South Africa batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius smashed Chris Gayle’s record for the highest individual T20 score. Pretorius, a left-handed top-order batter, hammered his way to 188 not out from just 79 balls in South Africa’s domestic CSA T20 Challenge. Playing for Titans, the opener went on a marauding run in his first match of the tournament, smashing 13 sixes and 15 fours.
In doing so, Pretorius shattered the record for the most runs by a batter in a single innings in the 20-over format. The earlier record was held by the legendary Chris Gayle, who smashed 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League in 2013.
Pretorius, 20, was well on course for a double century but ran out of overs as the Titans finished their innings on 267 for three.
Pretorius’s innings was so dominant that he and Sinethemba Qeshile added 100 runs in little more than seven overs. Qeshile was the first to fall, scoring 14 off 10 balls with the team’s total already at 112.
Pretorius, however, was in a class of his own. While Dewald Brevis made 7 off 11 and Leus du Plooy scored 17 off 11, the opener continued his assault on the Knights bowling attack.
He found good support from captain Donovan Ferreira in the final stages of the innings, with the skipper smashing an unbeaten 29 off 11 balls to help the Titans finish on 267 for three.
The total was still some distance short of the highest team score in T20 cricket. That record belongs to Baroda, who scored 349 for five against Sikkim in 2024.
HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL SCORES IN MEN’S T20 CRICKET
- 1. Lhuan-dre Pretorius: 188* – Titans vs Knights – 2026
- 2. Chris Gayle: 175* – RCB vs PWI – 2013
- 3. Aaron Finch: 172 – Australia vs Zimbabwe – 2018
- 4. Hamza Khan: 164* – Rwanda vs Ivory Coast – 2026
- 5. Karanbir Singh: 164 – Austria vs Hungary – 2026
WHO IS LHUAN-DRE PRETORIUS?
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. Born on March 27, 2006, in Potchefstroom, Pretorius made his mark at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, where he was South Africa’s leading run-scorer.
His breakthrough at senior level came in the SA20. Playing for Paarl Royals in the 2025 season, Pretorius scored 397 runs and finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, despite being only 18 at the time. His aggressive batting and ability to score quickly made him one of the most exciting young players in South African cricket.
Pretorius’s rise continued into international cricket. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in 2025 and announced himself in spectacular fashion, scoring 153 in only his second Test innings. At 19 years and 93 days, he became the youngest player to score 150 in men’s Test cricket.
His performances also earned him a place in the IPL, with Pretorius joining Rajasthan Royals. He has since represented South Africa across formats, adding international experience to a career that has moved remarkably quickly.
CHRIS GAYLE’S RECORD BROKEN
Gayle’s record had stood for more than 13 years before Pretorius finally surpassed it. The West Indies great’s 175 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in the 2013 IPL had remained the benchmark for the highest individual score in men’s T20 cricket.
Pretorius went past Gayle’s mark with his 176th run and kept attacking until the end of the innings. His 188 came at a strike rate of 237.97, with 138 of his runs coming in boundaries.
The record also comes amid a period in which T20 batting has continued to become more aggressive, with batters increasingly taking risks on flat tracks dished out by T20 leagues.
Pretorius’s innings, however, was not simply about power hitting. He reached his fifty from 24 balls, brought up his century from 40 balls and raced to 150 from 58 deliveries before finishing with 188.
The Knights had a huge target of 268 to chase, but their innings never matched the Titans’ start.
Openers Jacques Snyman and Gihahn Cloete gave the visitors a fast start, adding 33 runs in the first two overs. Snyman, who made 32 off 12 balls, was dismissed from the first ball of the third over, and the chase began to lose momentum from there.
The Knights were eventually bowled out for 143 in 17.2 overs, handing the Titans a 124-run victory.
The match between Titans and Knights was the first hosted at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein this season, and it ended with Pretorius leaving his mark on T20 cricket’s record books.
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