Pretorius scores unbeaten 189 to eclipse Gayle’s T20 record

What Happened

Lhuandre Pretorius smashed a world‑record 189 runs off 75 balls for the Titans, overtaking Chris Gayle’s previous T20 high of 175. Opening the innings against the Knights in Bloemfontein, the left‑hander struck 15 fours and 13 sixes, taking the Titans to 267 for three in the full 20 overs. He reached his half‑century in just 24 deliveries and turned the hundred into a 40‑ball milestone, then hit 150 off 58 balls, matching Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis for the longest innings by balls faced in men’s T20 cricket. The knock marked Pretorius’s third T20 century in only 91 matches and came after back‑to‑back scores of 101 and 94 in recent T20 internationals against Namibia and Zimbabwe. His total fell just short of a double century.

Context

Breaking Gayle’s 2013 IPL record highlights the rise of South Africa’s young power‑hitter in global T20 cricket. Such high scores are rare, and the achievement places Pretorius among the few players to surpass 150 runs in a single T20 match.