Ton-up Gayle rocks Sunrisers

Gaurav Kanthwal

Tribune News Service

Mohali, April 19

Chris Gayle turned it into a one-man show with his brutal hitting and took the Kings XI Punjab to a handsome 15-run victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Mohali on Thursday. Gayle’s 11 sixes and a solitary four helped him to an unbeaten century (104) in 63 balls and cradled the Punjab team to a total of 193/3 in their 20 overs.

In reply, Hyderabad could score only 178/4 in 20 overs. Manish Pandey scored an unbeaten 57 runs and Kane Williamson hit 54 runs but could not avert the defeat.

It was Gayle’s day from the beginning. He hit his sixth IPL century, and 21st in T20s overall, but given his dwindling stock, it was important in giving a kickstart to this season. The Jamaican wowed the crowd with his breathtaking sixes and drew coach Virender Sehwag’s applause for rotating the strike continuously. His 63-ball knock had only 18 dot balls, the joint-lowest, for an innings in which he has scored an IPL hundred. Gayle was in such an imperious form that the rest of the four Punjab batsmen could contribute only 89 runs to the total, with Karun Nair being the second-highest scorer (31 runs in 21 balls).

Although it was a Punjab vs Hyderabad tie, it was being billed as a duel between Gayle, the Marauder, and Rashid Khan, the Charmer. Gayle won the contest hands down by punishing the Afghanistan leg-spinner in all the four overs he faced. Khan’s 14th over turned out to be the highlight of the match with Gayle clobbering him for four consecutive sixes and punishing the Sunrisers’ star for 27 runs off the over. Gayle had begun Rashid’s misery with two sixes off his very first over. In the end, Gayle ensured that it was the worst day for Khan (1/55) in his brief IPL career. Had Wriddhiman Saha held on to Gayle’s catch behind the stumps, when he was on 14, it might have been a different story for Khan.

Gayle survived another run out chance while completing his century, but by then, the damage had been done and it was too late for the visiting team.

What he said...

A lot of people thought I’m too old. After this innings, I have nothing to prove. This hundred is dedicated to my daughter. Tomorrow is her birthday... I’m very dedicated. Since joining Kings XI, Sehwag told me to stick with the yoga guy and a massage guy, that’s the secret, I guess. In a week’s time, I’ll be able to touch my toes! — Chris Gayle