MUMBAI: Controversial batsman Chris Gayle will be looking to ensure the West Indies’ troubled build-up to the World Twenty20 becomes a distant memory when they open their campaign against England in Mumbai Wednesday.
The Windies are out to prove they are still a force in the shortest form of the game despite their declining Test status, while England want to atone for a humiliating early exit from last year’s 50-over World Cup.
A pay dispute cast doubt over the West Indies’ appearance in India and while the row was resolved at the 11th hour, relations between players and the country’s cricket board remain tense.
Their preparations have also been hit by the withdrawal of all-rounder Kieron Pollard and off-spinner Sunil Narine, who is T20 cricket’s top-performing bowler and has thrived in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
But in the enigmatic Gayle they possess a batsman capable of destroying whatever bowling attack he faces and single-handedly winning any match, providing he stays clear of off-field controversy.
