West Indies Recall Chris Gayle For One-Off T20I Against India

Updated - 16 May 2019, 02:38 PM

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West Indies have recalled their star opener Chris Gayle to their 13-man squad for the one-off T20 International against India, scheduled to be played at Sabina Park in Kingston on July 9. The hard-hitting opening batsman, whose last T20I appearance had come in April 2016 when the side beat England to lift their second World T20 title, has replaced Lendl Simmons in the team that played against Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series last month.

Simmons had endured a horrible time against Afghanistan, scoring only 38 runs in 3 matches. Gayle, meanwhile, will look to hit the top form after an indifferent showing in this year’s Indian Premier League. The Jamaica star had become the first man to cross the 10,000-run mark in the shortest format of the game during this year’s IPL but barring that he had very little to enjoy in the tournament where he managed to score only 200 runs in 9 outings.

“We welcome Chris back to the T20 squad,” said Courtney Browne, Cricket Windies’ chairman of selectors. “He is the most prolific batsman in this format and will add value to our team at the top of the order. He will get the chance to play on his home ground and against a top-quality Indian team.

“This squad has a good mix – experience within the batting and bowling – it is a well-balanced squad. Again, this is an opportunity for the young players to showcase their talent and for the experience players to perform and help nurture the young players.”

The reigning World T20 champions will be led by Carlos Brathwaite and also have the likes of some experienced players like Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Sunil Narine and Jerome Taylor. Test and ODI skipper Jason Holder, who did not play against Afghanistan, has been rested again.

West Indies Squad for the one-off T20:

Carlos Brathwaite (C), Samuel Badree, Ronsford Beaton, Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Rovman Powell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton (wk), Kesrick Williams.