West Indies

The World Cup is set to be played in India in the months of October and November.

The Caribbean side, who did not make it to the ODI World Cup via direct qualification (top 8 teams) are struggling to cope in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe and are on the brink of getting knocked out from the race.

Captained by Shai Hope, Windies faltered and lost to Zimbabwe and Netherlands in back to back matches that has almost assured their exit from the race.

"It is upsetting. I have been a part of Qualifiers before. Sad to be in such a situation. Things have not gone our way going into the Super Six. It is going to be tough. I will be very, very disappointed not seeing the West Indies in the World Cup here in India," Gayle told Press Trust India (PTI) in an interview.

West Indies head coach, Darren Sammy, lashed out at the side after their losses to Zimbabwe and Netherlands and said that it was the true reflection of the level the team are playing their cricket on.

Against Zimbabwe, Windies failed to chase down a below-par total, while against the Netherlands they failed to defend 374 runs and lost via a Super Over, courtesy of a once-in-a-lifetime performance of all-rounder Logan van Beek.

Gayle was also asked about his retirement, to which the 43-year-old replied that he was supposed to get a farewell game.

"I don't think there will be any international cricket from my point of view. After the World Cup (in 2021), I was supposed to have a farewell game. It did not happen. We have a new president in place, so I don't see it happening. But I have not made an announcement as yet. I am still active but won't be playing so often," Gayle concluded.

The 42-year-old has played in the world’s premier T20 tournament for the past 13 seasons, where he has played a total of 142 matches since making his debut in 2009.  Gayle has represented the Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

After experiencing inconsistent playing time during the last edition, for Punjab, and leaving the tournament early to prepare for the T20 World, questions had been raised regarding the player’s future.

The batsman has been one of the league’s most iconic players and is its seventh-highest runs scorer, having scored 4,965 runs at an average of 39.72 and with a strike rate of 148.96.  Gayle tops the list with the most centuries (6) and also holds the record for hitting the highest number of sixes (357).  The West Indian has, however, never managed to win a title.

On the back of a disappointing World Cup, Gayle was expected to retire from international cricket but has registered to play for Fortune Barishal in this year’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).  The BPL got underway yesterday, but Gayle is not expected to join the squad until later in the season.

Chris Gayle produced his best knock since his return to the international side, with 67 from 38 balls as the West Indies cruised in the chase, winning with 31 balls to spare.

Stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran (32* from 27 balls) finished the job with back-to-back boundaries off Riley Meredith (48-3) to seal the series victory with two games to play.

Australia captain Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bat first this time, with his batsmen failing to capitalise on several starts, only managing 141-6.

Moises Henriques top scored with 33, hitting Australia's only two sixes, with Hayden Walsh restricting them with 18-2 from four overs.

The improved Mitchell Starc (18-1 from four) dismissed Andre Fletcher early, bringing Gayle to the crease and the 41-year-old was at his best.

Gayle hit several lusty blows, including seven sixes and four fours in his knock, before edging to wicketkeeper Matthew Wade off Meredith.

RETURN TO FORM FOR GAYLE?

Gayle has made it clear that his return to the West Indies, after two years away, has been inspired by competing at the T20 World Cup later this year.

Despite strong Indian Premier League form, he has struggled upon his return to the international arena, managing only 102 runs in nine innings.

The veteran left-hander made his first T20 International half-century since 2016 with his knock at first drop on Monday.

"From a personal point of view, you all knew I was struggling with the bat, but to be get some runs today it's very pleasing," Gayle said. "I want to dedicate these runs to my teammates, especially Kieron Pollard. He gave me the pep talk I needed."

Gayle made 288 runs in seven innings at an average of 41.14 in the 2020 IPL, before scoring 178 runs in eight knocks in the 2021 edition.

"Looking back, when I got back into the West Indies team against Sri Lanka, I was trying to play a different role, than play Chris Gayle himself," Gayle said. "I didn’t get the runs but the guys rallied around me. It's coming on, my main focus is the World Cup."

AUSSIES T20I WOES CONTINUE

Australia continue to struggle in the shortest format, having been comfortably beaten in all three matches in the series.

