West Indies T20 star Chris Gayle has revealed that he skipped this season’s India Premier League (IPL) draft because he did feel like he was getting the respect he deserved.

The 42-year-old has been one of the tournament’s most successful and recognisable players since first appearing at the tournament in 2009.  The batsman, however, struggled to find his way last season while representing the Punjab Kings, managing just 193 runs from 10 games.

In addition, the batsman also made the headline after being surprisingly dropped on his birthday and eventually left the tournament early.  In the previous season, Gayle eventually scored an impressive 288 in 7 games but was left out of the team for the first 6 matches.

“For the last couple of years, the way the IPL went about, I felt like I wasn’t treated properly.  So I thought ‘okay, you (Gayle) didn’t get the respect you deserved after you did so much for the sport and IPL,” Gayle told The Mirror UK.

“So, I said ‘okay, that’s it, I’m not going to bother to enter the draft,’ so I left it as it is. There is always going to be life after cricket so I’m just trying to adapt to normality,” he added.

Much like his international career, however, Gayle does not believe his tenure in the IPL is over and claims he could return next season.

“Next year I’m coming back, they need me! I’ve represented three teams in the IPL, Kolkata, RCB, and Punjab. Between RCB and Punjab, I would love to get a title, with one of those two teams. I had a great stint with RCB where I was more successful within the IPL and Punjab, they’ve been good. I love to explore and I love challenges so let’s see what happens,” the 42-year-old said.

Quinton de Kock blasted a half-century and Mohsin Khan caught the eye once again as Lucknow Super Giants thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders by 75 runs to go top of the Indian Premier League.

De Kock struck 50 off 29 balls and Deepak Hooda made 41 from 27 deliveries in the Super Giants' total of 176-7 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Saturday.

Struggling KKR were bowled out for only 101 in reply as Lucknow moved above Gujarat Titans on net run rate, extending their winning run to four matches.

Mohsin took 1-6 from three overs, while Avesh Khan claimed 3-19 and Jason Holder 3-31 in a one-sided contest, with Andre Russell (45 from 19) one of only three KKR players to reach double figures.

KL Rahul was run out by Shreyas Iyer without facing a ball in the first over, but De Kock and Hooda put on 71 for the second wicket in quick time.

The Super Giants lost their way after Sunil Narine removed De Kock, who struck three sixes, and Russell (2-22) got rid of Hooda and Krunal Pandya (25).

But Marcus Stoinis (28) and Holder (13) took a staggering 30 off the penultimate over from Shivam Mavi to rock KKR and their run chase got off to a nightmare start when Mohsin dismissed Baba Indrajith in a brilliant wicket maiden.

The Knight Riders were 25-4 in the seventh over and although Russell cut loose, their faint hopes of winning were all-but ended when he was caught by Holder off the bowling of the impressive Avesh.

Narine made 22 but Holder sent him packing and dismissed Tim Southee for a golden duck before ending the innings by removing the bails to run Harshit Rana out.

Mayhem in Mavi over

Mavi had only conceded 20 runs from three overs before he was thrown the ball for the penultimate overs, but his figures were spoiled by Stoinis and Holder.

Stoinis clattered the all-rounder into the leg side and over the ropes three times before he was taken by Iyer in the deep. Holder then arrived at the crease to launch him for another two sixes in a stunning late flurry of runs.

Mohsin and Avesh fire again

KKR never looked like chasing down their target after Mohsin struck in a brilliant first over and the wickets continued to tumble.

Mohsin had taken seven wickets in his preview two games and deserved more than the one he added to his tally, bowling 15 dot balls in his three overs. Avesh and Dushmantha Chameera (1-14) also bowled superbly.

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a brisk 68 as Rajasthan Royals returned to winning ways in the Indian Premier League with a six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings.

The Kings slipped to three defeats in their last five games as their playoff credentials came into question, but Mayank Agarwal's side managed to post a competitive 189-5 at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday.

