Brendon McCullum

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Lore & Background

In the inaugural Indian Premier League tournament in 2008 he played for Kolkata Knight Riders. On 18 April 2008 in the first-ever IPL match, he achieved the highest Twenty20 individual score in an innings, 158* against RCB. This eclipsed the previous record mark of 141, held by Australian Cameron White. Coincidentally, McCullum faced an over from White during the match and scored 24 from it; it was White's only over in that match. This record was eventually broken by Chris Gayle when he piled on 175 runs in IPL 2013. In the same match he also claimed the record for most sixes (13) in a Twenty20 innings, which was later surpassed by Englishman Graham Napier (16). He was bought by Kochi Tuskers Kerala in the 2011 IPL auctions. He returned to the Knight Riders in 2012. In the 2014 IPL auctions, McCullum was bought by Chennai Super Kings. He was given the role of opening the innings along with West Indian Dwayne Smith and the pair was considered the most dangerous opening pair in the league's history. In 2018 he was released by CSK and bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2018. During the RCB's season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders during the 2018 IPL season, he reached 9000 runs in all forms of T20 cricket and became only the second player after Chris Gayle to achieve the milestone.

In Their Own Story

The stage was set for the first-ever match of the Indian Premier League on April 18, 2008. The venue was M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, and the atmosphere was electric with anticipation. Brendon McCullum walked out to bat for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He did not just play; he rewrote the record books. Facing the bowlers with unbridled confidence, he accelerated rapidly, reaching his century in spectacular fashion. He finished with a score of 158*, an unbeaten innings that shocked the cricketing world and became the first century in IPL history. This knock was one of only three 150+ scores ever recorded by individual batsmen in the league's history up to the present date. His performance proved that the new league would be defined by aggressive, high-scoring chases and individual brilliance.

Reader's Guide

McCullum played for Kolkata Knight Riders (2008, 2012–2013), Kochi Tuskers Kerala (2011), Chennai Super Kings (2014–2017), and Royal Challengers Bangalore (2018). He scored one IPL century: 158* against RCB in 2008.

Did You Know?

• McCullum scored 158* in the first-ever IPL match, which was the highest T20 individual score at the time.
• He was the first player to score 2000 runs in T20I cricket.
• McCullum scored the fastest Test century (54 balls) in his final Test match in February 2016.
• He is the first New Zealander to score a triple hundred in a Test match (302 against India in February 2014).