Chasing 94 to win the Tallawahs did not need to rush, but that did not stop Chris Gayle getting off the mark with a towering six off Steven Jacobs. That was an impressive beginning from Gayle, but he and his team were selective in their shot making at first. Even going at just over a run a ball inside the batting PowerPlay kept them well ahead of the rate.
Gayle’s superb show
As the innings progressed Gayle was happier to go for the big shots as he hit back-to-back sixes off Jacobs in the final over of the PowerPlay which brought 17 runs. During the sixth over Gayle became the fourth batsman to pass 400 runs in this edition of the Hero CPL.
That acceleration from Gayle continued after the fielding restrictions were relaxed as he took 18 runs off an Adam Zampa over as the Tallawahs got two-thirds of the way to their target with just seven overs gone.
Gayle brought up his fifty off 22 balls as he made a mockery of the target his team had been set. That patient start was quickly forgotten once he was well set as he struck 3 fours and 6 sixes on his way to 54 (27).
This was the perfect performance from Gayle and his team as they became worthy Hero CPL champions, although Gayle was not there when the winning runs were struck having fallen to the bowling of Rayad Emrit as he went for another six.
Instead, it was Kumar Sangakkara who hit the winning runs as the Tallawahs ran on to the pitch to celebrate a superb win.
A dismal show by the Warriors
That became 70-5 when Christopher Barnwell followed up a big Hero Maximum by smashing a ball from Imad Wasim into the hands of Chris Gayle at short midwicket and it didn’t end there as the wickets kept tumbling.
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