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Pretorius Smashes Record With 188 in T20 Cricket
Confirmed
In Short: South African cricketer Lhuan-dre Pretorius broke Chris Gayle's record for the highest individual score in men's T20 cricket with an unbeaten 188 in a domestic match.
South African cricketer Lhuan-dre Pretorius broke Chris Gayle's record for the highest individual score in men's T20 cricket with an unbeaten 188 in a domestic match against the Knights in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Pretorius reached his half-century in just 24 balls and his century in 40 deliveries, showcasing his aggressive batting style.
The 20-year-old left-handed batter surpassed Gayle's unbeaten 175, which had stood as the record since 2013, when Gayle scored it for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League.
Pretorius fell just 12 runs short of becoming the first batter to score a double-century in men's T20 cricket.
His innings also matched Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis' record for the longest innings in men's T20 cricket in terms of balls faced, with all three having faced 79 deliveries.
Pretorius' performance also broke Dewald Brevis' record of 162, which had stood as the highest individual score in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Pretorius' innings was so dominant that he and Sinethemba Qeshile added 100 runs in little more than seven overs.
Titans finished on 267 for three, the second-highest score in the competition's history, behind their own 271-3 against the same opposition in 2022.
Pretorius, who has played 17 T20s, three one-dayers, and two Tests for South Africa, finished with a strike rate of 237.97.
Pretorius' record-breaking innings earned him a place in the IPL, with Pretorius joining Rajasthan Royals.
Pretorius said, 'I didn’t even know that. Flip he’s a legend of the game. But I said when I scored my hundred in Namibia, I broke a record there, but I just said records come and go, you just always try give your best.
What this adds
Pretorius' record-breaking innings was a testament to his aggressive batting style and rapid rise through South Africa's cricketing system.
What's confirmed
- Add ANI As A Trusted Source For Reliable Information ANI | Updated: Oct 03, 2026 07:08 IST Bloemfontein [ South Africa ], October 3 (ANI): South Africa 's Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed an unbeaten 188 off 79 balls to break Chris Gayle 's record for the highest individual score in men's T20 cricket during the CSA T20 Challenge match between Titans and Knights in Bloemfontein.
- The 20-year-old left-hander surpassed Gayle's unbeaten 175 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Pune Warriors India in the 2013 Indian Premier League, ending the West Indian's 13-year hold on the record.
- Pretorius' innings also matched Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis' record for the longest innings in men's T20 cricket in terms of balls faced, with all three having faced 79 deliveries.
What's still developing
- Courtesy: PTI Pretorius, however, was in a class of his own.
- Lhuan-dre Pretorius is one of South Africa's most promising young cricketers, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batter who has risen rapidly through the country's cricketing system.
- Pretorius got off to a quick start, reaching his fifty in 24 balls.
- He has played just 22 internationals across formats, but this was Pretorius’ 91st T20, a format in which he strikes at 150.44. (Cricinfo) News Room is a news outlet launched in 2016 and caters to persons interested in creative and intelligent journalism with a broad perspective.
- This was Pretorius’ first game of the 2026-27 season, and he came into the competition on the back of some destructive form.
- “I didn’t play the first few games because I was injured, but I remember sitting in the first strategy meeting and coach Gobes (Titans coach Rivash Gobind) said we need to get 300 (total) once this tournament,” explained Pretorius.
- Titans opening batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius celebrates his century in their Pro20 Cup clash against the Knights at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Friday night.