Jonny Bairstow anchored the Punjab innings with 56 from 40 deliveries before being removed by Yuzvendra Chahal (3-28), who also picked up the wickets of Bhanuka Rajapaksa (27) and Agarwal (15).

Liam Livingstone (22) and Jitesh Sharma, who blasted 38 off just 18 balls, provided the Kings with late impetus, but their total seemed insufficient when the in-form Jos Buttler led the early response.

The England international smashed 30 off 16 but was caught off Kagiso Rabada's bowling (1-50), while Jaiswal and Sanju Samson (23) continued the charge before the latter was dismissed by Rishi Dhawan (1-25).

Jaiswal ensured the Royals were firmly in control, requiring a further 49 to win when he departed to Arshdeep Singh (2-29), who also claimed the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal (31) in the final over.

Shimron Hetmyer (31 not out) subsequently saw Rajasthan over the line with two balls to spare as Samson's side ended a two-game losing run to move level on points with second-placed Lucknow Super Giants.

Rejuvenated Jaiswal

Jaiswal mustered just 25 runs across his first three innings in the IPL this season, and was dropped after a poor run in which he produced scores of 20, one and four.

However, he made his mark on his return to the Royals XI as he produced his top score in the competition with his 68 against the Kings, which included nine fours and two sixes.

Classy Chahal returns to form

Chahal had struck just twice in four games, leading to concerns over the purple-cap holder's wicket-taking ability in the middle overs.

But the 31-year-old silenced his critics in emphatic fashion, picking up three important wickets after the powerplay, while bowling 10 dot balls as he went for just seven runs per over.

The India tour of the West Indies is expected to bowl off on July 22, with matches scheduled to take place in Trinidad, St Kitts, and the United States.

According to reports, the tour is expected to consist of three ODIs and five T20Is and should be the first major test for new West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran.  Pooran took charge of the team last week, following the retirement of all-rounder Kieron Pollard.

The first of the five-match T20I matches will be played at the Brian Charles Lara Stadium on July 29, and that should be followed by two encounters at Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis between August 1 and 2.

The last two matches will also be held on back-to-back days, but that venue will be in Florida on August 6 and 7.

Things will get underway with the 50-over matches, which will be conducted at Trinidad’s Queen Park Oval on July 22, 24, and 27.

A solid all-round effort from captain Stafanie Taylor propelled Tornadoes Women to a 13-run victory over Warriors Women in the FairBreak Invitational T20 Tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE on Friday.

Dutchwoman Steere Kalis (58), New Zealand captain Sophie Devine (48) and Taylor (31 not out) combined to help Tornadoes post 152-3 off their 20 overs after Warriors won the toss and elected to field first.

West Indies vice-captain Hayley Matthews was the pick of the Warriors bowlers with 2-33 from her four overs.

The Warriors chase was very top-heavy as openers Georgia Redmayne from Australia (48), Matthews (21) and captain Sindhu Sriharsha from the USA (35) were the only significant contributors as they eventually stumbled to 139-6 off their 20 overs, losing by 13 runs.

Malaysian captain Winifried Durasingam bowled beautifully to pick up a crucial 3-24 from her four overs while captain Taylor chipped in with 1-18 off three overs.

Mumbai Indians claimed back-to-back Indian Premier League wins with a stunning final-ball success against top-of-the-table Gujarat Titans, with Daniel Sams giving up just three runs in a thrilling final over.

Ishan Kishan (45) and Rohit Sharma (43) made it a good start for Mumbai with the bat, but the IPL's bottom side suffered a succession of losses midway through their innings as they reached 177-6.

The Titans appeared to be well on their way to chasing down that target, as Wriddhiman Saha (55) and Shubman Gill (52) fired them to 106 before their first loss.

However, the Titans suffered their own middle-order collapse, with Sams eventually producing a terrific final over to deny them the nine runs they needed for victory.

Having been put in to bat, Mumbai began strongly, with their classy top-order pair holding out until the eighth over before Rohit was dismissed by Rashid Khan following a review.

