Hats off! McCullum's wide brim robs him of insane catch

Brendon McCullum pulled off an incredible catch to dismiss Chris Gayle in the IPL, until replays showed his hat had brushed the boundary rope.

Gayle was in vintage form as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Gujarat Lions on Wednesday, smashing a swashbuckling 77 off 38 balls, passing 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket in the process.

But his innings almost ended on 38 when McCullum reeled in a sensational one-handed grab on the long off boundary.

However umpires sent the catch to the third official to make sure McCullum hadn't touched the boundary rope.

Incredible replays revealed the brim of his floppy hat had brushed the rope ever so slightly and Gayle was given a reprieve.

Kiwi commentator Danny Morrison summed up the incredible moment to perfection.

"Why is he even wearing the wide brim?" Morrison said. "It's night time!"

It's actually not the first time we've seen the floppy hat causing havoc:

McCullum then blasted 72 off 44 deliveries with seven sixes and two fours, but the Lions lost by 21 runs.