Chris Gayle can shatter dreams. Ask Ishwar Pandey, the highest wicket-taker in this year's Ranji Trophy, who got smashed for 21 in his first over this IPL. Ask Mitchell Marsh, whose decent run with the ball this tournament was blown out of his memory, with his first over going for 28.

Ask Aaron Finch, the third captain for Pune Warriors this season, who bowled an over hoping to restrict Gayle but didn't bowl again after being blasted for 29. Ask Ali Murtaza, a specialist left-arm spinner thrown into the deep end in his first game this season, only to be hammered for 28 in his over.

The fastest hundred in T20 history was built on the misery of others, most notably a struggling franchise whose owners - they spent US$370 million to buy it - watched shell-shocked at their team's bowlers being taken apart with a ruthlessness only a game of Cricket '97 powered with cheat codes could have matched.

After Gayle's onslaught, there was only going to be one result, and further confirmation of that arrived when four wickets fell inside the first six overs of the Warriors chase. Their defeat was the second-biggest in terms of runs in the IPL's six seasons.

Explosive opener slammed the fastest century in cricket history, reaching the triple figure in just 30 balls. Though, the milestone came in an IPL clash, and not in any international tie, Gayle's fireworks will be remembered by cricket buffs for long. Gayle pulverised the Pune attack and scored 175 not out in just 66 balls and hit 17 sixes, most in a T20 innings, and 13 boundaries in the process, to send the crowd in delirium.

Gayle said that he himself was awestruck by his devastating 175-run knock against Pune Warriors and said it was one of those days when everything "he hit stayed hit". "I am at loss of words myself. It was a good wicket and I started really well. It is just one of those when you hit the ball it stays hit. Everything was coming out of the middle of the bat," the big-hitting West Indian said after his scintillating unbeaten knock.

"In the first 6 overs I went bizzare and it actually paid off. And then I decided to slow it down in the middle period. Eventually we got a pretty good total and I am really happy with my performance," he said.