Veteran Windies batsman and T20 star Chris Gayle is expected to ply his trade in the upcoming Everest Premier League (EPL) in Nepal, in March.
The 40-year-old Gayle will join a host of other stars for the tournament. The list will include retired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith. Gayle is slated to represent the Pokhara Rhinos with Smith suiting up for the Bhairahawa Gladiators.
The talented Gayle is considered one of the game’s best T20 players and holds the record for the most runs ever scored in the format with 12,808. Gayle is also the only player to score more than 7 T20 centuries. The left-handed runs machine has slowed down in recent years but recently indicated that he wanted to play the sport for as long as possible. The self-proclaimed ‘Universe Boss’ has promised fireworks in Nepal.
"Nepal get ready for the Gayle storm. It is gonna be dashing. See you soon Nepal," he said in a video message on his Twitter account.
EPL managing director Aamir Akhtar revealed it took months of negotiations to persuade Gayle to play in the Himalayan nation.
"The league had to mature and earn a certain reputation in the international market so someone like Chris Gayle would be ready to play," Akhtar said.
"All the hard work from the last three years has actually convinced him that this is a clean, reputable league, followed by passionate cricket lovers.”
Windies T20 star Andre Russell has insisted he lives for the high-pressure moments after a solid performance with the bat to see Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) side Rajshahi Royals safely into the final, at the expense of Chris Gayle’s Chattogram Challengers.
Russell smashed an unbeaten 54 from 22 balls, which included seven sixes and two fours as the team successfully recovered from 80-4 in the 14th over to reach 164-8 with four balls remaining. The total saw them claim a dramatic two-wicket win over Chattogram, who had been powered by Gayle’s blistering 60 off 24 balls.
"The plan was just to stay there until the end. I wasn't worried about the falling wickets but as more wickets fell, it put pressure on me,” Russell told Espncricinfo.
“I just wanted one person from one end, and then let me do my thing at the other end. [Abu Jayed] Rahi stood up with me. Well done to him. I think every run was really important. These scores can be very tricky at times,” he added.
"I love playing in these situations, when it is 12, 13 or 14 runs [needed] per over," Russell said. "Sometimes I love when its like even 15 or 16. I like these challenges. I am strong and I know if I stay as still as possible, I will always have an open mindset and I don't premeditate.”
Rajshahi will face Khulna Tigers in the final on Friday.
Veteran Windies batsman Chris Gayle has admitted he is not a fan of the proposed four-day Test cricket format, insisting that shortening the game would lessen some of its appeal.
Gayle, who has scored a total of 7214 runs in 104 Test matches, with a high score of 333, is no stranger to the format. The player last set foot in the Test area six years ago but has not lost the affinity for the grueling nature of the longest format.
It is of little surprise that Gayle recently added his voice to the throng of players and former players that have come out strongly against the possibility of reducing five-day Test matches to four-dayers. The topic is expected to be discussed by the ICC over the next few months.
“I am not a fan of that (four-day Tests). I played 100 Tests, I mean a few finished in three days, a few in four but five days Test cricket is the ultimate and to have a four-day Test…I am not a big fan of that,” Gayle said.
“It has set the trend and it’s been there for ages so why go and mess with that. If they give other players a chance to experience that, it can be a life-changing experience to play five-day cricket. It is a mental state so that you can cope in life as well,” said Gayle.
Indian captain Virat Kohli, South African skipper Faf du Plessis, English captain Joe Root and Indian great Sachin Tendulkar are among the other players to have spoken out in opposition to the change.
Windies star Chris Gayle insists he hopes to play for another five years or at least as long as possible.
The left-handed batting talisman turned 40 earlier this year and had initially speculated about retiring after the ICC World Cup. Gayle, however, had a complete change of heart regarding that possibility and now insists that he believes he still has a lot to offer to the sport.