Finch, who made 30 from 31 deliveries at the top of the order, felt there was a clear theme to address among the losses.

"Same as the other games, we haven’t had the top order go on deep into the innings," Finch said. "It's been quite similar the whole way through. Credit to the West Indies, they bowled beautifully, especially at the back end."

Australia have only managed scores of 127, 140 and 141-6 in the three T20Is this series, bowled out on both occasions when they have chased.

"We would’ve liked more runs, no doubt," Finch added. "That comes down to the top order not going through. If one of your top four is there through the end you put pressure on the bowlers."

The IPL’s release did not specify the nature of the offense but it in all likelihood it was due to an outburst of anger the player displayed after being dismissed during the match.  Gayle admitted to the Level 1 offence 2.2 of the IPL's Code of Conduct and accepted the sanction.

The release read: "Chris Gayle, the Kings XI Punjab batsman, has been fined 10 percent of his match-fee for breaching the Dream 11 Indian Premier League's (IPL) Code of Conduct during his team's match against Rajasthan Royals at Abu Dhabi."

Gayle smashed a whirlwind 99 from 63 balls, on a historic day that also included the batsman being the first player to get to 1000 T20 sixes.  His crowning moment was somewhat ruined by another West Indian, England bowler Jofra Archer, who dismissed the batsman with the very next ball.

An irate Gayle, who narrowly missed out on scoring a 7^th IPL century, swung his bat in frustration before congratulating Archer and leaving the pitch.  He became the only player in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to miss a century by a single run on two occasions.

Gayle smacked an enterprising 53 from 45 balls, a total that included five big sixes, as KXIP snapped a five-game losing streak for only the team’s second win of the season.

Surprisingly, prior to this point, Gayle has been a spectator with Punjab losing six of its first seven games.  The batsman had been tipped to return to the line-up last week but suffered from a case of food poisoning.

Last season, Gayle was the team’s second-highest runs-scorer with 490, with a high score of 99 and an average of 40.83.

  "It is good to get a win. Chris coming back to the side gives a lot of energy to the team. The mood in the camp was always high even we were losing,” Ashwin told. Indiatvnews.

“We did not lose our spirit; we know that we are playing good cricket and it is just getting over the line. Really happy that we won a game and it is about repeating it game after game," he added.

Ashwin ended with figures of 2 for 23.  KXIP will next play Mumbai Indians on Sunday, but firmly lodged at the bottom of the standings will have their work cut out to get to the playoffs.

Singh and Gayle crafted a crucial 100 run partnership, which led KXIP to an 8 wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday and temporarily lifted the team into the playoff spots after finding themselves rooted to the bottom of the table just two weeks prior.  The win, the team’s fifth in a row, has coincided with the return of the veteran batsman Gayle to the line-up.  The West Indian had found himself sitting on the bench for the team’s first 7 games, where they struggled to a 1-7 start.

Since coming into the line-up Gayle has scored 177 runs, including two half-centuries, and has brought a sense of energy to the team.

“Chris makes the game so easy, I told him ‘you should never retire’,” Singh said in a post-match interview.

“I’ve been lucky to play with the likes of Chris Gayle, AB, Gilchrist, Virat Kohli.  I started out with Chris in 2010… I’ve been fortunate to know him as a friend.  He’s so humble, he is so down to earth.  Like I said, he should never retire.  He is always in great touch. I have never seen him struggle. He is probably the greatest T20 player of all time," he added.

A quick look at some of the stats does buttress Singh’s claims.  Gayle has scored the most runs in T20 cricket (13,296), has the highest score (175), most sixes in an innings (18), and the fastest 100.  He has also hit the most fours with 1,026.  With 993 sixes, Gayle is just 7 away from a record 1000.

In typically flamboyant style, Gayle welcomed his countryman to the team with a short march and salute.  The celebration style has been made popular by the fast bowler who treats fans to the salute every time that he takes a wicket.

The 31-year-old former soldier was bought for a whopping INR 8.5 crore ($US1,156,239) by Punjab during the IPL 2020 auction.  The player joined the IPL after taking part in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).  It was not smooth sailing for Kings XI on debut.   Chasing 158, Kings XI needed 13 from the last over bowled by Australia Marcus Stoinis. Mayank Agarwal started the over with a six followed by a couple and a four, thereby equalling the score.

