carry his bat in a Test innings.[15]
In August 2005, Gayle joined Worcestershire for the rest of the English season, playing eight matches. He made two half-centuries in three first-class matches and two half-centuries in five one-day matches, and won one Man of the Match award in the one-day National League. However, Worcestershire were relegated after Gayle made 1 in the final match against Lancashire.
Gayle was named Player of the 2006 Champions Trophy, where the West Indies nearly defended the title they won in 2004, being defeated in the final by Australia. Gayle scored three centuries and totalled 474 runs, 150 more than any other batsman, and also took eight wickets in as many matches. Gayle, in keeping with the rest of the West Indies team, had a poor World Cup in 2007. He recorded a series of low scores; the one exception being a blistering 79 off 58 balls against England in the West Indies' final match.
Gayle made the first century in international Twenty20 cricket, scoring 117 against South Africa in the first match of the 2007 World Twenty20.[16] The innings made him the first batsman to score a century in each of international cricket's three formats.[17] This stood alone as the record score in a T20I until 19 February 2012, when South Africa's Richard Levi scored 117n.o. against New Zealand, and was eventually exceeded by Brendon McCullum of New Zealand later that year.[18]
In the semi-final match of the 2009 World Twenty20 against Sri Lanka, he became the first international player to carry his bat through the entire innings in this format of the game as well. In April 2008, Gayle was bought by the franchise Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League player auction, but missed the opening games due to a Sri Lankan tour to the Caribbean. When he finally joined the team, he missed out on the action due to a groin injury he picked up during that tour. Afterwards, he left to join the West Indies team for a home series against Australia, therefore not playing in the inaugural version of the IPL.
He played in the second IPL competition in early 2009, arriving for an away Test series against England very late, earning criticism about his commitment.[19] His Test series went poorly, and the West Indies went on to lose both the Test and ODI series. Gayle, however, went to on score a match winning 88 in the first official match of the 2009 Twenty20, in a surprise victory over Australia.[20]
On 17 December 2009 in the Australia v West Indies 3rd Test Chris Gayle scored the then fifth-fastest century in Test match history, taking just 70 balls to reach 100, including nine fours and six sixes. He was dismissed two balls later for 102 runs. On 16 November 2010, he became the fourth cricketer to score two triple centuries in Test cricket after Donald Bradman, Brian Lara and Virender Sehwag.[21]
On his return to Test cricket in July 2012, he scored 150 on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand.[22]
Gayle scored 75 runs from 41 balls, fuelling West Indies' total of 205, against Australia in the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 semi-final, which was the highest total of the tournament.[23][24]
In November 2012, during the First Test against Bangladesh in Dhaka, Gayle became the first player in the history of Test cricket to hit a six off the first ball of a match.[25] In 2013, during the Third Test against Zimbabwe, Gayle surpassed Brian Lara's record of the most sixes in Test cricket by a West Indian cricketer.[26]
Late career
In February 2015, Gayle became the fourth cricketer to score a double century in ODIs, and the first ever to do so in World Cup history, when he made 215 during a pool game against Zimbabwe in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup in Canberra.[27][28] His partnership with Marlon Samuels was the most productive wicket in Cricket World Cup history, producing 372 runs before Gayle was caught for an out on the final ball of the innings.[29] Coincidentally, he was almost adjudged out on the first ball he faced as an LBW appeal was raised by Zimbabwe bowler, Tinashe Panyangara, however, the umpire turned down the appeal. Despite a review which showed that the ball would have clipped the top of the bails, the original decision was upheld.[29] Gayle thus became the only player in world cricket to hit a triple hundred in Tests, a double hundred in ODIs and a hundred in Twenty20 Internationals.
