Chris Gayle became the first batsman in the Indian Premier League to smash over 300 sixes as he hit a breezy 40 for his side Kings XI Punjab on Saturday.

The self-titled ‘'Universe Boss’ on Twitter, Gayle struck four sixes during his 24-ball blitz to set up a successful chase for Punjab who outplayed Mumbai Indians by eight wickets.

The big-hitting Gayle took his sixes count to 302 in 114 innings of the world's most popular Twenty20 tournament that is into its 12th edition.

South Africa's AB de Villiers is a distant second with 192 sixes in 131 IPL innings and Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni third with 187 hits over the fence.

Gayle hit two back-to-back sixes against New Zealand and Mumbai left-arm paceman Mitchell McClenaghan to achieve the smashing feat at Punjab's Mohali ground.

Incidentally Punjab had snapped up the West Indian in the 2018 IPL auctions after he remained unsold in two rounds of bidding.

Gayle hit a match-winning 79 in his team's opening game that was marred by the controversial 'Mankad' dismissal of England batsman Jos Buttler by Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin.

The 39-year-old Gayle has been a powerhouse performer for the Caribbean side and will play in his fifth World Cup in England and Wales, which starts on May 30.

Meanwhile fast bowler Kagiso Rabada successfully defended 10 runs in a thrilling Super Over as Delhi Capitals edged out Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.

The match had ended in a tie after Delhi, chasing 186 for victory, finished their 20 overs on 185 for six, with Prithvi Shaw hitting 99 at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

Rabada then returned to bowl two perfect yorkers in the Super Over -- the first of this edition of the world's most popular Twenty20 tournament.

Kolkata batsman Andre Russell, who had smashed 62 off 28 deliveries in his team's 185-8, was at the receiving end of Rabada's accuracy.

The South African paceman rattled Russell's stumps on the third ball, with Kolkata managing just seven runs in their six deliveries, in reply to Delhi's 10.

“Obviously lots of nerves... You have to keep your wits about you and be really clear on what you have to bowl,” said the 23-year-old Rabada.

“I just went with yorkers and it worked in the end. I was clear and backed my plan.”

The T20 extravaganza is tentatively scheduled to end on May 12 with eight franchises battling it out in season 12 of the cash-rich league.