Chris Gayle is ready to go big one just one last time.
The 39-year old showman cannot wait to strut on the big stage again as he prepares for his fifth and final ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup appearance with the West Indies.
Since announcing this will be his one-day international swansong, Gayle has been even more destructive than normal.
He unleashed a world record 39 sixes in the recent one-day series with England and has scored 424 runs, at an average of 106, since making his decision public.
Couple with that his brutal run-scoring in the recent Indian Premier League – 490 runs in 13 matches with Kings XI Punjab – and you can see why a player never short in confidence is ready to swagger.
“I know what the fans want to see – they want the sixes,” he said. “I’m excited to put on a show for them.
“I’m excited about the battle with the best bowlers in the world, they know what I can do, they know how dangerous I can be.
“These young players don’t make it easy but they know I’m still the man. I’m going to enjoy the tournament, there is nothing to prove but it would be nice to win the World Cup.”
Jason Holder’s team welcome back Gayle, Evin Lewis and Andre Russell, who were absent from the recent Tri-Series in Dublin, where the two-time world champions were beaten in three consecutive matches by Bangladesh.
And Lewis is hoping memories of their ICC World Twenty20 success three years ago will inspire them.
“That was a great feeling, it would be great to get over the line again,” he said.
“We know we are underdogs but we are relaxed and we back ourselves. This is the biggest stage, it’s where you want the big scores. We just have to play hard and hope for the best.”
(Courtesy: ICC)
