Champions Dwayne Bravo and Chris Gayle and will be looking to make it “seventh heaven” when they turn out in the #MenInMaroon for the marquee ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The legendary duo has played all six tournaments since its inception in 2007 in South Africa and will want to have maximum impact as we enter the seventh edition in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
They later played in 2009 in England, 2010 at home in the Caribbean, 2012 in Sri Lanka, 2014 in Bangladesh and the last edition in 2016 in India. Gayle is the undisputed king of T20 cricket and the Universe Boss has dominated this format everywhere he has set foot on the planet. Bravo is not far behind with his expert bowling and is a sharp thinker and tactician.
Back in 2012, Gayle adopted The Gangnam style as the unofficial theme song for the team and fans joined the global street party. For Bravo, it was an extra-special moment in time as the epic performance came on the night of his birthday. He had the pleasure of taking the catch to seal the sensational result. To savour the memory, he kept the ball and still has it at home.
“It was my 29th birthday and was a very special moment. It was the first time we won the T20 World Cup and as players, we wanted to prove to the world, we were the best, as individuals and as a team,” Bravo said.
“To do it on my birthday was special and something I could never forget. I still have that ball at home … was a dream come true. A lot of people didn’t give us and chance and picked four teams and didn’t have West Indies among their top four. To win on that night against Sri Lanka on their home turf was a great end to the tournament and we proved ourselves as a team.”
Bravo and Gayle have also had some other great moments in T20 World Cups. None better than at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2016 when West Indies celebrated that famous victory over England with Bravo leading the merriment with his song “Champion”.
Gayle is the only man to hit two centuries in the T20 World Cup. In his very first outing against South Africa back in September 2007, he set ablaze the Wanderers in Johannesburg with a sizzling 117 off just 57 balls. It was just the start kind of start that world cricket needed and set the trend for more of his power-packing pyrotechnic displays.
With a sense of occasion, and with an estimated global viewing audience of over 500 million fixed eyes fixed to the Wankhede Stadium, Gayle set the tone for the tournament. It was magical and memorable as he muscled 11 mammoth sixes and lit up the Mumbai night sky to score 100 not out off just 48 balls.
Bravo recalled the moments.
“I remember I had a launch event in Mumbai and had my teammates and friends. We had a good start to the tournament, and we formed a great unit. Chris made a hundred and started the dance and everyone was inspired and motivated … it became the anthem, and we did the dance and kept on winning,” the allrounder said.
”We won the final the song was the most played. It was a special moment for West Indian people around the world. Everywhere we went there were celebrations. We want to do it again this time around.”
Matthews takes 2-21, hits 41 as Melbourne Renegades get first win of the season in WBBL
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews produced a strong all-round performance to help the Melbourne Renegades get their first win of the season on the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia, a six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Scorchers were bowled out for 140 in 19.4 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Opener Beth Mooney led the way with 36 while Alana King (26) and captain Sophie Devine (22) also made valuable contributions.
Sophie Molineux was the outstanding bowler on the day for the Renegades with 4-17 from her four overs and was well supported by Alice Capsey (2-15 from three overs), Matthews (2-21 from 2.4 overs) and Georgia Wareham (2-35 from four overs).
The Renegades then needed just 17.4 overs to reach 145-4 and secure their first win in three tries this season.
A 102-run opening partnership between Matthews and Courtney Webb set up the chase beautifully.
Webb led the way with 61 off 40 balls including nine fours and a six while Matthews made 41 off 27 balls including seven fours and a six.
Deandra Dottin hit a six to seal the win off Alana King who took 2-35 from 3.4 overs.
T&T's captain David, striker Garcia welcome Yorke's appointment as Soca Warriors Head coach
Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Aubrey David and Greece-based striker Levi Garcia welcomed the appointment of former player Dwight Yorke as the new senior Soca Warriors Head coach.
Both David and Garcia believe Yorke’s appointment augurs well for the future of the Soca Warriors setup, as both pointed to his experience and knowledge of the game as key components to nurture young talent and, by extension, drive development.
“I’m excited about Dwight Yorke’s appointment. His experience and knowledge of the game would be a massive plus for us. He has played at the highest level and led our country to our first World Cup, so he surely knows what it takes to get us there again,” Guatemala-based defender David stated.
“I am very hopeful that his leadership will inspire a new era of success and development in Trinidad and Tobago football,” he added.
Garcia echoed similar sentiments, while pointing to the fact that the former Manchester United star also have huge task of qualifying the Twin Island Republic to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
“I wish him all the best. I think he can get the job done. I really and truly believe that with the experience that he has had, and all that he has done, hopefully it could work out with his coaching career, and we could come together as one and give the country that boost,” Garcia stated.
“Hopefully, he will be able to bring out the best not only in the team but in some of the youngsters to secure their future,” he noted.
Jadeja and Ashwin boost India hopes of avoiding series whitewash
India boosted their hopes of avoiding a series whitewash by taking control on day two of the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) led the hosts' charge, as they reduced the tourists to 171-9 at the close.
Following their late 10-minute collapse on Friday, which left them at 84-4, Rishabh Pant (60 off 59 balls) and Shubnam Gill (90 from 146 deliveries) ensured India made a progressive start to the second day.
Washington Sundar also chipped in with 38 from 36 balls, but Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan went in quick succession as New Zealand claimed three wickets in the space of 10 overs after lunch.
The Black Caps trailed by 28 after bowling their opponents out for 263, but lost Tom Latham in the opening over, with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra following soon after to leave them at 44-3.
Will Young (51 off 100) chalked up his second 50 of the Test, though it proved a false down for the tourists, as Jadeja and Ashwin took a combined seven wickets to keep their side's deficit down to just 143 with one wicket remaining.
Data Debrief:
India are desperately trying to prevent New Zealand from inflicting their first-ever home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests.
Pant certainly did his bit by taking just 36 balls to notch up India's fastest Test 50 against the Black Caps, for whom Patel (5-103) took his second five-wicket haul in the city of his birth, as well as his sixth overall in Test cricket.
Jadeja was also inspired in the field, though, as he took his wicket tally for the Test to nine.
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