England blown away by Gayle tour de force

Joe Root was his usual busy self, hooking Russell for six, and greeting Carlos Brathwaite with a leg-side biff as England reached 81 at halfway. He then cleaved Taylor over midwicket for six, but the 55-run partnership (40 balls) ended when Suliemann Benn, whose first two overs cost just nine, slipped one under Hales’s attempted cut. Hales made 28 from 26 balls.

Jos Buttler came in and slapped Badree over long-off for six, but Root’s dynamic 36-ball 48 came to an end when Russell’s slower ball induced a miscue to mid-off. That dismissal didn’t stem the tide though, as Morgan announced his arrival with a beefy pull behind square for six.

Benn went for 14 in his third over, with Buttler striking a massive blow over midwicket, and Bravo’s return saw a slog over wide long-on for six more. But the attempted encore off a full toss found Brathwaite at deep square leg, and Buttler was on his way after 30 in just 20 balls.

Stokes’s seven-ball 15 included a huge six off Russell, over midwicket, and a bullet straight-drive off Bravo, before he missed a slower one to be trapped in front. Moeen finished off with a six and run-out, as England rattled up 59 in the final five overs. Morgan remained unbeaten on a 14-ball 27. On another day, 182 might have been enough. But against Gayle in this mood, no target can be considered safe.

For full scorecard of the match, clickhere.