While Ishan went in the 12th over, Suryakumar Yadav (13), Tilak Varma (21), and Kieron Pollard (four) struggled to make inroads as Khan recorded another wicket and two catches, before Tim David hit 44 off 21 balls to set a respectable target for the Indians, who claimed their first victory of the season last time out after losing their first eight contests.

Having watched the Mumbai top-order produce a strong display, Saha and Gill went even better until the 13th over when both fell to Murugan Ashwin, before Sai Sudharsan and Hardik went for 14 and 24 respectively as Mumbai set up a tense finale.

Having failed to take a wicket in his two previous overs, Sams took the ball for the decisive final moments, denying David Miller (19 not out) a crucial boundary with the final two balls as the Indians belied their dreadful season to limit the Titans to 172, claiming a dramatic win.

Ashwin eliminates dangermen to kick-start comeback

Ashwin's two wickets were crucial in instigating Mumbai's fightback, taking down Saha and Gill when the table-topping Titans looked certain to cruise to victory, recording his seventh and eighth wickets of the campaign.

Indians share the scoring with the bat

Neither Ishan nor Rohit have reached top form this term, averaging just 30.00 and 19.80 respectively, but their combined 88 established a foundation for Mumbai's victory, while David's quickfire 44, his highest score of the campaign, provided just enough impetus to get Mumbai over the line.

West Indies bowling great, Sir Andy Roberts was recently recognized by the Windward Islands Cricket Board (WICB) for his continued contribution to cricket development in the West Indies.

WICB President Dr Kishore Shallow presented a plaque to Sir Andy following a fruitful engagement with fast bowlers at the Windward Islands franchise. The West Indian cricket legend travelled to Grenada, home of the Volcanoes franchise, from April 27 – 30, 2022.

The franchise hosted Sir Andy to observe and help the fast bowlers as they prepare for the resumption of the West Indies regional 4-day tournament. The exchanges included discussions on the theory and art of fast bowling. International players Shermon Lewis and Preston McSween participated in the sessions.

“As we continue the efforts to zoom in on specific components of the game, this fast bowling engagement was timely and productive,” said WICB Technical Director, Miles Bascombe.

“The experience and knowledge that Sir Andy has shared with these cricketers are invaluable and will eventually bear fruits.”

WICB Vice President Dwain Gill said Sir Andy’s presence was crucial for the development of the young bowlers.

“Hosting Sir Andy aligns with the New Windwards policy of advancing our cricketers on all fronts,” he said.

“While this was primarily about developing our fast bowlers’ skills, another critical element of this activity was to allow these young players to identify with a West Indian legend and be inspired.”

The Volcanoes team travels on May 15 to Trinidad and Tobago for the final three rounds of the regional four-day tournament.

Deandra Dottin’s 80 not out proved to be insufficient to prevent her Barmy Army Women from going down by eight wickets to Falcons Women in the FairBreak Invitational T20 Tournament, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in the UAE on Friday.

The hard-hitting West Indian’s innings came off just 59 balls and included 12 fours and two sixes.

Dottin, alongside England captain Heather Knight (20) and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (17), helped Barmy Army Women get to 152-3 off their 20 overs.

The Falcons then needed only 17.3 overs to get to 156-2 thanks to 76 not out off 49 balls from captain Danni Wyatt.

Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and West Indian Britney Cooper were the next best scorers with 41 and 32 not out, respectively.

The 2022 FairBreak Invitational is taking place in Dubai and is an ICC-sanctioned tournament. The inaugural edition of the competition organized by Cricket Hong Kong will comprise six teams that will have players from across the globe.

The first match was played on May 4 while May 9 and May 13 will be rest days. Both the semi-finals are slated to be played on May 14, while the third-place playoff and the final will be held on May 15.

There will be six teams that will be taking part in the inaugural season and there will be ninety players from 36 countries who will feature in the competition. Among these, 40 come from ICC full members and 50 from associate members.

Stafanie Taylor, Hayley Matthews, Deandra Dottin, Britney Cooper, Shemaine Campbelle, and Shamilia Connell are the West Indians participating.