The West Indian already has a long list of accomplishments which includes being the highest ODI runs scorer for the West Indies, and having the most centuries with 25. Gayle is also the first batsman to score a triple century in Test cricket, a double century in ODI cricket and a century in T20 internationals.
Despite his long list of accomplishments, however, Gayle believes he still has plenty to give to fans of the sport and league's around the world.
“A lot of people still want (to) see Chris Gayle out there in the middle. I still have that love for the game and that passion for the game as well. And I would love to carry on as long as possible,” Gayle said in a recent interview.
“Forty-five is a good number. Yeah, we can target 45. Let’s target 45, that’s a good number,” he added.
“Even in franchise cricket, I am still playing a few games here and there around the globe because I still feel I have a lot to offer. The body is feeling good. And I am sure I am getting younger as days go on.”
Given the two T20 World Cups under the belt of the West Indies, it may be no surprise that the Caribbean side has dominated ESPN’s best XI in the format over the last decade.
ESPN had come up with a list of its best XI in Test, One-Day and T20 Internationals and while there were no West Indians in the two longer formats of the game, they may have made up for it in the shortest.
At the top of the order comes Chris Gayle, T20’s all-time leading run-scorer. Interestingly, the opening spots have been covered by the West Indies with Sunil Narine earning a pick for his innovative pinch-hitting at the top of the order.
India’s Virat Kohli comes at number three in the batting line-up, with South Africa’s AB de Villiers locking down number four.
At five, ESPN has gone with another Indian in veteran Mahendra Singh Doni before turning again to the Caribbean where West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell can decide who bats six and seven.
At number eight, the best in the world this decade, according to the writers at ESPN, comes Dwayne Bravo before the leg-spin option of Rashid Khan. Narine, is, of course, the other spinner in the side.
Sri Lankan great, Lasith Malinga makes the best team of the decade next, while Jasprith Bumrah finds his way into the side as the second seamer. The two are seen as the best death bowlers in the world because of their ability to bowl Yorkers.
West Indies coach Phil Simmons is not be concerned that the life-changing contract awarded to Sheldon Cottrell to play for the Kings XI Punjab in this season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) will impact his cricket.
Windies star Chris Gayle extended hearty congratulations to Australian David Warner who continued his purple patch of form with an unbeaten 335 during the second Test match against Pakistan at Adelaide Oval.
The knock elevated Warner to exclusive company become one of 31 players to ever achieve the feat. The left-hander also became the second-highest scorer ever for Australia behind Matthew Hayden’s 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. Gayle, who also features prominently on the list, had scored 333 against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2010, congratulated the Australian batsman via social media platform Twitter.
“Welcome to the Triple club, @davidwarner31 - Top stuff,” Gayle tweeted.
Warner, who served a 12-month ban from the sports after being punished for ball-tampering, beat Donald Bradman’s record of 299, set against South Africa in 1931-32, for the highest test score at the Adelaide Oval. The player also produced the biggest innings ever in the day-night Test cricket format. Australia captain Tim Paine declared at 589-3 on day two against Pakistan.
Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) team Chattogram Challengers have threatened action against Windies star Chris Gayle if he does not show up for the upcoming tournament.
The 40-year-old left-handed superstar insisted that he would take a break from the sport earlier this week, on the back of a disappointing campaign for Jozi Stars in South Africa’s Mzansi Super League. Gayle, who also turned down an invitation to represent the West Indies in the One Day International series against India, was picked by the Challengers to play in the tournament, which begins on December 11.
While the player insisted he was surprised to be included in the list, the franchise insists negotiations were conducted through his agent.
“His agent confirmed Chris was aware about it,” Challengers team director Jalal Yunus said.
“Now if he does not come, we will seek a player outside the draft. But I feel (Bangladesh Cricket Board) BCB should take action in such cases to keep discipline.” Yunus claims the team had not heard from Gayle for several days ahead of his comments on Monday.
According to the BCB, all protocol was followed by the team in their drafting of the West Indian.
