IPL 2019: ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle is back to weave his magic

Just recently, he murdered England bowlers in an ODI series at home. His hitting in the five-match series was so devastating that the batsman himself changed his retirement plans that he wanted to execute after the World Cup this year. Caribbean cyclone Chris Gayle is now in India to play in his latest Indian Premier League (IPL) edition and his recent form will keep his admirers interested.

The Jamaican, who will turn 40 this September, is one of T20 cricket’s most accomplished batsmen. The highest run-getter in the format, Gayle has a lot of sweet memories attached to the IPL as he has played some unforgettable knocks in this tournament, especially for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Though the aging giant no more plays for the RCB now and started a stint with a new franchise – Kings XI Punjab – since last year, there is no doubt that he still is a force. He hit a century for his new team in the 2018 season while accommodating over 360 runs in 11 matches at an average of nearly 41 and strike-rate of 146.

Gayle is just four runs short of 4k runs in IPL

Gayle has now arrived for the 2019 seasons and the Kings posted a video of the fun-loving Caribbean saying “The Universe Boss… is back” with a funny gesture and following it up with a smile. The left-handed batsman has played 112 matches in the IPL since 2009 and is just four runs short of completing 4,000 runs. He has hit six centuries and 24 fifties in his IPL career and has belted 292 sixes.

Dekho, vo aa gaya ❤#SaddaPunjab @henrygayle pic.twitter.com/pCpGYmO1PV

— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) March 20, 2019

The KXIP will be banking on Gayle though it is likely that the aging cricketer will not play in all the games. Last season, the Kings started well in the tournament but lost their way towards the end to eventually crash out of the race for the playoffs.

The Kings’ best performance in the IPL so far is reaching the final of the 2014 edition when they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. This year, the Kings will play their first match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on March 25.

[interaction id=”5c86604218d43d4f62bc1c78″]

Get the latest Cricket News and updates, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.