Top Windies batsman Chris Gayle believes the position of team captain is good for a player’s individual growth and insists he thoroughly enjoyed his time in the position.

The hard-hitting left-hander served as captain of the West Indies team from 2007 to 2010, with what can be described as mixed fortunes.  In One Day International’s Gayle led the team for 53 games, winning 17 and losing 30 for a 56 percent win ratio.  In Tests, he was in charge for 20 matches, winning 3 losing 9, and drawing 8.

Despite the record and a few controversies, Gayle believes his time in charge was well worth it.

“It made me a better person.  It grows you and you relate to people more.  You know who is for you.  It gives you a challenge and when the pressure is on that when you know who will fight for you and who is there for you.  It’s always a good thing to be a captain and a good thing to lead your country as well,” Gayle told Talksport Radio.

Gayle, in the meantime, has commended England for their choosing Ben Stokes as their new captain and tipped the all-rounder to excel in the role.

“I think it’s the best choice to have a guy like Ben Stokes, he’s been around world-class players and a proper all-rounder.  I think he’s the best choice to lead the England side.  It was tough for Joe Root to step down, but I’m sure he will get support from Root and the rest of the players.”

The West Indies recently made a new captaincy appointment of their own after Nicholas Pooran was appointed ODI captain following the recent retirement of Kieron Pollard.

The Surrey Royals were crowned champions of the inaugural Dream 11 Jamaica T10 tournament after securing a four-wicket win over the Surrey Kings, at Sabina Park, in Kingston on Thursday.

The Kings got to a competitive 110-7 after the Royals won the toss and elected to field first.

That total would’ve been a lot different without a crucial 52 off 32 balls from opener Kennar Lewis.

The Jamaica Tallawahs opener’s innings included one four and five sixes.

Pete Salmon (2-17), Raewin Senior (2-14), and Ryan Francis (2-29) were the best bowlers for the Royals.

The Royals reply looked in bad shape at 63-4 off 5.4 overs before an enterprising knock of 37, off just 14 balls, from Carlos Brown left them needing 18 runs from 17 balls for victory at the time of his dismissal in the eighth over.

Salmon (21 not out) and Jamie Hay (6 not out) then held their nerve to carry the Royals over the line at 114-6 off 9.1 overs.

Leroy Lugg (21) and Romaine Morris (15) also contributed with the bat for the champions, while Andre Dennis with 2-25 was the most successful bowler for the Kings.

David Warner was in inspirational form as he spearheaded the Delhi Capitals to a 21-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad to boost their playoff hopes in the Indian Premier League.

Warner issued a rallying cry to the Capitals' top order on Wednesday with the franchise in danger of missing out on a spot in the next round.

And it was as if he felt the need to lead by example as he produced a stellar showing, hitting 92 not out to break the record for most T20 half-centuries in history as the Capitals set a significant target of 207-3.

It was just as well Warner was so sharp as the Capitals endured a difficult start when fellow opener Mandeep Singh was removed for a duck by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-25) on the fifth ball – Mitchell Marsh (10) did not last much longer.

Captain Rishabh Pant proved a reasonable partner to Warner with 26 off 16 balls before falling to Shreyas Gopal (1-34), but that would prove to be the final Capitals wicket to tumble.

Rovman Powell (67 not out) and Warner put on a stand of 122 as the Capitals surpassed 200, with Umran Malik (0-52) and Kartik Tyagi (0-37) in particular toiled with the ball.

Sunrisers' chase did not start especially well as Abhishek Sharma and Kane Williamson put on just 11 between them – Rahul Tripathi at least managed double that figure, but they needed more.

Aiden Markram (42) and Nicholas Pooran (62) at least offered some resistance with their 60-run stand, but hope dissolved after the former skied a delivery from the excellent Khaleel Ahmed (3-30) into the hands of Kuldeep Yadav.

Although Pooran managed to reach his half-century, no one else added more than 10 as Sunrisers fell well short at 186-8.