Now, the KL Rahul-led side required just one run to win off three balls. But in a significant twist, Punjab failed to score. The game went to the Super Over where DC successfully defeated KXIP.  Gayle was also not a part of the team picked for the opener.

Kings XI narrowly missed out on securing an Indian Premier League (IPL) playoff spot after finishing 6^th in the overall standings.  The team, however, got plenty of plaudits for an improbable run, which saw it win five games in a row after getting off to a 1-6 start.

Kings XI’s rapid ascent from the bottom of the table was fueled by the re-introduction of Gayle into the line-up.  The West Indian had been left on the bench for the first seven games of the season.  He was not picked for the first five, with a bout of food poisoning ruling him out for the next two.  Gayle fired immediately once he was inserted into the line-up, ending with 288 runs at an average of 44.14 and a high score of 99.

“The team management did what it thought was best for the team.  It is important to back experienced players and Gayle has demonstrated that he should play every game next season,” Wadia told the Press Trust of India (PTI).

The owner also had high praise for team captain and leading scorer KL Rahul, suggesting that some of Kings XI’s struggles could be based on the fact that it is a newly assembled unit.

“It’s a new captain, new team with lots of fresh faces, sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn’t.  The auction is coming up soon and we would be looking to plug gaps in the middle order and our bowling,” Wadia said.

“K L has been with is for three years and there was a reason we went after him so aggressively.  He has proved us right.”

The big-hitting left-handed was included in the 18-man squad for a flurry of upcoming T20 matches, in the Caribbean, which will include series against South Africa, Australia, and Pakistan.

The 41-year-old batsman’s inclusion, along with the inclusion of a few other senior players, has continued to divide opinion.  While some believe the players are solid and experienced additions to any potential World Cup squad, there are others who believe the focus should be on developing younger players.

Edwards, however, believes a player like Gayle's ability to change a game means he should very much remain a consideration, despite other potential drawbacks.

 “You do want fellows to be very mobile.  The trouble that we all know with Chris Gayle is that if you hit the ball to him, he will catch it, but he’s not as fast these days, he slowed down quite a lot,” Edwards told the Mason and Guest program.

“He is still such a dangerous player with the bat, though, if he gets away and hits an 80 off 28, off 30 balls, you’re in with a chance to win the match,” he added.

“If you put him at first slip, short extra cover, short mid-wicket and say well ‘they may get one of two past him, but we’ll still be in a position to win because he has made 80 runs off 30 balls.”

The 42-year-old ball-smasher was widely expected to retire following last month’s failed ICC T20 World Cup campaign but announced on that occasion that plans might have been underway for a farewell fixture, in his home country Jamaica, at Sabina Park.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has since confirmed that the match will come during the upcoming series against Ireland in January.  Gayle, the format’s top runs scorer and holder of more than a few records, admits he is looking forward to the game.

"It's doubtful you will see me playing for West Indies again in international cricket. We have something planned against Ireland. I am just waiting for the board to finalise things. And once we get a date, we would find out what it is. It should be back home in Jamaica, Sabina Park. Final international run so I’m looking forward to it," Gayle told EspnCricinfo.

Following the team’s unceremonious exit from the World Cup the player had mused about wanting to go to another tournament, it appears that might still very much be in the plans.

 "I will be in Australia one way or the other next year.  I will be there because I haven’t been there in some time. The World Cup will be in Australia so I would be there. You know, it might take some extra effort. Sit in the stands, have a cold one and says ‘Hi guys, I’m here. I ain’t leaving. So yeah, I am looking forward to it."

In this season's Indian Premier League (IPL) the 40-year-old T20 talisman has been a crucial part of a big comeback for King’s XI Punjab, who were rooted to the bottom of the table after their first seven games, with Gayle also rooted on the bench.  Following the player’s introduction, where he crafted a crucial 53, the team has gone on to win three games in a row and are now back in contention for the fourth spot.

Tendulkar believes that in addition to scoring the veteran player has brought a certain amount of energy and confidence to the now surging team.

