Playing the way he always does, Chris Gayle smashed 72 runs off 41 balls, punishing the Indians bowlers with five sixes and four boundaries in the third and final ODI between West Indies and India at Queen Park’s Oval in Trinidad on Wednesday.
After hitting one off Khaleel Ahmed’s delivery straight to visiting skipper Virat Kohli, under whom he played at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, Gayle smiled as Indian players shook hands with him.
Kohli even did Gayle’s typical jig with him. The swashbuckling opener threw his bat in the air, put his helmet on top of it and walked off the field. He then hurled the helmet up in the air and caught it while approaching the boundary ropes.
The West Indies camp gave him a standing ovation as it looked like Gayle might hang up his boots after the game.
However, quashing all rumours, Gayle confirmed in an interview after the match that he has not yet retired from ODI cricket.
“I didn’t announce any retirement. Yeah, I am (still with West Indies cricket) until any further notice,” Gayle told the West Indies Cricket reporter.
The question you've all been asking..has @henrygayle retired from ODI cricket?👀 #MenInMaroon #ItsOurGame pic.twitter.com/AsMUoD2Dsm
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) August 14, 2019
Gayle’s blistering knock wasn’t enough to win the match for the hosts as they lost the third ODI by 6 wickets.
West Indies posted 240/7 in 35 overs courtesy Gayle’s innings. However, it wasn’t enough as Kohli scored his 43rd ODI hundred to power India to the revised total of 255 runs in just 33.2 overs.