Warner makes history

This was Warner's fourth half-century of the season and comfortably his biggest total (by 26 runs), but the focus was on his new record as he surpassed Chris Gayle (88) for the most 50s in T20 cricket.

After managing a disappointing three last time out, Warner's display here was a timely response against his former team. His haul came from just 58 balls and included 15 boundaries, three of which were maximums. Warner certainly did not do it all himself, as Powell's contribution was significant, but it was some showing.

All pace no precision?

Malik recorded the second-fastest ball in IPL history in the 20th over of the Capitals' innings, the delivery clocking 157 kilometres per hour. But, in general, he did not enjoy a great day.

The Capitals totalled 52 runs against him, more than any other bowler, and he did not claim a single wicket.

Former West Indies batsman Philo Wallace is surprised at the decision by the Cricket West Indies (CWI) selection panel to not name a vice-captain for the T20I team.

Trinidadian left-hander Nicholas Pooran was announced as the West Indies’ new T20 and ODI skipper on Tuesday following the retirement of former captain Kieron Pollard from international cricket last month.

Barbados batsman Shai Hope was named the ODI vice-captain but there was no such announcement for the T20 format.

“Shai Hope is being designated as his deputy for the 50-over squad. There’s no vice-captain for the T20 squad, which I find very interesting,” said Wallace while appearing on the Mason & Guest Radio Show in Barbados on Tuesday.

Missing international assignments has been a big problem for the West Indian players, who are involved in various T20 leagues around the world and Wallace hopes this doesn’t become an issue with the new Windies skipper.

“His first assignment is away to Holland and I hope that we don’t hear that Pooran is going to miss a lot of international cricket after being elevated to this very serious post. I do hope that the selectors would’ve sat down with him via zoom and have a serious discussion with him about what they are expecting of him and what he’s expecting of himself and try to pick the best possible squads going forward,” he said.

“All I can say is I wish him all the very best and I do hope that he can help turn our cricket around and work closely with the players, selection panel and the coaches to try to lift the quality of our white ball cricket,” Wallace added.

Pooran has so far scored 1121 runs at an average of 40.03 in 37 ODIs and 1193 runs at an average of 27.74 in 57 T20Is.

Royal Challengers Bangalore claimed a 13-run win over Chennai Super Kings to boost their playoff hopes and leave those of the defending Indian Premier League champions hanging by a thread.

CSK had got back to winning ways on Sunday in their first game since MS Dhoni returned as captain, but this time they fell victim to the bowling efforts of Harshal Patel (3-35).

RCB, who had lost three on the spin, were restricted to 173-8 with the bat, but that tally proved beyond CSK despite Devon Conway's second successive half-century.

It means RCB move back into the top four with 12 points with three games to go. CSK have a game more to play but are six points further back in second bottom.

Moeen Ali was excellent with the ball for the Super Kings and stunted RCB's early progress by ending the 62-run opening stand between Faf du Plessis (38) and Virat Kohli (30).

Du Plessis was caught at deep midwicket by Ravindra Jadeja off Moeen who, after Glenn Maxwell was run out, then bowled Kohli through the gate, leaving the former India captain shaking his head and RCB on 79-3.

But Mahipal Lomror (42) rebuilt RCB's innings through partnerships of 44 with Rajat Patidar (21) and 32 with Dinesh Karthik (26 not out).

CSK's once-promising chase lost impetus that primarily came from Conway's 37-ball stay.

He hit six fours and a pair of maximums before picking out deep backward square leg at the start of the 15th over. The impressive Harshal dismissed Jadeja for just three before claiming the key wicket of Moeen (34), who was undone by the slower ball one delivery after hitting his second six.

Dhoni (2) misjudged a pull shot from Josh Hazlewood as CSK lost their seventh wicket, Dwaine Pretorius (13) left with too much to do as his exit at the hands of Harshal effectively ended the contest.

Moeen continues Kohli hoodoo

Kohli has fallen to Moeen 10 times in international cricket and the spinner again worked his magic against the India great in the IPL with a superb delivery outside off that turned past the inside edge and clattered into the stumps.

