It happened in the first Test and the second ODI, but the first hundred in a Twenty20 international took 20 games. Chris Gayle etched his name in the record books following Dennis Amiss and Charles Bannerman, the first centurions in ODIs and Tests respectively.
Chris Gayle's 10 sixes in his knock of 117 was double the previous record of five in a Twenty20 international, and nearly equalled the record of 11 in an ODI innings. While Gayle dealt in sixes, Herschelle Gibbs hit fours, his 14 being the highest in an innings. Gayle and Gibbs also powered their way to the top of the list for most runs in boundaries in an individual innings.
South Africa's 208 for 2 to overcome the West Indies' total of 205 was also the highest total batting second in a Twenty20 international, beating the earlier record of 199, also scored at the Wanderers. South Africa only lost the wickets of Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers for a score of over 200, giving them the highest average runs per wicket in a Twenty20 innings.
During their run-chase, South Africa hit the most fours in an innings. The match total of 36 fours and the 252 runs coming by way of fours and sixes bettered the previous marks of 35 and 236, also scored at the Wanderers. The eighteen sixes equalled the previous record of most sixes in a Twenty20 international.
The partnership of 145 between Gayle and Devon Smith is the highest in Twenty20 international so far.
Gayle made more than 57% of the runs in West Indies' total of 205, the highest for a batsman in a Twenty20 international.
The match aggregate of 413 runs is the highest so far in the Twenty20 format, beating the 401 scored by England and West Indies earlier this year at The Oval.
Apart from the brilliant knocks from Gayle and Gibbs, the bowlers too played a part in the runs scored, with the 28 extras conceded by West Indies being the highest in an innings, and the 45 from both sides the highest for a match. The West Indian bowlers gave away a record 23 runs by way of wides.
Both Ramnaresh Sarwan and Smith, the captains, must have had a nightmarish time in the field, and together they used 13 bowlers, the highest in a Twenty20 international.
Shaun Pollock and Ravi Rampaul conceded over 50 runs from their allotted four overs, the first time opposition bowlers have given away more than 50 runs in a Twenty20 international.
