Chris Gayle anoints himself as 'the greatest batsman of all time'

What's the story?

Reiterating his stature as an inimitable entertainer both on and off the field, Caribbean icon Chris Gayle has anointed himself as 'the greatest batsman of all time'. Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of his barnstorming century in the 2017 BPL final at Dhaka on Tuesday, the 38-year old also placed the astonishing knock among the top five centuries in his glowing T20 career.

When asked if he was the Don Bradman of T20 cricket, Gayle came up with an even more fascinating response. He quipped, "I'm the greatest batsman of all time."

Reflecting on his tremendous knock, the southpaw enthused, "It is a big game, a big occasion. To actually stand out and get a century in a final, you actually look back and say well done. You tap yourself on the back. It is a winning effort as well, which makes it more special for me. I would put it in the top five (among his T20 tons) - certainly for the occasion as well. It is right up there."

The background

Representing the Rangpur Riders, Gayle flayed Dhaka Dynamites' bowlers to all parts of the Shere Bangla National Stadium in the summit clash of the 2017 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). His 69-ball 146 set the platform for Rangpur to clinch their maiden BPL title.

The heart of the matter

During the course of his spectacular knock, Gayle became the first batsman in the history of T20 cricket to amass 11,000 runs as well as 20 centuries. In what was an incredible exhibition of six-hitting, the southpaw also broke his own record for the most sixes registered in a T20 match.

When asked if he had seen someone better at sending the ball sailing into the stands, Gayle proclaimed fellow West Indies opener Evin Lewis as his successor and foretold the world to be wary of the 25-year old's six-hitting prowess.

What's next?

Interestingly, Gayle had gone unpicked in the 2018 Pakistan Super League (PSL) Draft held last month. With the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction not too far away, the veteran has sent a befitting message of his unmatched skills in the shortest format of the game.

Author's take

Needless to say, Gayle's comment was entirely made in jest and perhaps out of adrenaline too. While there have obviously been plenty of better batsmen in the other two formats, the seasoned left-hander is undoubtedly the greatest batsman in the history of T20 cricket.