"When it comes to Gayle, people only talk about his big-hitting.  That, everyone knows, but many guys don’t notice one thing, Gayle is a very smart player. He is a big hitter no doubt, but he is a clever guy. If he finds someone threatening who can get him out, he is prepared to see his over through. Then he will target one of two bowlers like he targeted Tushar Despande in the match against Delhi.  He got runs off that over,” Tendulkar said via a video posted to his official Twitter account.

“Gayle is a smart player, don’t think Gayle will come out and hit every ball.  He does not do that, he understands the surface, he reads the pace of the surface and what the bowler is good at.  When he realises that there is a bowler who he can go after, then he goes all out,” he added.

 KXIP will go for a fourth straight win when they face Sunrisers Hyderabad and another in-form West Indian Jason Holder today.

Gayle reached the mark in 66 deliveries, with the record boundary coming from the bowling of Jofra Archer.  The record was just the latest in a long list of achievements for the 41-year-old batsman.  Gayle has scored the most runs in T20 cricket, has the highest score (175), most sixes in an innings (18), and the fastest 100.  He has also hit the most fours.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season began in disappointing fashion for the West Indian after being left out of the team’s line-up for the first seven games.  Since returning to the line-up, however, he has been a revelation for Kings XI who moved from the bottom of the table back into playoff contention with five straight wins.

There was a little bit of disappointment for Gayle, however, as he was bowled on 99 by Archer, falling one run short of his 7^th IPL 100.  The team ended on 185 for 4, which Rajasthan will chase to win.

“I’m just happy the hard work and dedication has paid off over the years and I’m still here still doing it.  I’m very grateful for that to be honest,” Gayle said.

“To all the guys that I promised a century today, I missed out but that a century for me, I score 100 today.”

The 42-year-old will be returning to Barishal having last represented the Rangpur Riders in 2018.  The stint will be the left-handers third at the franchise who were called the Barishal Burners when he began taking part in the competition in 2012.  Gayle also played for the franchise in 2015 when they were known as the Bulls.  He represented the Chittagong Vikings at the 2016 edition.

The veteran batsman will be joined at the franchise by Shakib Al Hasan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and compatriot, pace bowler Alzarri Joseph.

In the meantime, spinner Sunil Narine will suit up for Cumilla Victorians alongside pace bowler O’Shane Thomas, while the trio of Kennar Lewis, Chadwick Walton, and Rayad Emrit will represent the Chattogram Challengers.

Pace bowler Kesrick Williams will represent the Sylhet Sunrisers.

The competition will take place between Jan 21 – Feb 18.

 Full BPL squads

Khulna Tigers: Mushfiqur Rahim, Thisara Perera, Naveen Ul Huq, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Soumya Sarkar, Seekugge Prasanna, Sikandar Raza, Farhad Reza, Rony Talukdar, Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik, Nabil Samad

Chattogram Challengers: Nasum Ahmed, Benny Howell, Kennar Lewis, Afif Hossain, Chadwick Walton, Rayad Emrit, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rejaur Rahman, Sabbir Rahman, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Akbar Ali, Naeem Islam,

Dhaka: Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Rubel Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Shahzad, Mohammad Naim, Arafat Sunny, Imranuzzaman, Shafiul Islam, Jahurul Islam, Shamsur Rahman, Ebadat Hossain. 

Fortune Barishal: Shakib Al Hasan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Danushka Gunathilaka, Chris Gayle, Nurul Hasan, Obed McCoy, Alzarri Joseph, Towhid Hridoy, Ziaur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Saikat Ali, Niroshan Dickwella, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Sarwar Hossain, Irfan Sukkur,

Cumilla Victorians: Mustafizur Rahman, Faf du Plessis, Sunil Narine, Moeen Ali, Liton Das, Shohidul Islam, Kusal Mendis, Oshane Thomas, Ariful Haque, Nahidul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Sumon Khan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam, Parvez Hossain, Abu Hider

Sylhet Sunrisers: Taskin Ahmed, Dinesh Chandimal, Kesrick Williams, Colin Alexander, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Ravi Bopara, Angelo Perera, Anamul Haque, Sohag Gazi, Alok Kapali, Muktar Ali, Siraj Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman, Nadif Chowdhury, Jubair Hossain, Shafiul Hayat, Sunzamul Islam

Gayle’s last appearance for the Windes, a One Day International match at the Queen’s Park Oval last year, was a dramatic affair as he walked off the field to applause from both sets of players and fans.  The special occasion was thought to be his retirement from international cricket.