Gayle fielding against Australia during the 2019 Cricket World Cup
Chris Gayle ended his List-A career for Jamaica with a match-winning century against Barbados in a Super50 Cup 2018. On 18 February 2019, Gayle announced that he would retire from ODIs after the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[30][31] He reversed this decision in June 2019.[32]
In April 2019, he was named in the West Indies' squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, which marked his fifth consecutive World Cup appearance (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019).[33][34] On 31 May 2019, in the West Indies' opening match of the World Cup, Gayle scored his 40th six in World Cup matches, the most by any batsman in World Cup history, surpassing AB de Villiers's record of 37.[35] In the West Indies' match against Australia, Gayle scored his 1,000th run in the Cricket World Cup.[36] On 1 July 2019, in the match against Sri Lanka, Gayle became the most capped player for the West Indies in international cricket, playing in his 455th match.[37]
Three days later, in the West Indies' final match of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, against Afghanistan, Gayle became the most-capped player for the West Indies in the Cricket World Cup, playing in his 35th match.[38] In the same match he also equalled Brian Lara's record of playing in 299 ODIs for the West Indies.[39] In the next game against India, he played his 300th ODI match, the only West Indian player to achieve that feat. He also broke the record for the most runs for the West Indies in ODIs, surpassing Brian Lara. In the next match, he scored a breath-taking 72 of just 41 balls, in a knock having 5 maximums, as he led his team to a respectable total of 240 in 35 overs. Chasing a revised target of 255 in 35 overs via DLS, India looked in a spot of bother, but Indian skipper Virat Kohli's unbeaten 114 cost them the match as India won the series 2–0.
In November 2020, Gayle was nominated for the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Decade award.[40][41] In February 2021, Gayle was recalled to West Indies' T20I squad after two-year absence and named in the T20I squad against Sri Lanka.[42] On 13 July 2021, against Australia in the third T20I, Gayle scored his first T20I half-century in the format since 2016, scoring 67 off 38 deliveries.[43]
On 6 November 2021, Gayle played his last T20I match against Australia in the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium. However he has not announced his retirement from international cricket yet. He wanted to retire in front of his home crowd in Jamaica.[45]
On 1 July 2009, Gayle signed with the Western Australia Warriors for the Australian Domestic Twenty20 tournament known as the Big Bash for the 2009–10 season.
In 2011, after being left out of the initial part of the West Indies T20 and one-day home series against Pakistan, Gayle opted to join the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League.[54] In his debut game against his previous team Kolkata Knight Riders in their home ground, he scored 102 off 55 balls, hitting 10 fours and 7 sixes.[55] On 6 May 2011, he scored another century, 107 off 49 balls in Bangalore against the Kings XI Punjab, which included 10 fours and 9 sixes.[56] In the next match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala, he scored 37 runs in one over, which included 3 sixes, 3 fours and a no ball that was hit for a six.[57] Although many people cite him as having hit the over for 37, one run was awarded as an extra due to the no ball. He can therefore be said to have hit 36 off an over that went for 37. Gayle won the Orange Cap Award for scoring the most runs in the tournament amassing 608 runs in 12 matches.[58] He was instrumental in many victories for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and received five Man of the Match awards and also the Player of the Tournament award for his performances.[59] In the 2011 Champions League Twenty20, Chris Gayle was the second highest run-scorer in the competition, behind David Warner, with 257 runs from 6 matches at an average of 42.83 and a top score of 92, and was one of the star players.[60]
Following his prolific performances, Gayle was signed by Zimbabwean franchise Matabeleland Tuskers, for the 2011-12 Stanbic Bank 20 Series.[61] As Gayle later recalled it was valuable practice ahead of the KFC Twenty20 Big Bash, where he had signed for the Sydney Thunder.[62][63][64] Gayle hoped his first appearance in the tournament was a success, and he gave the spectators something to cheer about. Gayle was the second West Indian to be signed in the event, after the legendary Brian Lara had signed for Southern Rocks the previous season.
Gayle enjoyed great success in that tournament. He was the leading run-scorer in that series with 293 runs, a top score of 109, and an average over 50, the best of the tournament.[65] The only century Gayle scored in the event ended in defeat as Mid West Rhinos's Brendan Taylor's outstanding 75* outlasted his team.[66] The Tuskers could not win the tournament as they were overpowered by Mashonaland Eagles's Ryan ten Doeschate's brilliant 121* off 58 and despite Gayle scoring a half-century, it was not enough to see his home through.[67]
Gayle started off his 2013 IPL season scoring 92 not out from 58 balls, hitting 11 fours and four sixes against the Mumbai Indians. His innings helped his side to victory, and he was awarded the man of the match.[73] On 23 April 2013, during an IPL match against Pune Warriors India, Gayle broke multiple scoring records. With an individual score of 175 not out off 66 balls and a century reached in 30 balls, Gayle set records for the fastest century reached in any format of cricket, the highest individual score in a T20 match, and the most sixes scored in a single innings in the IPL.[74][75] He also took two wickets in the match.