Fifth title a long shot for CSK

Last season's crown marked the fourth in IPL history for the Super Kings but their hopes of equalling Mumbai Indians' record of five look to be all but over after they let some promising positions slip against RCB.

Ben Stokes is happy to call on Joe Root's advice as the all-rounder prepares to lead England's Test side.

Root was appointed as successor to England great Alastair Cook in 2017 and went on to win 27 red-ball matches while in charge of the team, which is a record.

However, Root also holds the record for the most red-ball defeats while captain of his country (26) and England have won only one of their past 17 Tests and are winless in five series in the longest format. 

That dismal run of form, capped by a 1-0 series defeat to West Indies earlier this year, resulted in Root stepping down in April.

England are also without a coach, with Chris Silverwood having left his post following a 4-0 hammering in the Ashes, though former batsman Rob Key has now been appointed as the new managing director.

Root, whose own form was superb in 2021 as he scored 1,708 runs across 29 innings at an average of 61 and a strike rate of 56.85, is nevertheless set to remain a prominent member of England's Test team, and Stokes is pleased to have someone he hailed as a "great man" by his side.

"Joe phoned me before it became public about his decision. It was a very brief chat, it was probably not the right time to start reminiscing about everything while he was on the phone," Stokes said in an interview posted to the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) official website.

"And then I phoned him before it became public that I'd taken it because I didn't want him to see it on social media.

"When Joe took over, I was made vice-captain, it was a really exciting time.

"I think there's a handful of players who I think will have respect after the game. Every player who's played under him, players in the future as well, will see what a great man he is. He's a real carer of people that he plays with.

"Our friendship goes beyond just being team-mates, we've known each other since we were 14 years old.

"I'm looking forward to working with him in a different capacity but I'll also be using him a lot because I've got a lot to learn about being captain."

While Stokes is aware that England's Test team needs a refresh after their poor run, his immediate priority is simple.

"I just want to win games," he said. "At the end of the day being a captain is about winning games, that's what you get judged on.

"Obviously you've got to mould the team, create a winning mentality, which you need to have at the top level, but my main goal, I think my duty is to win as many games as possible. That's my main goal."

Stokes' first matches in charge come in June, when England host New Zealand in a three-Test series.

The Surrey Kings and Surrey Royals will contest the final of the inaugural Dream 11 Jamaica T10 tournament after the league stage of the competition came to an end at Sabina Park in Kingston on Tuesday.

The day started with the Kings losing to the Middlesex United Stars in a super over.

The United Stars win the toss and elected to field first, restricting the Kings, albeit with a number of changes to their team, to 85-7 off their 10 overs with Kenroy Williams (22) and Xavier Burton (17) being the main scorers.

Tyrone Daley was the pick of the bowlers for the United Stars with 2-14 from his two overs.

Top scores of 38 not out from captain and West Indies opener John Campbell and 21 from Jamaica Scorpions all-rounder Alwyn Williams then allowed the United Stars to match the Kings total reaching 85-6 off 10 overs.

The same pair along with Daley then combined to post 13-1 in the super over before Ojay Shields restricted the Kings pair of Jeavor Royal and Brad Barnes to eight without loss to secure the win.

The Surrey Royals got the better of the Cornwall Warriors in the second match of the day by nine wickets.

The Royals restricted the Warriors to 86-6 off their 10 overs after winning the toss and choosing to field first.

Captain Damian Ebanks (25), Damion Bryce (21 not out) and Kerry Holness (18) were the main contributors for the Warriors against an excellent 2-8 off two overs from Jamaica Scorpions pacer Nicholson Gordon.

The Royals then successfully got to 87-1 off 8.1 overs thanks to 61 not out off 29 balls from wicketkeeper/batsman Romaine Morris.

With the league stage now completed, Wednesday will see the Cornwall Warriors and the Surrey Risers contest the fifth-place playoff, while the third-place playoff will be an all-Middlesex affair with the Titans taking on the United Stars before a champion is crowned on Thursday when the Surrey Royals and the Surrey Kings battle it out.