Dasun Shanaka lit up IPL 2023 with Gujarat Titans, translating his reputation as a power-hifting finisher into a match-winning cameo. In three innings he hammered 26 runs off just 26 balls at a scorching strike-rate of 100, signalling intent from ball one. The 29-year-old struck two boundaries and one towering six, peaking at a highest score of 17 that underlined his ability to clear the ropes. Although limited to only 2023’s single-season stint with GT, Shanaka’s brief but explosive stay delivered exactly what modern T20 franchises crave: instant impact off minimal deliveries. With no bowling duties asked of him, his story this season is purely about fearless batting flair – a snapshot of why he remains on every auction radar as a proven six-hitter.

Chris Gayle IPL story: 13 seasons, 4 965 runs, 357 sixes and one unforgettable 175. The self-styled “Universe Boss” walked into IPL 2009 with Kolkata Knight Riders, but it was at Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011-2017 that he became a global T20 icon—belting 404 fours and 357 sixes overall at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 148. In 141 innings he cleared the rope once every 9.3 balls and produced 31 half-centuries plus six blistering hundreds, the most famous being his record 175* off 66 balls at the Chinnaswamy in 2013. After his Bengaluru fireworks, Gayle took his power game to Punjab Kings, turning up in orange from 2018 to 2021 and continuing to pepper boundaries with the same ruthless ease. While he rolled his arm over occasionally—18 wickets in 38 bowling innings—his narrative is written in soaring sixes and match-winning hundreds that re-defined T20 batting forever.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.