At the launch of the Caribbean Premier League, Gayle was announced as the first franchise player for the league.[76]
During the 2015 T20 Blast season in England, Gayle represented Somerset and despite appearing in just 3 games for the county he contributed 328 runs including a score of 151 not out in a losing cause against Kent. The knock that came from 62 balls included 15 sixes and remains the highest T20 score at the County Ground Taunton.[77][78]
On 18 January 2016, in a match with the Adelaide Strikers, Gayle set a new Big Bash League record for the fastest fifty and equaled the world record set by Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh against England in the 2007 ICC World Twenty20. He reached 51 in just 12 deliveries which included seven sixes and smashed the previous record of 18 deliveries set by Strikers batsman Tim Ludeman. He was dismissed shortly after for 56 off 17 balls by Travis Head.[79]
Gayle was signed by Lahore Qalandars in 2016 for 200,000 dollars to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Gayle had his worst T20 league, citing back problems. He only scored 103 runs from five matches and was also out twice for a golden duck, the most in his T20 career, by Junaid Khan.[80] Gayle returned for a second season of PSL in 2017, this time picked by Karachi Kings. He played 9 matches for the side, and scored merely 160 runs.[81] This would be prove to be last outing for Gayle in PSL, as he wasn't picked by any side in the 2018 and 2019 drafts of the league.[82] In 2021, he was picked by Quetta Gladiators.
On 18 April 2017, Gayle reached the 10,000 runs milestone in T20 cricket after scoring 77 runs off 38 balls in a match against Gujarat Lions where Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 21 runs. He was also awarded the man of the match which was his first in IPL 2017.[83][84]
On 16 September 2017, Gayle became the first ever player to hit 100 T20I sixes.
On 28 January 2018, Gayle was bought by Kings XI Punjab (Now Punjab Kings) in the 2018 IPL Auction for his base price of ₹20million.[85] On 19 April, Gayle scored 104* off 63 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and his team won the match by 15 runs. It was his 6th IPL century.[86] Gayle was retained by the franchise for IPL 2021.[87] He however left the tournament in the second leg, citing 'bio-bubble fatigue'.[88]
Gayle holds the record for most centuries in T20 cricket (21), 15 more than his nearest rival Brendon McCullum. 15 out of his 21 T20 centuries have been not out.
Technique and attitude
The ball spat off the middle of his bat to all corners, turning into parabolas that the crowd was hollering for. Gayle faced more than half the balls bowled by the Warriors and produced a compressed 20-over highlights package.[102]
Gayle is known for his characteristic hitting, imposing physique, and timing. He attributes the latter to being very thin when young, and having a heavy bat.[103] He is known for appearing very calm as the bowler approaches. "Tall and imposing at the crease, he loves to carve through the covers off either foot, and has the ability to decimate the figures of even the thriftiest of opening bowlers" recorded Wisden and ESPNcricinfo.[104] He holds numerous records that reflect his batting style, including record Twenty20 strike-rates and high scores.
"It is instinct... We premeditate at times, but most of those things are instinct. When a fast bowler runs in to me, my breathing is controlled. So you keep a still head, slow down your breathing. Sometimes I actually hold my breath, so I can be as still and well-balanced as possible. If you get too excited, you overreact more, and with the adrenalin, you lose focus quickly."[103]
Music
Chris Gayle launched a music career in November 2020 with a dancehallmusic video called "We Come Out To Party".[105][106] Earlier in 2020, he had released a video about his partying lifestyle.[107] In April 2021, Gayle released a music video titled "Jamaica to India" in collaboration with the Indian rapper Emiway Bantai.[108] In September 2021, Gayle announced a song named 'Punjabi Daddy'.[109]
Personal life
Gayle's partner is Allysa Berridge. On 20 April 2016, Gayle announced the birth of his daughter on social media platform Instagram.[110][111] On 9 September 2016, Gayle launched his autobiography Six Machine – I don't like cricket, I love it'.[112] According to Forbes, Gayle has an estimated net worth of $15million.[113]
Controversies
In 2005, Gayle was involved in the dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and a number of players over sponsorship issues. These players had personal sponsorship deals with Cable and Wireless, who used to sponsor West Indian cricket. However, since the West Indies had recently become sponsored by Cable and Wireless's rivals Digicel, the West Indies Cricket Board demanded the players dropped their Cable and Wireless deals. When the players refused to back down, the West Indies Cricket Board dropped them for the first Test against South Africa.[114] Gayle later cut his deal with Cable and Wireless and rejoined the side for the second Test.