Following that match, Gayle turned down the selection to an ODI series against India, after insisting that he needed some time off to figure out his future.  Since then, however, Gayle has had a complete reversal of thought when it comes to the idea of retirement. 

The big left-hander recently showed that he remains capable of producing plenty of fireworks, after an outstanding season in the Indian Premier League (IPL).  After being left on the bench at the start of the tournament, the insertion of Gayle into the line-up fueled an impressive run for Kings XI Punjab who narrowly missed out on making the playoffs.  During the tournament, Gayle became the first player to reach 1000 T20 sixes. 

Having found himself in that type of form, retirement is understandably now the furthest thing from the batsman’s mind and he is ready to take that kind of form into international cricket.

“I’m enjoying my cricket, to be honest with you.  I just recently played the IPL in Dubai and did well.  Now I have the T10, honestly, I’ve been feeling good, I’ve been putting in some work,” Gayle said.

The player admits that he already has one eye on the ICC T20 Championships, which will be held in November of this year.

“I’m just getting myself in condition.  I still have a lot of cricket to play.  I’m looking forward to the World Cup and hopefully giving the West Indies another T20 title.”

Gayle has not played in a T20 international since March of last year but intends to be part of the squad in lead up matches to the tournament.

The 41-year-old big hitter had been expected to come into the line-up on Thursday, for the first time this season, but was forced to watch from the sideline after battling with a bout of food poisoning.  The team plummeted to a 5^th loss of the season, from its first six games.

Frustration has grown with Maxwell as the all-rounder has managed just 48 runs in six matches.  It was hoped the player would replicate his heroics from the previous edition but another low score on Thursday has put his place in jeopardy.

"The message was very clear that they were not happy with Maxwell. It’s a clear statement if Chris Gayle walks in, Maxwell walks out," Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha told Sports Today.

 Ojha believes the team’s batting struggles have also impacted KL Rahul who he does not believe is playing like his usual self.  Ojha believes the issue is the burden of supporting what has proven to be a rather fragile middle-order.

. “I think he was just trying to play because he knew that the middle order is not doing well, that pressure and this game you know when you have over 200 runs to chase, any batsman would feel the pressure. And Rahul knows that if he and Mayank don’t do well, they have a fragile middle order. Anil Kumble mentioned Chris Gayle, they wanted him to play but he was not well.”

The 40-year-old Gayle will join a host of other stars for the tournament.  The list will include retired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith.  Gayle is slated to represent the Pokhara Rhinos with Smith suiting up for the Bhairahawa Gladiators.

The talented Gayle is considered one of the game’s best T20 players and holds the record for the most runs ever scored in the format with 12,808.  Gayle is also the only player to score more than 7 T20 centuries.  The left-handed runs machine has slowed down in recent years but recently indicated that he wanted to play the sport for as long as possible.  The self-proclaimed ‘Universe Boss’ has promised fireworks in Nepal.

"Nepal get ready for the Gayle storm. It is gonna be dashing. See you soon Nepal," he said in a video message on his Twitter account.

EPL managing director Aamir Akhtar revealed it took months of negotiations to persuade Gayle to play in the Himalayan nation.

"The league had to mature and earn a certain reputation in the international market so someone like Chris Gayle would be ready to play," Akhtar said.

"All the hard work from the last three years has actually convinced him that this is a clean, reputable league, followed by passionate cricket lovers.”

With the T20I World Cup just a few months away, the talismanic batsman, who has indicated a desire to suit up for the Caribbean team for the tournament, could return to the team for the first time in over a year.  Gayle last played the West Indies in August of 2019, when he played an ODI against India.  

On that occasion, the player had received a standing ovation as many had thought the game was his final in international cricket, after previously announcing his attention to retire.

