Chris Gayle's 5 best knocks in ODIs

Chris Gayle is one of the most destructive batsmen of this generation and also a true entertainer in his own right.

The burly West Indies player, like most of his predecessors, enjoys playing to the crowd and likes to play with a smile on his face - at least on occasions when he is not taking the opposition to the cleaners.

When Gayle is in his zone, there are few very bowlers who can stop him. Very few players are able to dent the confidence of the rivals, the way Gayle has been able to do a number of times.

He is tailor-made for the T20 format as his stellar record in the shortest format of the game suggests. He is only one of two players to score two Twenty20 international hundreds and is one of the most sought after players in various T20 leagues across the globe including the IPL.

But what should not be overlooked is the fact that he has performed well in the other formats as well, including Test cricket. He is only one of four players to score two triple centuries in Test cricket and has recorded centuries against seven different opponents.

Gayle's ODI record is even more impressive as he is only second to the great Brian Lara in the leading run-scorers chart for the West Indies. He leads the pack though with most hundreds (22) and is joint first with Sir Vivian Richards with most Man of the Series awards (7) the Carribean side.

He is a more than useful with the ball as well with more than 250 international wickets against his name and with 23 Man of the Match awards in the 50-over format, he has proven to be the difference for a West Indies side which has often struggled against the big guns in the recent past.

Let's take a look at 5 of Chris Gayle's best such knocks in ODIs:

101 (107) - West Indies tour of India, 2002/03 - 5th ODI at Vadodara

Gayle scored three centuries in the 7-seven match ODI series against India

Chris Gayle's unrivalled ability to dominate the opposition came to the fore during the 7-match ODI series against India in the latter end of 2002 as the West Indies opener smashed as many as three centuries to emerge Player of the Series.

Gayle's heroics led West Indies to a historic 4-3 series against Sourav Ganguly's high-flying outfit in their own outfit and the 5th ODI at Vadodara would turn out to be a decisive match in the final outcome of the series.

Half-centuries by India's Top 3 - Ganguly, Sehwag, and Laxman - powered the hosts to a healthy total of 290 in their 50 overs, and with the series tied at 2-2 heading into the contest, West Indies knew that a victory was pivotal to their efforts of securing an unlikely series victory.

Gayle helped the visitors achieve just that as his measured century, which included 10 boundaries and three sixes, set them on their way to a good start.

Along with his opening partner, Wavell Hinds, who was surprisingly the more aggressive out of the two on the day, West Indies got off to a brilliant start, adding 132 runs for the first wicket.

Marlon Samuels was dismissed cheaply soon after, but Gayle kept his bearings at the other end, and along with Ramnaresh Sarwan, helped West Indies narrow down on the target.

Gayle brought up his 4th ODI century on that day and was dismissed soon after, but not before he had set up the victory for his side - one they achieved with five wickets in hand.

152* (153) - 5th ODI, West Indies tour of South Africa at Johannesburg

West Indies headed to South Africa towards the end of 2003 hoping to make an impact away from home, but had a horrid time, completely outplayed in the four-match Test series, losing 3-0.

The ODI series that followed also began on a similar note as they lost the first two matches, while rain played spoilsport in the third ODI.

The visitors, however, sprung a surprise by winning the fourth ODI and headed into the fifth and final ODI at Johannesburg hoping to square the series.

Brian Lara won the decisive toss and decided to bat first and Gayle looked like a man possessed the moment he walked out to bat.

There was a sense of determination in the big man that day as it was clear that he wanted to stay long at the crease and do the job for the West Indies.

The focus was on not gifting his wicket to the opposition as he and Shivnarine Chanderpaul got them off to a slow but steady start.

Gayle started playing more freely once he settled down and carried his bat through the innings, remaining undefeated on 152.

Despite scoring in excess of 300, the hosts managed to secure victory on the back of a brilliant ton by Jacques Kallis and thereby the series 3-1.

Although it ended up in a losing cause, the innings by Gayle was a brilliant one as he proved he could perform against what was a brilliant bowling attack - that too in their own backyard.

132* (165) vs England at Lord's - 2004 Natwest Tri Series

Gayle scored a match-winning century in what was his 100th ODI match

Apart from his typical aggressiveness, Gayle showed that he has a good head on his shoulders as well in the decisive final group fixture of the 2004 Natwest tri-series at the Mecca of Cricket, Lord's.

Stephen Fleming's New Zealand had cruised into the final comfortable and it was left to the hosts and the Carribean side to fight it out for a spot in the final.

England had a shaky start, losing three early wickets, but centuries from Andrew Strauss and Andrew Flintoff, helped them register 285 on the board.

With a spot in the final hanging in the balance, the pressure was clearly on the West Indies with England enjoying the support of the home crowd.

The visitors lost Dwayne Smith early, but Gayle kept his calm and along with Ramnaresh Sarwan, added 187 runs for the second wicket.

The dismissals of Sarwan and Lara in quick succession pegged the pressure back on the Windies, but Gayle continued his composed knock and remained undefeated as they won the match by seven wickets.

It was the not usual aggressive Gayle on show that day at Lord's, but exactly the kind of knock they needed as the Windies opener took his time to settle in and ensured that he remained at the crease till the job was done.

Known as a reluctant runner between the wickets only 54 of his 132 runs came in boundaries that day, and one can easily realise how much self-restraint Gayle showed in what was his 100th One-Day International match.

133* (135) vs South Africa - 2nd Semifinal, 2006 ICC Champions Trophy

Gayle's innings wrote South Africa off the contest as Windies march into the Champions Trophy final

Chris Gayle showed his big-match credentials yet again for West Indies in the semi-final clash of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy against South Africa at Jaipur.

Australia had secured their spot in the final with a victory over Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, and West Indies were desperate to get a chance to defend the title they had won in 2004.

South Africa had the early advantage after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, but wickets at regular intervals kept their scoring at bay and the Proteas were restricted to 258 in their 50 overs.

Not the biggest of totals, but with the pressure of a big semi-final and in testing conditions, West Indies knew they would need a big-match performance from one of their leading stars.

Up stepped Chris Gayle, who took the game by the scruff of the neck, getting his side off to a flyer. He was aggressive from the onset, yet without being flashy.

He was in his groove completely and breezed his way to a fine century but also ensured to finish the job he had started by remaining unbeaten on 133 as West Indies marched to the final with six overs to spare.

Gayle was deservedly named the Man of the Match having chipped in with the ball as well, delivering his full quota of 10 overs at less than five-an-over.

Despite the disappointment of losing out to Australia in the final, the 2006 Champions Trophy was a Gayle masterclass as he won the Man of the Series award for his all-round figures of 474 runs and 8 wickets.

215 vs Zimbabwe, 2015 World Cup

Gayle started slowly but batted like a man possessed once he got going en route a record-breaking knockChris Gayle, as he has so often in the past, rewrote the history books with his epic knock against Zimbabwe in the Pool B fixture at the 2015 World Cup becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in World Cup history.

He brought up his double century off just 138 balls, the fastest ever in the history of the game. But what was more astounding was the fact that it took 105 balls for him to reach three figures.

A strange knock, to say the least, it was Gayle's batting partner at the other end, Marlon Samuels who looked in command with his strokeplay while the former seemed as if was struggling to get the ball away.

But it was just the calm before the storm, or Gaylestorm as we should put it. There was no stopping the burly West Indian once he got going as he smashed each and every bowler that came his way.

West Indies, who had only reached the 200-run mark in the 39th over, would go on to score 372 in their 50 overs courtesy of Gayle's blitz with the bat.