West Indies ride on Gayle-storm
JAIPUR, Nov 2: Even before the start of the Champions Trophy, Chris Gayle had made up his mind to occupy the crease and play his shots according to the merit of the ball. With two hundreds already in the tournament, he was confident and sure about about his role in the team as well.
So, when the big moment arrived in the second semi-final against South Africa at the Sawai Man Singh stadium on Thursday, Gayle yet again responded like a champion.
He marshaled his resources to perfection by cracking a match winning knock 133 as West Indies blew away South Africa by six wickets. Brian Lara and his men will now face Australia in the final at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on November 4.
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Match in Pics: Windies vs South Africa
Earlier, South Africa won the toss and elected to bat on a double-paced track. The decision was hardly justified by the top-order batsmen who looked tentative. Yet, South Africa managed to make 258 for the loss of eight wickets.
The second half was a complete Gayle show that enabled his team to finish the match with as many as six overs to spare. The Jamaican made his 15th ODI ton, his sixth on Indian soil and third in the championship.