The West Indies will play Sri Lanka in three T20 series, three One Day International (ODI) series, and a two-Test series.  Gayle is expected to take part in the T20I series between March 3 and March 7 before returning to the PSL to compete for the Quetta Gladiators.

The arrangement was made prior to the season, with Faf du Plessis expected to replace Gayle for the matches in which he will be absent.  The World Cup is due to take place in India in October-November.  The Caribbean team won the last edition of the tournament, also in India, in 2016.

The tournament is set to feature six men’s teams and three women’s teams who will each battle for a version of the Universe Boss Trophy, which has been named in honour of the legendary T20 player.

The new format will see each team allotted ten overs to bat.  In many respects, the game will look very different from the typical 10-over format.  The teams will be allotted just six wickets instead of ten, a floating third powerplay will also be unlocked if the batting team manages to hit two sixes in the first two-over powerplay.

The fielding team will be allowed to bowl five consecutive overs from the same end instead of changing ends after every over.  If a team fails to complete the overs during the allotted time of 45 minutes will a fielder will be excluded for the final six balls of the innings. The fans will also be directly involved and able to vote for a ‘mystery-free hit’.

“It is a great feeling to actually have a trophy named after The Universe Boss, something fantastic, and I am really and truly looking forward to it. I am sure people will ask if this is real, a trophy named for Chris Gayle. Yes, it is happening, and I am really happy about it. I am looking forward to all the innovations," Gayle said.

"I am looking forward to the mystery team ball and hitting two sixes in the first 12 balls to unlock a third PowerPlay over.”

In addition to taking part in the tournament, Gayle will also play the role of ambassador.

Wallace, who is currently involved in broadcasting, weighed in on the matter after watching the West Indies romp to an easy victory this week, in their two-match T20 series against host Sri Lanka.

The Jamaican, who has opened the batting for the West Indies in all formats of the game for many years, has not played for the regional team in the shortest format of the game for the past year. His last T20 match was on March 8, 2019 versus England.

Wallace has observed that since that time, Lendl Simmons who recently returned to the team, as well as Evin Lewis and Brandon King, have been getting the job done.

“Gayle is 40 years old now, he doesn’t move around as swiftly as he used to and I think there is enough depth now in the team that they can move forward without a Chris Gayle,” said Wallace. He was speaking on a local radio show, the Calvin Alkins Delivery of the Day with Barry Wilkinson, in Barbados.

“The point is that the opening spots are sealed and the young men are performing, so he (Gayle) finds himself pretty hard to get into the side, to be honest,” Wallace added.

Gayle was scheduled to take part in Nepal’s Everest T20 league but the competition was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

He has ambitions of representing the West Indies in this year’s T20 World Cup where they are the defending champions.

“I respect Chris’ record but if you are preparing as a defending champion to win a World Cup, then you should be part of the process leading up to the production. Chris hasn’t played for whatever reason, so look, I would stick with this team, add (Sunil) Narine and the Windies look really strong,” Wallace concluded.

Gayle’s 51 from 45 balls provided the backbone for Fortune, who posted a formidable 199 for 4 after being sent in to bat.  The team was off to a solid start after the big left-hander formed part of an opening stand with Munim Shahriar to put 72 on the board.  The partnership was broken after Shahriar was bowled by Sohag Gazi for 51.

Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan then joined Gayle at the crease but was dismissed after just four balls for 2.  Barishal captain Shakib Al Hasan then joined the West Indian to push the score along, adding 38 from just 19 balls before being caught off Alauddin Babu.

Towhid Hridoy added 10 before Bravo joined Gayle at the crease and added an unbeaten 34 off 13, as the two put on 42 for the last wicket.

In response, the Sunrisers made a game of the total after opener Collin Ingram put on a brilliant 90 from 49.  Bravo, however, continued to feature prominently throughout the match, claiming a catch at long-on off Najmul Hossain Shanto to dismiss Ingram and ending the late innings resistance of Mosaddek Hossain, who had 34 from 21, in the final over.  Bravo successfully defended 24 for the last over.

The win was the 6^th for Barishal who top the table with 13 points.