“We maintain all the standard procedures when any national cricketer’s name came for the players’ draft,” Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury.
“Either a player or his agent can show his interest and put the name in the list. I have checked the process, and everything was done according to a standard process.”
Following a disappointing campaign in South Africa's Mzansi Super League (MSL) West Indies batsman Chris Gayle is claiming he does not get respect.
Veteran West Indies opener Chris Gayle has announced that he is taking a break for the remainder of the year.
West Indies opener Chris Gayle has quickly shrugged off the disappointment of not being able to land a place in the inaugural 100,and is still continuing to be one of the first names to be called when it comes to any new form of limited overs cricket.
Gayle is one of the names being touted as being part of the Ultimate Kricket Challenge in Dubai in February of 2020.
The event, a five-day extravaganza, will also include the likes of Andre Russell, Kevin Pietersen, Yuvraj Singh, and Shahid Afridi.
The dates have been tentatively set for February 18 to 23 in a format that includes one-on-one cricket.
The two cricketers facing off against each other will face 30 balls and can be out five times. The matches will be determined by the number of runs scored.
“I can’t wait to have a practice run. It’s a new and exciting format and its growth depends on how we start the first edition,” said Yuvraj.
“This is going to be huge,” said Kevin Pietersen on Twitter, sharing the same sentiment as Gayle.
Gayle has been the main proponent of short-form cricket, dominating the statistics as a T20 batsman, leading compatriots of huge talent.
The Universe Boss, has so far, had the most runs in T20s (13,051), the most centuries (22), the most sixes (960), most man-of-the-match awards, to go along with the highest individual score (175 not out).
T20 batting legend Chris Gayle might have priced himself out of the inaugural Hundred Draft held on Sunday.
Newly appointed Windies chairman of selectors Roger Harper confirmed veteran batsman Chris Gayle was unavailable for the upcoming series against Afghanistan but suggested the panel would focus on younger talent going forward.
Speculation has continued to surround the future of the star batsman after he announced plans to retire, following the ICC World Cup earlier this year. The 40-year-old, however, appeared to have a change of heart and went on to claim that the team's series again India, following the cricketing showpiece, would instead be his final.
Controversy, however, erupted with many suggesting the batsman should hang up his tips and allow for the development of younger players. Following the series against India, Gayle was again quick to insist that he was in no hurry to retire. With young openers like Evin Lewis and Brandon King included in the squad, Harper suggested it was time to give younger players an opportunity to showcase their skills.
“Gayle told us he is unavailable for Afghanistan Series, but we all know Chris, he is a world-class player with a tremendous record and of course it’s difficult to replace Chris Gayle,” Harper explained.
"But I think going forward it is in a way an opportunity for young players to showcase their skills and make a name for themselves as we look ahead to the next two T20 World Cups in 2020 and 2021 and the future.”
There was no room for veteran Windies opener Chris Gayle as the new Cricket West Indies selection panel named squads for all three formats for the team’s series against Afghanistan.
The 40-year-old batsman was expected to retire from the sport following this year’s World Cup but had a change of heart. The player had also targeted the India home tour as possibly his final appearance for the regional team but insisted following the series that he had not retired.
Despite the absence of the talismanic player, however, there are several noted returnees. As expected, having been appointed captain of the ODI and T20 teams Kieron Pollard returns to the white ball team for the first time in three years. Pollard replaced Holder as captain of the ODI team and Carlos Brathwaite as leader of the T20 team. While Holder has been included in all three formats, Brathwaite has been dropped from the squad.
Fresh off successful campaigns in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Guyana Amazon Warriors opening batsman Brandon King and Barbados Tridents spinner Hayden Walsh Jr have been included in the T20 and ODI formats. Lendl Simmons, who also put together a solid campaign for Trinbago Knightriders, has also been included in the T20 squad.
Promising young pace bowler Alzarri Josephs, who missed the World Cup due to injury, will also return to the team for all three formats.
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