ICC World Twenty20: Gayle storm demolishes England

Chris Gayle (100* off 48 balls) ran riot as Darren Sammy-led West Indies crushed England to seal six–wicket win in their first game in ICC World Twenty20 in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The Jamaican superstar made mockery of the English bowling attack as he went on to score his second T20 hundred in international cricket in just 47 balls smashing 11 sixes and 5 fours.

Requiring 184 runs to win the match, West Indies chase started on a horrible note when David Willey dismissed Johnson Charles in the first over. The half-filled Wankhede was then taken for a joy ride as Chris Gayle decided to open his shoulders. The swashbuckling left-hander scored 10 off Reece Topley in the second over.

Marlon Samuels, who batted at number three, was equally fierce and he and Gayle put on 57-run stand in 38 balls before the right-hander perished off Adil Rashid’s bowling.

Following Samuels’ departure, Gayle upped the ante and made Rashid and Ben Stokes suffer. The left-hander smashed four sixes in the space of two overs as West Indies crossed 100-run mark in the eleventh over.

Just when the Caribbean side was looking in a good shape to chase down England’s 185-run total, Denesh Ramdin’s enthusiasm got the better off him. The West Indian wicketkeeper-batsman’s miscued slog-sweep ended in Rashid’s hands at short fine-leg off Moeen Ali’s bowling.

However, Gayle crushed England’s hopes of a comeback as he targeted Ali in his final over. The England off-spinner, who had conceded only 20 runs in his first three overs, was taken to the cleaners as Gayle smacked him for three massive sixes over long-on.

Gayle, who had completed his 14th T20I fifty in 26 balls, scored 29 runs in next ten deliveries as West Indies moved closer to victory.

The carnage continued as Gayle reached the three-figure mark in the 18th over. Andre Russell completed the formalities as West Indies won the match with 11 balls to spare.

Earlier, England batsmen clicked as a unit as the Eoin Morgan-led side scored 183 runs after put in to bat.

In the battle of former champions, England openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales were a little watchful in the beginning scoring just five runs off first two overs. However, Jason Roy decided to open his shoulders as England scored 18 runs in the third over of the innings.

Alex Hales took some liking for Samuel Badree as he hit three boundaries in the fourth over. However, Andre Russell, who was reportedly under the scanner for doping ahead of World T20, put brakes on England’s progress when he sent packing Roy in his first over.

Joe Root joined Hales in the middle as England scored 49 runs in powerplay.

The duo added 43 runs in the next five overs before Sulieman Benn dismissed Hales. The England opener, who is the leading run-getter in T20Is played between these two nations, failed to dazzle in his 26-ball 28-run knock.

Root, meanwhile, once again proved why he is one of the best batsmen going around. The man from Yorkshire looked in a great nick before Russell ended his innings on 48.

Jos Buttler, who walked in to bat ahead of England skipper Eoin Morgan, lived upto his big-hitting reputation as he scored quickfire 30 off 20 balls before he failed to clear the boundary rope off Dwayne Bravo’s bowling and was caught in the deep in the 18th over.

Ben Stokes did no harm to his reputation in his brief innings of 15 off 7 balls. Morgan, on the other hand, slammed unbeaten 27 with the help of 1 four and two massive sixes as England put 183 runs on the board.