Chris Gayle is looking more and more like a man with a point to prove with each passing IPL 2018 game.

After not being retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise before initially going unsold in the IPL auctions, Gayle was not picked by his new team Kings XI Punjab for its opening two games.

When he did finally get his chance in the franchise’s clash against Chennai Super Kings, the Jamaican smashed an entertaining and explosive 33-ball 63 on his Kings XI debut.

It was no surprise therefore when the tall and powerful left-hander was picked for Thursday’s clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Gayle lit up the IS Bindra stadium in Mohali once again as he started raining down the sixes. The 38-year-old struck his second fifty in a row as he put Kings XI in a commanding position against the Sunrisers.

Starting circumspectly once again, Gayle waited to pick his moments to attack, sparing no bowler whenever they bowled in his arc.

He reached his fifty off 39 balls, taking longer than usual for his high standards. However, Gayle burst into life upon crossing the 50-run mark as he tore into Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan.

Gayle clobbered the teenage leg-spin prodigy for four consecutive sixes in the 14th over of the innings after Kings XI had won the toss and batted first.

The six sixes conceded by Rashid in his first three overs is the highest he has conceded in a T20 match which tells you all you need to know about Gayle’s hitting prowess.

It was sweet revenge too for the Kings XI batsman who had been dismissed by the Afghan spinner twice in the recently concluded ICC 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

Gayle wasn’t just done there however, as he continued to take his toll on Hyderabad’s bowlers. He moved to 99 with a huge six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar before taking a single off Siddhart Kaul to bring up his 21st T20 hundred and sixth in the IPL.