Chris Gayle smashes 12-ball fifty, equals Yuvraj Singh's T20 World Record

Melbourne, Jan 18: West Indies' explosive opening batsman Chris Gayle, who was in news recently for all the wrong reasons, blasted a 12-ball half century today (January 18) to equal the world record.

In the Big Bash League (BBL) Twenty20 tournament in Australia, the 36-year-old Gayle blazed his way to equal Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's record for the fastest ever half century in T20 history.

Playing for the Melbourne Renegades, Gayle matched Yuvraj's record with a six off spinner Travis Head (Adelaide Strikers) at the Docklands Stadium on Monday.

Left-handed Gayle enthralled the crowd with 7 sixes (including 4 in a row of left-arm paceman Greg West in the 1st over of innings) and 2 boundaries in 26 minutes. He was dismissed by Head (caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman) for 56 off 17 balls while going for another big hit.

Gayle as he headed back to the pavilion, received a standing ovation from the crowd and he acknowledged by waving the bat to all parts of the ground. Soon after his record innings, he was seen signing autographs for young fans at the boundary-line. Gayle gifted his Renegades cap to a boy in the stands.

Yuvraj had in 2007 in Durban (South Africa) at the ICC World Twenty20 Championship. Back then, he had smashed England paceman Stuart Broad for 6 sixes in an over on way to the record.

Despite's Gayle's record feat, Renegades were beaten by 27 runs. Chasing 171, they were bowled out for 143 in 15.3 overs. Renegades had to chase down the target in less than 16 overs to improve their net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals. But they failed and were eliminated, finishing 5th on the league table.

26 minutes, 17 deliveries, seven sixes. Gayle's innings highlights: https://t.co/k2pTMZyfds #BBL05 pic.twitter.com/qTEb8uiEGB

— Melbourne Renegades (@RenegadesBBL) January 18, 2016

This is the sequence of runs to the record (both Gayle and Yuvraj)

Gayle's (Out for 56 off 17) 12-ball half century - 2, 0, 6, 6, 6, 6, 2, 6, 6, 4, 1, 6

Yuvraj's (58 off 16) 12-ball 50 - 0, 4, 1, 4, 4, 1, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6

Fastest half centuries in T20s (Top 3)

12 balls - Chris Gayle (Melbourne Renegades), Yuvraj Singh (India)

13 - Marcus Trescothick (Somerset, England)

14 - Imran Nazir (Sialkot Stallions, Pakistan), Kieron Pollard (Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies), Colin Munro (New Zealand), Gerard Brophy (Yorkshire, England), Kieran Noema-Barnett (Central Districts, New Zealand)

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