He was charged with conduct contrary to the spirit of cricket during a Test against New Zealand in March 2006 but was subsequently found not guilty.[115] Later that year, during October's Champions Trophy tournament in India, he was fined 30 percent of his match fee after repeated verbal exchanges with the Australian batsman Michael Clarke.[116] He also publicly criticised the West Indies Cricket Board during the 2007 tour of England, which led to an official reprimand and warning.[117]
Gayle also received criticism in early 2009 during West Indies' tour of England, where he commented that he did not want to captain the West Indies any more given the pressures involved, and that he "wouldn't be so sad" if Test cricket was superseded by Twenty20 cricket in the future.[19] From the West Indies, both Viv Richards and Gary Sobers criticised Gayle's comments, as did opposite number Andrew Strauss.[118] Gayle later commented that his statement had been quoted out of context, according to Julian Hunte, President of the West Indies Cricket Board.[119] In an interview with Mike Atherton at the conclusion of a West Indies defeat in their tour of England, Gayle stated that he was not going to resign the captaincy.[120]
In April 2011 Chris Gayle criticised the West Indies Cricket Board and coach Ottis Gibson and did not play for the team for more than a year. On 6 April 2012, Gayle and the WICB reached an understanding that paved the way for the former West Indies captain to return to the national team.[121] On 25 June 2012, Gayle was chosen to be a part of the 2nd T20 and five-match one-day squad series starting on 30 June 2012, in the West Indies and Florida. They won the T20 series 2–0, in which Gayle was awarded man of the series, and the ODI series 4–1, in which Gayle made an aggressive century and half-century.
On 4 January 2016, while being interviewed by Network Ten commentator Mel McLaughlin during the 2015–16 Big Bash League season, Gayle said, "I just wanted to have an interview with you as well; that's why I batted so well," followed by, "Your eyes are beautiful; hopefully we can win this game and then we can have a drink after as well. Don't blush, baby". The comments were criticised by the Australian media,[122][123][124][125] with former Australian test captain Ian Chappell encouraging Cricket Australia to ban him from playing in Australia again.[126] Fellow female sports journalist Neroli Meadows stated that Gayle had been acting in such a way for years, and that he did it to "humiliate" women.[127] Gayle said the comments were intended to be a joke.[128][129] Melbourne Renegades sanctioned Gayle with a A$10,000 fine for inappropriate conduct.[130] On 30 October 2017, Chris Gayle won a defamation case against Fairfax Media after a jury found a series of articles published in 2016 which alleged he exposed himself to a masseuse were untrue and was awarded with $300k in damages for defamation.[131]
The Chris Gayle Academy
In 2015, Gayle set up 'The Chris Gayle Academy' with the intent on helping disadvantaged children in both Jamaica and the United Kingdom better themselves and their communities through their involvement in sport.[132] Since then the academy has expanded and now facilitates the advancement of young cricketers careers by providing access to quality coaches and playing opportunities abroad.
Gayle has scored 42 international centuries, which includes 15 Tests, 25 ODIs and 2 T20I centuries as of 13 July 2021. He was the first cricketer to score centuries in all formats of the game.
Records
International
Highest run scorer for the West Indies in ODIs.[133]
Second West Indies player (after Brian Lara), and 14th overall, to pass 10,000 runs in ODIs.[134]
First (and so far only) batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket, double century in ODI cricket and a century in T20 internationals.[135]
In World Cup 2015, he hit the fastest ever ODI double century, against Zimbabwe, off 138 balls.[136]
Third batsman to score a century against eleven different countries in ODIs.[137]
Fastest ODI fifty by West Indies batsmen. (50 runs in 19 balls).[138]
Most runs in a single ICC Champions Trophy series (474 runs).[139]
Only player to hit the first ball of a Test match for six.[140]
Along with Marlon Samuels, he holds the record for the highest ever ODI stand for any wicket (372 runs for 2nd wicket).[141][142]
Along with Devon Smith, he set the record for the highest opening stand in ICC World T20 history (145).[143]
↑ Only clubs that Gayle has played for more than one season are included in this list.
