2010 ICC World Twenty20 Super Eights: Gayle Wind Puts India Virtually Out of the Equation

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Sreelata YellamrazuMay 9 2010

Chris Gayle and a sloppy performance came in the way of India getting a much needed win under their belt in the Super Eights of the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, leaving India now virtually out in the cold as the tournament heats up much to the delight of the hosts.

chris gayle v ind ms dhoni

In what has generally been considered a do or die encounter, West Indies prevailed upon the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 champions through a brilliant batting display and some particularly poor effort by the Indians who simply could not get their act together.

First, it was the Gayle show with the West Indies captain making the Indians pay rather heavily for a couple of dropped chances. Falling just two short of what would have been a second ICC World Twenty20 century, Gayle showed the power and prowess of an explosive opener who can virtually bat right through to the end.

While Harbhajan Singh did the job again with the ball up front, the same could not be said of the other bowlers who were pulverized by the left handed West Indies captain without bias. Under fire, the Indians put up one of their sloppiest displays in the field, a collision between the Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Yusuf Pathan resulting in a spilled catch. That Ashish Nehra managed to pick three wickets was lost in the sea of runs, such was the audacity as well as simplicity of lofting the ball high and over the boundary ropes, seven times in Gayle's case who made ninety-eigh runs off sixty-six balls.

Gayle was virtually unstoppable and India did pull back the hosts from making a monumental score. However, for the hosts, 169 proved enough as the Indian batting then failed to show up to the Calypso carnival.

The Indians were once again put under pressure with both openers, Murali Vijay and Gautam Gambhir, perishing early. A lot rested on Suresh Raina and while he made thirty-two runs, it became apparent that the task was getting increasingly out of hand in a high pressure situation when was dismissed by Gayle himself.

India were down to five wickets with just eighty-one runs on board in the thirteenth over when Pathan joined Dhoni. But just like their costly collision earlier in the day, their coming together failed to change the tide. Dhoni's twenty-nine runs were scored more in desperation than with any real aspiration. Although there were two accomplished batsmen at the crease, the day seemed to favour the hosts, who struck back appropriately by taking their catches cleanly, bowling good lengths and forcing the run rate to spill over beyond acceptable levels.

That India fell short by fourteen runs, making 155 in their twenty overs, would give them consolation of coming close, the reality was that India were no match for the sensational hosts on the day. It gives West Indies a chance to stay alive with a chance to move to the semi finals. For India, the door has been virtually shut on their face.

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