Veteran West Indies batsman Chris Gayle will retire from one-day international cricket after this year’s World Cup in England and Wales, Windies Cricket announced yesterday
The big-hitting 39-year-old opener, who has scored 9,727 runs in 284 ODIs, is set to play his first international since last July against England on Wednesday.
Gayle needs 677 more runs to surpass the great Brian Lara as the West Indies’ all-time record ODI run-scorer, a feat he will be hoping to achieve at his fifth World Cup, which starts on May 30.
He has been mainly a T20 specialist since making his last Test appearance in 2014, and most recently played in the Bangladesh Premier League earlier this month.
Since making his debut in 1999, Gayle has also scored a Windies record of 23 ODI hundreds, including the first ever World Cup double century against Zimbabwe four years ago.
The game in Barbados on Wednesday is the first of a five-match series against World Cup favourites England.
“Yes, I’m looking to draw the line after the World Cup,” he said. “Or should I say cut the string? Definitely, in 50-over cricket, the World Cup is the end for me. I’ll let the youngsters have some fun and I can sit back in the party stand and watch them have some fun.
“Winning the World Cup would be a fairy-tale finish. The youngsters owe it to me to win. They have to do that for me and try and get me the trophy. I’ll be looking to put my input in as well.”
Gayle, however, has not ruled out appearing in the World T20 in Australia in late 2020 – when he will be 41. He also hopes to play in the ECB’s inaugural season of The 100, which will take place ahead of the world event.
“If I don’t start it, it won’t be a tournament,” he said. “I guess England should invite me over. Then I’ll explode the tournament and say ‘thank you guys; bring in a youngster now.’ I’ll set the trend like I did in all tournaments around the world.
“I’m in good condition. The body is feeling good and I’m pleased with that. I’ve lost a bit of weight and I don’t want to get too big. I’m still working on my six pack. I’m trying to keep up with the youngsters in the field who are like cats the way they chase the ball. I still have it in me and I’m still enjoying it.”
Gayle said he was happy for the West Indies after their beat England 2-1 in the Test series.
“It was a great Test series,” he said. “It was fantastic to watch from the sidelines and I think it was one of the greatest things to happen in ten years.
“I was the captain for the last home series win against England and to see Jason Holder lifting that trophy ten years later was fantastic, so hopefully as a unit we can get the better of England again in the ODI series.
“Yes, I’m positive about the future of Test cricket. It’s always been the ultimate. I know the youngsters coming up are all looking at T20 cricket, but I would urge them to try to play Test cricket. It will give them a chance to challenge themselves. Definitely they should try.”
Gayle
