In a Career of Many Firsts, Chris Gayle Hints at ‘Un-Retirement’

Chris Gayle hints are ‘un-retirement’ after saying he would retire from ODI cricket after the World Cup.

West Indies’ Chris Gayle celebrates after scoring a century against West Indies during the fourth One Day International at the National Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019. 

(Photo: AP)

Jos Buttler and Chris Gayle went toe-to-toe with two titanic centuries as England defeated the West Indies by 29 runs in a scintillating fourth one-day international.

Buttler made a career-best 150 in 77 balls, blazing his last hundred runs in just 31 deliveries as England posted what looked like a mountainous total of 418-6. But Gayle set up a tense finale by smashing 162, before England held on to take a 2-1 series lead.

"I think it just shows there are going to be unbelievable days of cricket and when someone like Chris Gayle's in the opposition you can lose those games," Buttler said.

West Indies’ Chris Gayle, right, congratulates England’s Jos Buttler for his 150 runs during the fourth One Day International cricket match at the National Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019.(Photo: AP)

Gayle’s innings of 162 was his second century of the series and his third 50 plus score in as many innings. It was also his career’s second-highest one-day score, which featured 14 sixes. In fact he’s now the first cricketer to hit 500 international sixes.

"I think this is one of the most entertaining games I've ever played in," Gayle said after the match. "It was a fantastic game of cricket. I've been playing a lot of T20 cricket so it's always going to be a difficult coming back into 50-over cricket. But eventually the body gets accustomed to the 50-over format.”

Gayle was playing one-day cricket after eight months with the series against Bangladesh last July being his last appearnce in the 50-over format. However, with the World Cup nearing, WICB decided to include him in the squad for the England series and he’s made sure to step up, scoring a 50 and two centuries in each of his three appearances so far.

However, the 39-year-old had announced in February that the upcoming World Cup in England would be his last appearance in the 50-over format. After the innings on Wednesday though, Gayle said he may reconsider his earlier decision, if his body permits.

"I just have to work on the body and then maybe you can see a bit more Chris Gayle, maybe. Things change quickly. Hopefully the body can change in the next couple of months and we can see what happens. I'm nearly 40. But could I un-retire? We'll see. We'll take it slowly," said the Windies superstar.