Why IPL superstar Gayle is world's most valuable T20 player

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle is 38 years old, but when he comes to bat, his strokes and the energy he possesses is of a 24-year-old boy, who has debuted recently and can play unpredictable shots.

Every time Gayle enters the ground, he managed to leave the audience stunned, either by hitting runs or by going back to pavilion on a duck. 

Going on a duck is more shocking for people than hitting big sixes and setting up a huge score single-handedly.

On Thursday, Chris Gayle scored his 21st T20 century and the first century of IPL 2018 as he made 104 runs off 62 balls for Punjab in Mohali.

Gayle, who plays for Punjab, played with caution in the beginning. to reach his half-century off 39 balls. 

The left-handed batsman was having trouble while running, but that proved more detrimental for Hyderabad as the big man dealt in sixes only.

In one over of spin wizard from Afghanistan Rashid Khan, who is touted to be as World No. 1 T20I bowler, Gayle smashed 4 sixes in a row.  And in Khan's previous over he smashed 2 consecutive sixes.  

In Punjab's previous match, the colossal batsman smashed a 33-ball 66 and couldn't have had a better debut in this year's edition. 

If talked about his previous IPL records then the Jamaican cricketer holds the record of hitting the most sixes. 

In 103 matches of IPL, Gayle has smashed 280 sixes. He has 22 half-centuries and six centuries to his credit. 

His six centuries is another highest record the player has in his name. He also holds the highest individual score record in the cash-rich tournament. 

The individual score of 175 not out off 66 balls for Bangalore and a century reached in 30 balls, Gayle set records for the fastest century reached in any format of cricket.

After seeing such record, who will believe that this 'run-machine' had no takers in the IPL auctions held in January.

He went unsold twice before Punjab and its management snatched up the whirlwind batsman aka 'Da Universe Boss' for his base price Rs 2 crore.

But as we say 'old is gold' and the sheer power and timing of Gayle's shots currently are, he is one of the most feared batsmen in international cricket.