Gayle to miss T20 clash against Australia

West Indian skipper and opening batsman, Chris Gayle has been rested for his side’s Twenty20 international match against Australia on Friday owing to a groin injury.

Gayle suffered the injury earlier this year which also forced him out of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL). He played at 90% fitness in the third Test versus Australia which his team lost by 87 runs at Barbados yesterday.

The touring Aussies will now take on the hosts, West Indies in the five-match one-day international series which will get underway at St.Vincent next week. Gayle, who has played a pivotal role in his team’s success over the last few years, has therefore been rested so that he can regain complete fitness before the one-dayers which he will captain.

The West Indies have named their 14-man squad for the Twenty20 and ODIs. Opener Sewnarine Chattergoon will not be available for either due to an ankle injury he suffered during the third Test.

Australia won the three-match Test series 2-0 and will now be hoping to continue their exploits for the one-day internationals. The West Indies, on the other hand, will hope to restrict the Aussies by putting up a brave fight.

The sole Twenty20 international match between the two sides will take place at the Kensington Oval on June 20.

West Indies Twenty20 squad: Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Xavier Marshall, William Perkins, Keiron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.

West Indies one day international squad: Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Patrick Browne, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Xavier Marshall, Keiron Pollard, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.