Chris Gayle was one of the most destructive batters in T20 cricket, with his power-hitting making him a nightmare for bowlers across the world. However, even the Universe Boss found one particular bowler extremely difficult to attack. Gayle recently revealed the toughest bowler he faced in T20 cricket and explained how the player’s unusual action and deceptive deliveries made him change his approach. The admission is particularly notable given Gayle’s extraordinary record against some of the best bowlers in the format.
Chris Gayle names the bowler who troubled him most
Gayle picked Lasith Malinga as the toughest bowler he faced in T20 cricket. The Sri Lankan’s slingy action and unusual release point made it difficult for Gayle to position himself and play his attacking shots. The slower ball was another major problem for Gayle, who admitted he could not pick the delivery out of Malinga’s hand.
“At the time it was Malinga, with his action at the time, you know. I mean, he didn’t get me out, but it was very difficult to face Malinga with that action. I just couldn’t position myself in a particular way to hit him. And his slower ball, there’s no way I could have picked his slower ball as well, so deceiving. He was just so difficult for me as a T20 player,” Gayle said in an interview with Midwicket Stories.
Also READ: Brendon McCullum reveals his ‘Ultimate Goal’ as England white-ball coach
Gayle’s numbers highlight the bowler’s impact
The numbers underline just how difficult the contest was for Gayle. Across their T20 meetings between 2009 and 2019, he scored only 57 runs from 72 deliveries at a strike rate of 79.2. He hit eight fours but no sixes, while 42 balls went for no runs. Malinga dismissed Gayle only once during those meetings, but he still managed to keep one of T20 cricket’s biggest hitters remarkably quiet.
That was a stark contrast to Gayle’s overall IPL record, where he scored 4,965 runs and hit 357 sixes, including six centuries. Gayle eventually chose not to take unnecessary risks against Malinga, instead looking to block, rotate the strike and attack the other bowlers.
Also READ: Zak Crawley returns to Perth Scorchers as Finn Allen replacement for BBL|16
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