Related Research Articles
Matthew Lawrence Hayden is an Australian cricket commentator and former cricketer. His career spanned fifteen years. Hayden was a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman who, along with opening partners Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist, contributed heavily to Australia's success during its "golden era" (2000–2008) in Test and ODI cricket respectively. He holds the record of highest individual score by an Australian batsman in Tests, having scored 380 against Zimbabwe during Zimbabwe's 2003 tour of Australia. This stands as the second-highest individual score in test cricket. It is the highest score by an opening batsman in Tests, though infamously he never faced the opening ball in Tests with Langer, always batting at No2. Hayden was a member of the Australian team that won both the 2003 Cricket World Cup, and the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricket coach, commentator and former cricketer who played for and occasionally captained the Australian national cricket team between 2002 and 2016. He was an all-rounder who played as a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He was ranked as the world's No. 1 all-rounder in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) for 150 weeks, including an all-time record of 120 consecutive weeks from 13 October 2011 to 30 January 2014. He began playing during the Australian team's golden era in the early 2000s, and was the last player from this era to retire. In his time playing for Australia, Watson was part of their winning squad in the Cricket World Cup two times in 2007, and 2015 along with the ICC Champions Trophy twice in 2006 and 2009, with Watson named as the player of the match in the final on both occasions, as he scored the winning run in the 2006 tournament, with the winning six in the 2009 tournament.
Dwayne John Bravo is a Trinidadian retired cricketer, a former captain of the West Indies cricket team and the current mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.He served as a bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL for the 2023 and 2024 seasons and also served as a bowling consultant of Afghanistan national cricket team for T20 World Cup 2024.right arm seam bowling all-rounder, Bravo was well known for his aggressive lower-order batting and for his bowling in the final overs of a match. During his prime, he was regarded as one of the best death bowlers in T20 Cricket. He also performs as a singer.
Suresh Raina is an Indian former international cricketer. He occasionally served as stand-in captain for the Indian men's national cricket team as well as in IPL for Chennai Super Kings during the absence of the main captain, MS Dhoni. He played for Uttar Pradesh (UP) in domestic cricket circuit. He is an aggressive left-handed middle-order batsman and occasional off-spin bowler. He is the second-youngest player ever to captain India. He was the captain of Gujarat Lions in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he also served as vice-captain of the Chennai Super Kings. He is the first Indian batsman to hit a century in all three formats of international cricket. During his time with India, he won the 2011 Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. Raina made history being the first Indian to score a century in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which he did with his 101 runs against South Africa at the 2010 Tournament.
Marlon Nathaniel Samuels is a Jamaican former cricketer who played internationally for the West Indies in all three formats, and a former ODI captain. He is a right-handed middle order batsman and an off-spinner. He was a key member of the West Indies team that won the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 and 2016 ICC World Twenty20, and was named man of the match in the final of both tournaments, becoming the first man to achieve the feat, and to this date remains the only man to do so.
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a South African former international cricketer, and a current commentator. AB de Villiers was named as the ICC ODI Player of the Year three times during his 15-year international career and was one of the five Wisden cricketers of the decade at the end of 2019. He is regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in the history of the sport and the best batsman of his era, dominating the Number 1 ranking for batsmen in tests & ODIs more than any other batsman of his era. De Villiers began his international career as a wicket-keeper-batsman, but he has played most often solely as a batsman. He batted at various positions in the batting order, but predominantly in the middle-order.
Rohit Gurunath Sharma is an Indian international cricketer who currently plays for and captains the India national cricket team in Test and One Day International (ODI) matches. Previously, he also captained the team in Twenty20 International (T20I) matches and led India's win in 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, subsequent to which he retired from T20s in June 2024. He is considered to be one of the best batsmen of his generation and one of the greatest white-ball opening batters of all time.
Kieron Adrian Pollard is a Trinidadian cricketer, who captained the West Indies cricket team in limited overs cricket. He currently plays in various T20 leagues around the globe as an all-rounder. He also captains MI Cape Town, MI Emirates and MI New York in the SA20, ILT20 and MLC respectively. He is currently serving as the batting coach of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.He is also the assistant coach of the England cricket team for the 2024 ICC World Twenty20. He was part of the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 winning team for West Indies. During his period, he was one of the most aggressive batsman and he also has the record of six 6s in an over against Sri Lanka.
David Andrew Warner is an Australian former international cricketer and Captain of Big Bash League team, Sydney Thunder. A left-handed opening batsman, Warner was the first Australian cricketer in 132 years to be selected for the national team in any format without experience in first-class cricket. He plays for New South Wales and Sydney Thunder in domestic cricket. Warner was a prominent member of the victorious Australian squad of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament, the 2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship, and the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. He is widely known as one of the greatest opening batsmen across formats, lauded for his aggressive playing style coupled with consistency over 15 years.
