Chris Gayle is getting better with age: Windies captain Jason Holder

Earlier this month, the hulk-like Chris Gayle announced his retirement from ODI cricket after playing the World Cup in England and Wales that starts on May 30. The Jamaican is currently the leading run-scorer in the Windies’ home ODI series against England, where he has amassed 347 runs in four games at an incredible average of 115.66 and a strike-rate of 120.06.

In the previous ODI in Grenada, the 39-year-old played a masterful knock of 162 runs from 97 balls with 14 sixes in the hosts’ pursuit of 419 runs. Gayle also became the 14th batsman and the second Windies batter after Brian Lara to accomplish 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. Unfortunately, his knock wasn’t enough to take his team over the line and the Windies lost by 29 runs.

Apart from the ton yesterday, Gayle also notched scores of 135 and 50 in the first two games. In the meantime, Jason Holder, the Windies’ captain, showered praises on the experienced opening batsman and said that he’s getting better with age. Moreover, Holder admitted that he hasn’t seen anyone muscle sixes like Gayle and hailed him as a ‘legend of the game’.

He’s a legend of the game

“We knew what run rate we had to keep up with and it was just a matter for us to just keep going and be fearless. To get 10,000 runs in any format of cricket is a great achievement. It’s unfortunate he has announced his retirement [because] he seems to be getting better with age,” Holder was quoted as saying in the post-match press conference.

“It just goes to show, no matter who’s favourites, on any given day there will be unbelievable games of cricket, and if Chris Gayle is in the opposition, you can lose those games. I’ve probably never seen anyone hit sixes as easy as he can. He’s a legend of the game,” Jos Buttler, who also scored a ton in the fourth match, mentioned.

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