Chris Gayle show lights up World T20

Chris Gayle might have played his last international game a year ago, but it didn’t matter, and England learnt taht the hard way on Thursday. Gayle struck an unbeaten 48-ball hundred to power the West Indies to an emphatic six-wicket win at the Wankhede Stadium here. He smashed 11 sixes to become the highest six hitter in the Twenty20 format.

The Jamaican blaster with brute force has dismantled oppositions regularly in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore and other franchises he has played for in different Twenty20 leagues over the world.

But frequent injuries in the twilight of his career and apathy from the West Indies board towards some senior players had cast doubts over his future which he answered in the best way he could have.

Though Gayle makes big hitting look ridiculously easy, there is a simplistic approach to his work,

West Indies coach Phil Simmons said there was hard work and a method that went into his hitting.

“He actually analyses it as simple as he does it so he practises hard, he hits a lot of balls in the nets, but he works it out as he did today (Wednesday). Rashid is my bowler for the day and I am going to take him down so it’s as simple as that,” Simmons said.

England skipper Eoin Morgan revealed they tried everything against Gayle but he was unstoppable on the night.

“Yes he certainly did what he does. He was outstanding today in conditions probably that favoured the bat a lot more than the ball. We could have been better by the way we executed our skills I think. But when he got in, he didn’t give us any chances and took on our bowlers,” Morgan said.

Simmons who played in the 90s felt Gayle was as destructive as Viv Richards.

“Comparing with legends to destroy and attack like that the only person I would put him with is Vivian (Richards), because Vivian used to go out there and destroy attacks. I think he (Gayle) is the player the way he tears apart the bowling,” he said.