AFRIDI, MALIK TO PLAY FOR ICC WORLD XI VS WI
DUBAI: Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Thisara Perera will be part of the World XI in the T20 International against West Indies to be played at Lord’s on May 31. The match is being staged to raise funds to rebuild and restore five cricket venues at the heart of Caribbean communities that were damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last year. Afridi and Malik were part of the Pakistan squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2009, while Perera was a member of the Sri Lanka side that lifted the silverware in Dhaka in 2014. “I am humbled to have been selected for such a noble cause,” Afridi said. The three World T20 winners will lend a lot of weight to the ICC World XI side which will see more names being added in what is expected to be a star-studded line-up led by England’s whiteball captain Eoin Morgan. MOHALI: Chris Gayle was picked by Kings XI Punjab at the end of the player auction, and did not get to play from the start. The Jamaican enforcer showed on Thursday that his power-hitting hasn’t waned as he lashed the first century of this Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday.
Gayle’s 63-ball 104 not out, his sixth IPL century, powered Kings XI Punjab to a 15-run victory over 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in their final home game.
KXIP finished on 193/3, skipper R Ashwin having bucked the trend by electing to bat on winning the toss. Sunrisers finished on 178/4, skipper Kane Williamson (54) and Manish Pandey (57 no) unable to help the team chase down the stiff target. Needing 194 to win, SRH suffered an early setback when Shikhar Dhawan was forced to retire hurt after pacer Barinder Sran’s delivery struck him on his left elbow before opening his account. Sunrisers were 40 for two at the end of the six powerplay overs, Mohit Sharma bagging both wickets by removing Wriddhiman Saha (6) and Yusuf Pathan (19), who was promoted to force the pace of scoring.
Chris Gayle took off from where he had left in the previous game against Chennai Super Kings in Mohali. The beefy batsman pummelled the Sunrisers bowlers. His innings had one four but 11 sixes, but what stood out was Gayle wasn’t averse to running between the wickets either.
As Gayle walked off to the dressing room, he received a standing ovation from the crowd and was applauded by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team dugout.
Speaking after the innings, Gayle said: “A lot of people thought I’m too old. After this innings, I have nothing to prove. This 100 is dedicated to my daugh- ter (Blush). It’s her birthday tomorrow.
Gayle, who scored at a strike rate of 165.07, explained the secret of his improved fitness. “I’m very dedicated. Since joining Kings XI Punjab, Sehwag (team mentor) told me to stick with the yoga guy and a massage guy. That’s the secret, I guess. In a week’s time, I will be able to touch my toes.”
Kings XI Punjab’s score is the highest total against SRH this IPL, the 147 runs by Mumbai Indians was the best in three games against the former champions.
The 38-year-old Caribbean batsman showed his mettle, clobbering Rashid Khan for four sixes in one over.