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Updated – June 29, 2024 10:40 pm IST
Published – June 29, 2024 04:35 pm IST – Bridgetown (Barbados)
AUS to USA: Gayle said the drop-in pitches did not recover properly from the intercontinental travel! | Photo Credit: K.R. Deepak
True to his nature, Chris Gayle is an absolute hoot. The Jamaican is engaging, outgoing and keeps everybody around him at ease with a huge smile.
Gayle slammed his hand dramatically on the table when asked about West Indies’ exit in the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He joked that the pitches used in the USA were suffering from jet lag, and obliged picture requests from one and all.
The World Cup, co-hosted by USA and West Indies, has helped build the profile of the sport in these parts, Gayle said. However, it would have been better if the entire tournament was held in one region, he added.
“I feel that if the World Cup is hosted by the Caribbean, it should be held in the Caribbean only. If it is in the USA, it should be USA only. This will give everybody a fair chance to host the full tournament,” the big-hitting southpaw said here on the eve of the final.
“The World Cup has been great for USA and the Caribbean. The ICC has been trying to showcase the sport in USA for ages now. In future, USA can host the World Cup all by themselves and make it fully profitable.
In the Caribbean, we need these sorts of events to bring back the great tradition of cricket here. These events bring back the passion and love for the game,” Gayle said.
On the bowler-friendly surfaces in the USA, Gayle remarked: “I should have played, man. I would have shown them how to bat! Don’t blame the pitches.”
Speaking about the pitch used in New York, a drop-in surface flown in from Australia, Gayle said: “The wickets in the States were a bit jet lagged. It was tired pretty much all the time; it didn’t have the time to recover properly. That’s why it was low scoring there.”
Twenty20 World Cup / T20 World Cup 2024 / cricket
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