'Universe Boss' enters new territory

Chris Gayle became the first batsman in the Indian Premier League to smash over 300 sixes as he hit a breezy 40 for his side Kings XI Punjab on Saturday.

The self-titled 'Universe Boss' on Twitter, Gayle struck four sixes during his 24-ball blitz to set up a successful chase for Punjab who outplayed Mumbai Indians by eight wickets.

The big-hitting Gayle took his sixes count to 302 in 114 innings of the world's most popular Twenty20 tournament that is into its 12th edition.

South Africa's AB de Villiers is a distant second with 192 sixes in 131 IPL innings and Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni third with 187 hits over the fence.

Gayle hit two back-to-back sixes against New Zealand and Mumbai left-arm paceman Mitchell McClenaghan to achieve the smashing feat at Punjab's Mohali ground.

Incidentally Punjab had snapped up the West Indian in the 2018 IPL auctions after he remained unsold in two rounds of bidding.

Gayle hit a match-winning 79 in his team's opening game that was marred by the controversial 'Mankad' dismissal of England batsman Jos Buttler by Punjab skipper Ravchandran Ashwin.

The 39-year-old Gayle has been a powerhouse performer for the Caribbean side and will play in his fifth World Cup in England and Wales, which starts on May 30.