Gayle, AB dominate

Dilanka MANNAKKARA

Last week's IPL saw plenty of brilliant batting performances especially from the marauding Chris Gayle who was at his brutal best and the flamboyant Kevin Pitersen coming in to the fore.

Gayle,Pietersen blast!!!

While Ajinkya Rahane and Rajasthan Royals dominated the batting stats during the first ten days of IPL 2012, the previous week was all about the exploits of Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen. Gayle, the leading run-scorer in IPL 2011, had a quiet start to this season before regaining form with three half-centuries, his last two coming in challenging chases.Gayle just blasted the bowlers showing no mercy what so ever with hitting sixes out of the ground.

Pietersen, who entered this season following a stunning century against Sri Lanka in the second Test, scored the second hundred of the tournament, leading Delhi Daredevils to a comfortable win over Deccan Chargers..Pietersen, who came in at No. 3 and struck nine sixes during his innings, scored 103 off 64 balls at a strike rate of 160.93 as I pointed out last week. In comparison, the other batsmen in the game scored at a strike rate of 120.46. Pietersen's match-winning effort is now second on the list of best batting performances in this season's IPL, behind Rahane's century against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Gayle's 87 off 56 balls and his 131-run stand with AB de Villiers helped Royal Challengers overhaul Kings XI Punjab's 165. Gayle's strike rate in the match (155.35) was well above the strike rate of the other batsmen (124.86). In Royal Challengers' previous game against Warriors, Gayle once again was the nemesis as he smashed 81 off 48 balls with eight sixes, including five in a single over.