Veteran West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has hailed the influence of team captain Kieran Pollard following a return to form against Australia.
The 42-year-old scored an enterprising 67 from 38 balls as the Windies took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20 series.
The half-century would have come as a relief for the under-pressure batsman who had struggled to make an impact since being recalled to the team. In eight matches, against Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Australia, Gayle has averaged 12.71, with a combined 89 runs, and has a highest score of 31. In addition, the batsman has a strike rate of 94.68, well below his career average of 139.71. In fact, the score was the highest for the player since March 2016.
“It’s good to be among the runs. Yes, it’s a relief, any batter who hadn’t been among the runs for quite some time now would definitely want to be back among the runs…but it wouldn’t have been possible without my teammates,” Gayle said.
“He told me that he was backing me to go out there and play the cricket that Chris Gayle is accustomed to playing. So, getting the backing from my teammates, senior guys like Dwayne Bravo as well, Nicholas Pooran.
“It gave me goosebumps when Pollard was speaking in the dressing room. Me being a leader and I used to captain Pollard and I tried to help him excel in his career, now’s he’s the captain and for him to stand up and say ‘hey Chris’ and give me a reminder of how good I am. It’s fantastic.”
Markram admits South Africa were fortunate in Bangladesh win
Aiden Markram admitted South Africa rode their luck as they maintained their perfect record at the T20 World Cup with a tense four-run win over Bangladesh on Monday.
The Proteas looked to be heading for their first loss in Group D when they toiled to 113-6 in Long Island, but some slow scoring from Bangladesh left the match in the balance late on.
Requiring seven runs from the final three balls for victory, Bangladesh saw both Jaker Ali and Mahmudullah caught by Markram, who was in the right place at the right time on the boundary as South Africa's opponents went in search of a maximum.
The result keeps South Africa top of Group D and on course for a Super-8 berth with six points, four clear of Bangladesh, but Markram acknowledged they had been lucky.
"You're always pretty nervous in the final over in a game like that. It was always on a knife's edge, it can make you mentally tired," he said after the match.
"It's always nice to be in them though. Sometimes you get on the right side of it, sometimes not, but it's very entertaining.
"That 19.5 full toss could've gone anywhere, it could've gone two more metres further and we'd have had a different conversation.
"A few things went our way today, we were very fortunate to get on the right side.
"Today was one of those days where the seamers were bowling well, we wanted to drag it to the end where anything could happen in the last over."
Heinrich Klaasen hit a vital 46 to drag South Africa to 113 after they had been teetering on 23-4, putting up a 79-run partnership with David Miller, who hit 29.
"We're putting Klaasen and Miller under pressure but they've been exceptional," Markram added.
"They've gone back-to-back with crucial partnerships, got us to a score that was luckily enough to win but still one we could defend. It's fantastic for Klaasy to get back in form."
South Africa hold off Bangladesh to stay perfect at T20 World Cup
South Africa held off Bangladesh to maintain their perfect record at the T20 World Cup on Monday, defending a target of 113 in a thrilling finish in Long Island.
The Proteas, who had made a flawless start to their Group D campaign with successful chases against Sri Lanka and the Netherlands, looked to be up against it after a dire start to their third outing.
Bangladesh's Tanzim Hasan Sakib needed just five overs to clinch a hat-trick as Reeza Hendricks went lbw for a first-ball duck, then Quinton de Kock (18) and Tristan Stubbs (0) followed, the latter chipping straight to Shakib Al Hasan at short cover.
Heinrich Klaasen stopped the rot, but his knock of 46 came off 44 deliveries as Bangladesh bowled efficiently, and another low-scoring affair was guaranteed when he was bamboozled by Taskin Ahmed's seam ball 18 overs in.
Bangladesh's chase got off to an inauspicious start as Kagiso Rabada had Tanzid Hasan (9) caught inside two overs, later joining Anrich Nortje on two wickets when an umpire's review showed he clipped leg stump to end Towhid Hridoy's stand of 37.
That knock had left Bangladesh requiring 18 off 12 balls in front of a fervent crowd, but like Pakistan versus India one day earlier, they were unable to get over the line.
Proteas captain Aiden Markram was in the right place at the right time on two occasions, catching desperate attempts for a maximum from both Jaker Ali (8) and Mahmudullah (20) right on the boundary to seal South Africa's victory.
Data Debrief: Proteas do enough... just
South Africa have still never lost a T20I versus Bangladesh in nine meetings, but they put themselves in real bother with some slow scoring in their innings.
However, the efforts of Rabada (2-19), Nortje (2-17) and Keshav Maharaj (3-27) were enough, the latter's bowling handing Markram two catches as Bangladesh were forced to hit big in the dying moments.
The Proteas remain top of Group D with maximum points from three games, with Bangladesh now having one win and one defeat.
Tim David and Jason Roy join Trinbago Knight Riders for 2024 Republic Bank CPL
The Trinbago Knight Riders have confirmed the players they have retained and signed ahead of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft.
They have 15 confirmed players for the 2024 season and will have two emerging player spots to fill at the draft in July.
The Knight Riders have signed Australian batter Tim David for the 2024 season. David has had success in the CPL in the past with the Saint Lucia Kings.
They have also secured the services of experienced and explosive England international Jason Roy who is set for his first taste of the CPL.
Roy is one of the world’s most travelled T20 players boasting stats of 9244 runs in 360 matches including six hundreds and 60 fifties at a strike rate of 141.60.
USA international Ali Khan and Afghan spinner Waqar Salamkheil will return to the franchise for the 2024 season. The Knight Riders have also signed Ireland left arm seamer Josh Little who recently became the first Irish man to play in the IPL with the Gujarat Titans.
The Knight Riders have retained the core of Caribbean players that took them to the final at the 2023 tournament with Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Nicholas Pooran all back with the Trinidad franchise.
The full list of retained and signed players for the Knight Riders are as follows: Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Keacy Carty, Tim David, Josh Little, Terrence Hinds, Mark Deyal, Jason Roy, Dwayne Bravo, Waqar Salamkheil, Jayden Seales.
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