Photo: GT20 Canada/TwitterSixes rained left, right and centre in the Global T20 Canada tournament as Vancouver Knights’ Chris Gayle sent the ball all round the park against the Montreal Tigers.
The West Indian opener nabbed his maiden century of the tournament as his side managed to score a whopping 276 runs in their 20 overs on Monday, registering the highest ever team score for Global T20 Canada.
200 on @henrygayle's mind? Who all want to see that happen in #GT2019? pic.twitter.com/BhuRtcHgHo
— GT20 Canada (@GT20Canada) July 30, 2019
Having been put into bat, the Vancouver Knights got off to a flier as captain Gayle and Tobias Visee managed to add 63 runs for the first wicket within the first five overs, with Visee managing an 18-ball fifty. Seeing his partner take the aggressive route, Gayle started off slowly without taking too many untoward risks.
The southpaw, who represents Kings XI Punjab in the VIVO Indian Premier League, let loose in the ninth over, as he smashed three sixes off Sean Abbott to get the team score past 100. Soon after, he brought up his first fifty of the 2019 edition of Global T20 Canada with a majestic six over the mid-wicket boundary taking just 27 balls to reach the milestone.
The barrage of boundaries and sixes continued, as Gayle forged a 139-run partnership alongside South African Rassie van der Dussen, with the duo contributing to the second highest partnership in the tournament for 2019. The Universe Boss smashed 7 fours and 12 sixes in that innings, as his side Vancouver Knights added 151 in the final 10 overs of the game.
Celebrating his century like a boss! @henrygayle #GT2019 #MTvsVK pic.twitter.com/XT757Iu8P1
— GT20 Canada (@GT20Canada) July 30, 2019
Chris Gayle also got to his maiden Global T20 Canada century with a six over long on off Sunil Narine, as he continued his rich vein of form following an eventful World Cup in England. He ended the innings at a score of 122*, claiming the acclaim of being the solitary centurion of the second season of the Canada based tournament, while also scoring the second highest score ever in the history of the tournament. The 39-year-old’s batting exploits also ensured Vancouver Knights scored the second highest score ever record in a T20 match, as they ended at 276/3.
The game though had to abandoned after the first innings due to rains, leading to the points being shared between the Knights and the Montreal Tigers.
