CHRIS GAYLE smashed an unbeaten 75off 41 balls as the West Indies stormed into the World Twenty20 final with a record 74-run demolition of Australia in Colombo on Friday (October 5).
The left-hander pounded six sixes and five fours as the Windies piled up the tournament’s highest total of 205-4 after electing to bat on what was regarded as a slow pitch unsuited to aggressive batting.
The Australians found the huge target too hot to handle and folded up for 131 in 16.4 overs at the Premadasa stadium in front of 28,000 awe-struck spectators still reeling from the West Indies innings.
Skipper George Bailey played a lone hand for the Aussies, making 63 off 29 balls with four sixes and six boundaries after adding 68 for the seventh wicket with Pat Cummins.
Darren Sammy’s men take on hosts Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final with both sides looking for their first World Twenty20 title.
The biggest Twenty20 win for the West Indies, surpassing their 70-run victory over Ireland in 2010, was celebrated by the entire team performing an energetic version of global hit ‘Gangnam Style’ in the middle.
“To be honest it was a slow track, but it was important not to panic,” said man of the match Gayle.
“I waited for the bad balls and when they came in my slot I hit them. Frankly we did not expect this big a total. We were looking at 140-150, but we got 50 runs as a bonus.
“We had to get the top three Australians early and that helped to win the game.”
‘Batten down for Gayle’
Australia captain George Bailey warned Sri Lanka to get Chris Gayle out cheaply in the World Twenty20 decider or face defeat after the West Indian’s remorseless power-hitting dominated Friday’s (October 5) semi-final.
Bailey admitted Australia were outplayed and the West Indies deserved to be in the final.
“Were we helpless? Probably Chris Gayle can do that to you,” the Australian captain said.
“But the fact is that we just got outplayed. There are no excuses. The best team absolutely won the game tonight. There is a gap between your best and worst cricket, and we did not play good cricket at all.”
Gayle, who lost his opening partner Johnson Charles in the third over, plodded for nine balls to make four before swinging Shane Watson for a six over long-off.
That opened the floodgates for an onslaught as Marlon Samuels and Gayle smashed left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for a six each in one over and Brad Hogg was greeted into the attack with another six from Samuels.
Samuels contributed 26 in a second-wicket stand of 41 with Gayle when he was bowled by Cummins attempting another big hit.
Gayle, who faced just 18 balls in the first 10 overs, still managed to bring up his half-century off 29 deliveries with the help of four sixes and three boundaries.
All-rounder Dwayne Bravo (37) helped Gayle add 83 for the third wicket from just 51 deliveries to propel the innings at a brisk pace.
Kieron Pollard hit 38 off 15 balls as the West Indies plundered 55 runs in the final three overs, including 25 off the last six deliveries by Doherty.
Doherty was the most expensive Australian bowler with 1-48 from three overs, while Watson went for 35 runs in four unsuccessful overs.
Australia never recovered after opener David Warner was bowled by spinner Samuel Badree with the sixth delivery and crashed to 43-6 by the eighth over.
Badree took two of those wickets and seamer Ravi Rampaul chipped in by removing Cameron White and the recalled David Hussey in the space of three balls.
Pollard dismissed Bailey and Cummins off successive deliveries in the 14th over to end Australia’s resistance.
Asked who will be his favourites to win Sundays (October 7) final, Bailey said: “If Sri Lanka can get Gayle out for under 20, they will win. But if they don’t, the West Indies will prove too strong.
“With the West Indies attack, you can chase down 160. I am sitting on the fence a bit. But the two best teams got into the final.”
