Chris Gayle, the name is enough to scare any bowler. Once again the hulk of cricket world showed his dangerous hitting skills in the ongoing CPL 2016.
The match was between Trinbago Knight Riders and Jamaica Tallawahs at Queen’s Park Oval (Port of Spain) on 4th July. After winning the toss, Jamaica sent Trinbago to bat first. Trinbago put a big total of 191/4 (20 overs) on the board.
In reply, Jamaica opener Chris Gayle scored an amazing century and almost single-handedly put his team in the winning position. Gayle remained not out at one end, scoring 108 runs in 54 balls with a strike-rate of 200 runs per balls.
At the end of 10 overs, Jamaica were at 71/2 and they still required 121 runs in the last 60 balls (10 overs). At that time, it looked tough to win the match for Jamaica but opener Chris Gayle was still at the crease and he was batting on 30 (25 balls; 4’s – 4, 6’s – 1). After that, Gayle played a stormy knock as Jamaica reached the target in 18.2 overs, losing one more wicket (192/3) in the process.
Gayle scored an unbeaten 108 runs in 54 balls where he hit 6 boundaries and 11 sixes. Though Gayle was little lucky during this innings, but that did not put him in any problem as he continued to smash Knight Riders’ bowlers mercilessly; he was severe on Benn especially amassing 30 runs in an over.
The luckiest moment for Gayle was when he was caught at deep mid-wicket on 94 runs. But immediately when umpires checked for the no-ball, it was confirmed that the bowler (Ronsford Beaton of Trinbago Knight Riders) overstepped by a long way. Gayle survived that dismissal in nervous nineties due to that no-ball and went on to complete his century in the match with a sixer on the very next delivery which was a free-hit (due to bowl the previous delivery being a no-ball).
It was Gayle’s 18th overall T20 century and 3rd CPL century and that came in a great style. In the end, Gayle is adjudged the man of the match.
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