Kane Stuart Williamson is a New Zealand international cricketer and a former captain of the New Zealand national team. On 27 February 2023, Williamson became the all-time leading run-scorer for New Zealand in Test cricket. A right-handed batsman and an occasional off spin bowler, he is widely regarded as one of the world's best contemporary batsman and the greatest New Zealand captain and batsman of all time. He captained New Zealand to victory in the 2021 ICC World Test Championship final and to the finals of the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2021 T20 World Cup. He was also a part of the New Zealand squad to finish as runners-up at the 2015 Cricket World Cup.
David Andrew Miller is a South African professional cricketer. He currently plays for South African national team in limited overs cricket. He is an aggressive left-handed middle order batsman and an occasional wicket-keeper. He holds the record for the second fastest T20I century among full member ICC nations, and the fastest against full member opposition, achieving the milestone in 35 deliveries.
Joseph Charles Buttler is an English cricketer who is the captain of the England cricket team in limited-overs cricket, and previously played for the England Test team. In domestic cricket he represents Lancashire, having previously played for Somerset, and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues, including for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, now Gujrat Titans in the Indian Premier League. Widely regarded as England cricket team's greatest ever batter in limited-overs cricket, Buttler is known for his highly innovative and aggressive batting style. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Under his captaincy, England won the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.
Andre Dwayne Russell, nicknamed Dre Russ, is a Jamaican international cricketer who plays international cricket for the West Indies and for Jamaica in domestic cricket as an all-rounder. He currently plays in various T20 leagues around the world and periodically represents the West Indies in T20is. Russell was part of the 2012 and 2016 ICC World T20 winning West Indies teams. Russell is considered as one of the greatest cricketers in the T20 format, notable for his powerful hitting, and capability to bowl at speeds consistently above 140 km/h.
Johnson Charles is a St Lucian international cricketer who plays for the West Indies. As a wicket-keeper-batsman, Charles started his ODI career against Australia in March 2012. His first T20I came against England in September 2011, and he became just the second cricketer from the island of St Lucia to play for the West Indies. Johnson was included in the West Indies' 15-man squad for the 2012 ICC World Twenty20 held in September and October that year, where the team won the tournament. Charles was also a member of the West Indies team that won the 2016 T20 World Cup.
Evin Earl Lewis is a Trinidadian cricket who used to also play for the West Indies as a left-handed opening batsman. At most featuring in limited-overs internationals, he's the third batsman, after Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle, to score two Twenty20 International centuries. Lewis also holds the records of the highest retired hurt score, of 176 not out, in international cricket along with the highest score, of 125 not out, by a West Indian in T20 internationals. Lewis was a member of the West Indies team that won the 2016 T20 World Cup.
Nicholas Pooran is a Trinidadian cricketer who currently represents the West Indies cricket team in limited overs formats and occasionally serves as the team's captain. He also competes domestically for Trinidad and Tobago and plays for the Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pooran made his international debut for the West Indies in September 2016. In May 2022, he was appointed captain of the West Indies limited-overs team. However, he stepped down from the captaincy in November 2022. Pooran has played 29 matches in the T10 format, scoring 953 runs in 28 innings. His highest score in T10 cricket is 101, and he has recorded 1 century and 7 half-centuries in the format.
Liam Stephen Livingstone is an English cricketer who has captained the England ODI team. He also plays for Lancashire. Livingstone is a right-handed batter and spin bowler, capable of bowling both right-arm leg and off spin. He made his Twenty20 debut for Lancashire against Leicestershire in May 2015. He was awarded the Most Valuable Player in the ECB's inaugural The Hundred competition. He was a member of the England team that won the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Shimron Odilon Hetmyer is a Guyanese cricketer who plays as a top order batsman for the West Indies cricket team. Hetmyer captained the Windies to win the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. During 2018 the International Cricket Council (ICC) named Hetmyer as one of the five breakout stars in men's cricket. He was also the captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2022 season of the Caribbean Premier League.
Philip Dean Salt is a Welsh professional cricketer who plays internationally for England and domestically for Lancashire County Cricket Club, and previously for Sussex. Primarily an aggressive right-handed opening batter, he sometimes keeps wicket and, less frequently, bowls right-arm off spin. Salt made his international debut for England in July 2021. Born in Wales, he moved in his youth to Barbados and then to England. Salt was part of the England team that won the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. He made history after scoring two consecutive centuries in T20Is against West Indies.
Devon Philip Conway is a New Zealand cricketer who plays for the New Zealand cricket team in all formats. In March 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Conway, who was born in South Africa, would be eligible to play for New Zealand from 28 August 2020. In May 2020, New Zealand Cricket awarded him a central contract, ahead of the 2020–21 season.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
