BANGALORE – Estranged West Indies batsman Chris Gayle smashed five sixes in one over as Royal Challengers Bangalore pulled off a sensational six-wicket victory off the last ball against a resilient Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL) here yesterday.
The left-handed Gayle, who has not played for West Indies in over a year because of an impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board, lashed a top score of 81 off 48 balls to set up Royal Challengers’ second win after three successive losses.
Chasing an imposing target of 183 runs in an exciting encounter that went down to the wire, young batsman Saurabh Tiwary (36 not out) hit left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra of Warriors for a six over long-on off the last ball of the innings to see Royal Challengers home.
Tiwary, who hit two sixes and a four in his 25-ball knock, and South African AB De Villiers, who made a breezy 33 off 14 balls with three sixes and two fours, combined for a crucial, unbroken 59-run fifth wicket partnership.
Read the full story in today’s MIDWEEK NATION.
