COLOMBO – There will be no massive, opening gala to signal the start of the ICC Twenty20 World Cricket Cup here today, but Chris Gayle certainly brought the fireworks on the eve of the tournament as the West Indies notched a victory in the final practice match yesterday.
The towering opening batsman, who most bowlers fear, smashed four sixes and five fours as he raced to an unbeaten 65 when the Windies beat lightweights Afghanistan at the historic P. Sara Oval before a modest crowd.
Thousands of fans flocked to the Premadasa Stadium where India played Pakistan, but Gayle went about his business for the regional side, unflustered without the big audience.
West Indies replied to Afghanistan’s 122-7 in 20 overs by making 125-2 with 25 balls to spare.
All the West Indies got wrong on a day of overcast skies was the toss on a true, hard pitch.
Afghanistan lumbered to their total.
Fidel Edwards kept them in check with his pace and picked up wickets from his first over to the last of his four, to finish with three for 24 on a treasured ground which is most known for being the only Asian one on which Sir Don Bradman ever played.
It is also the home ground of Muttiah Muralitharan, the brilliant Sri Lankan off-spinner.?And it was West Indies’ off-spinner Sunil Narine who was Edwards’ main accomplice.
Only Asghar Stanikzia, 53, batted with any authority as Narine took two for 23 and the West Indies bowlers looked generally tidy, shaking off the rust that was so evident when they lost to Sri Lanka in the opening practice match.
Gayle and Dwayne Smith looked at ease when the Windies bats came out until Smith, in his old, familiar style, holed out on the midwicket boundary for 13.
Johnson Charles joined Gayle and played second fiddle until spinner Mohammed Nabi bowled him comprehensively for 12.
It was the two Jamaicans, Gayle and Marlon Samuels who finished things off in style.
Gayle opened his shoulders and belted balls all over the Oval where several boys lined the boundary and had fun all day, chasing and throwing them back to the inner field.
He kept them busy down to the last delivery he smacked for four.?He had faced just 48 balls.
“The ball was coming on to the bat pretty nice, to be honest,” Gayle told NATIONSPORT.
“But we have to be mindful today was just a practice match and the real thing starts on Saturday. I think our first match (vs Australia) will be the toughest, if we win that and get past it, I think that will give us the confidence we need to actually go right through and win this,” he said.
