Sangakkara refuses to run the rule over Gayle

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Sangakkara refuses to run the rule over Gayle
Chris Gayle scored just 29 from 34 balls in Karachi Kings defeat to Quetta on Thursday.

Dubai - West Indian's poor show continues in the Pakistan Super League

By James Jose

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Published: Fri 24 Feb 2017, 10:13 PM

Last updated: Sat 25 Feb 2017, 12:16 AM

Karachi Kings' hopes of making it to the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) play-offs look as bleak as the overcast sky and it hasn't helped their cause one bit that their main batsman Chris Gayle is yet to stamp his mark.
But then, the team's captain Kumar Sangakkara refused to run the rule and reserved judgement on the big-hitting Jamaican.
The Kings suffered their fourth defeat, losing to the Quetta Gladiators, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, on Thursday.
Gayle, who has been coming at one-down after miserly returns at the top, scored 29 but in the context of things, it was an innings which went nowhere and it was very unlike a Gayle knock, with those runs coming from 34 balls.
The 37-year-old Gayle has only been able to muster scores of 2, 10, 5, 2, 11 and now 29. His last substantial score came in the Bangladesh Premier League in Dhaka last December where he scored 44 for the Chittagong Vikings against Rajshahi Kings. Gayle's last half-century was for the Jamaica Tallawahs against Guyana Amazon Warriors in August last year.
The Karachi Kings have Sri Lankan batting ace Mahela Jayawardene in the squad as one of the supplementary players but can only bring him in if someone gets injured.
Gayle's knock on Thursday night actually slowed things down after Sangakkara and fellow opener Babar Azam had given the Karachi Kings a decent start. But Sangakkara defended the big man.
"He tried his best to hit the ball," said Sangakkara.
"I think it was just a case where he forgot to rotate the strike if he was not hitting it well. He tried his best but unfortunately the little left-arm spinner (Hassan Khan) bowled pretty well to him," he added.
And the Sri Lankan legend also said that they shouldn't rush into a decision on Gayle.
"I think we've just got to go and show that we make the right decision rather than make any emotional one right now," Sangakkara said.
Meanwhile, talking about the game, Sangakkara said: "I think it was slower than usual the way we batted at the start and then back in the death overs. It looked a really good wicket and the wicket is not to blame. It is really us not scoring enough runs and then we dropped a catch and probably bowled a worst powerplay in the tournament.


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