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“My captains expect me to take wickets. I tried my best all through my career. I hope all the young bowlers do this as well.”

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2019The ball is curling late. It had come down straight for nearly 80% of the pitch. But then, suddenly, as if by magic, it started swinging in. The batsman is in trouble. He tries to block it but ends up losing so much of his balance that he basically falls face first onto the pitch. Tamim Iqbal is down. His stumps are shattered. And Lasith Malinga runs up to his team-mates with one of his hands up and a smirk on his face. It wasn’t a smile. It was a smirk. As if he was showing the opposition, his team-mates, his fans and even his critics that he still had it. He still had the most devastating yorker in world cricket.But that is now history. Malinga’s ODI career is over. And he finished it in style too, with a wicket off his final ball. Now he wants the younger generation to take over. The 35-year old doesn’t just want them to be good bowlers. He wants them to be strike bowlers. And above all else, he wants them to be match-winners.

Yorker King #ThankYouMalinga pic.twitter.com/NWGV03Q9V2

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 26, 2019

“My captains expect me to take wickets,” he said during the post-match presentation. “I tried my best all through my career. I hope all the young bowlers do this as well. Because just surviving in cricket, I don’t think anyone can go far. You have to be a match-winner. That’s what I’m looking forward to in the future. These young bowlers have to get match winning performances and people have to tell that’s a match winning bowler. We have a couple of guys, they have the ability, we have to look after them.”Malinga finished with excellent figures of 3 for 38, but just like he wanted, there was plenty of support from the other end. Nuwan Pradeep, one of the country’s best line bowlers, finished with three wickets as well and Lahiru Kumara, making a comeback after not being picked for the World Cup, showed improving control along with his raw pace.The other thing that was on Malinga’s mind was to win. Sri Lanka’s ODI form has been up and down over the last four years and the fast bowler wanted to change it at all costs.”I think whether I’m retiring or not, winning is very important. We are a young team and we are looking forward to win. These days we haven’t had the momentum to get wins.”There are still two ODIs in this series against Bangladesh but Malinga felt it was the right time for him to step aside.”I’ve played the last 15 years for Sri Lanka. Really an honour to play and really happy to play for these people and for all the crowd that’s been behind me. I feel this is the time I have to move on because we have to build for the 2023 World Cup and that’s why I realised, okay, my time is up, I have to go.”

South Africa’s veteran spinner will be hoping to kickstart their World Cup against Bangladesh, whether he opens the bowling or not

Andrew Miller at The Oval01-Jun-2019Imran Tahir’s solipsistic wicket rampages are not everybody’s cup of tea. Some might argue, with justification, that in a team sport such as cricket, the direction of travel in that moment of exquisite release after the snaring of an opposition batsman ought to be towards one’s team-mates (including the chap who has often just held a catch for you) rather than towards the most sparsely populated corner of the outfield.But then Tahir’s career has been uniquely reliant on his own sense of direction – whether that means emigrating from his native Pakistan for the love of a good woman (as he did in the wake of the 1998 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa), or making his international debut for that newly adopted country at the age of 31, and at the 2011 World Cup in India to boot.So you could forgive him his glee on Thursday morning, when he conjured up South Africa’s undoubted highlight of an otherwise chastening tournament opener against England. Not content with becoming the first spinner (the first non-right-arm seamer, in fact) to bowl the opening delivery of a World Cup, he followed that up, one ball later, by stopping the previously rampant Jonny Bairstow dead in his tracks for a first-ball duck.ALSO READ: Kagiso Rabada TCM interviewAnd so, while the wider focus for South Africa has to be on those inevitable early frissons of anxiety that only World Cup campaigns can cause, Tahir could be excused for taking a moment on the eve of the game to pause, to take stock, and to reflect on the prospect, unthinkable a decade ago, of playing in his 100th ODI.”It feels really special,” Tahir said. “It’s been an amazing journey. I always dreamt that, but I never thought I will be here one day playing my 100th game for South Africa. It’s an absolute honour and privilege, being given the opportunity by the lovely people from South Africa.”I’m just really grateful to everybody, and I hope that from myself, that I give everything that I could for the country.”While he has clearly been living the dream for the past decade (and a pretty wild one at that, given that it began with him providing for his siblings by packing bags in a retail store in Lahore), Tahir knows that he is nearer the end than the beginning.He turned 40 back in March, and at some stage in the course of the ten fixtures still available to South Africa in this tournament, he will call time on the 50-over leg of his international career at the very least. The World T20 in 2020 remains a plausible postscript for a player who will be returning to The Oval immediately after the World Cup to play for Surrey (his eighth county) in the T20 Blast.”Obviously, if I look back, I’m really proud of myself,” he said. “I’m the guy who come through a lot of hard patches, I’ve seen a lot of hardships. I lost my parents without them seeing me play international cricket. So these things are really special to me, and for my family.”I have not seen my brothers or sisters in the last two years, so this country that I’m representing and every game I’m playing for is really important to me, and I’m really proud. I’m just really grateful to my family. They understand that, you know, I’m away from them, but there is an important reason for that.”Indeed there is. For all the talk of how the round-robin format of the 2019 World Cup can be forgiving to sides who make a slow start to the tournament, South Africa’s itinerary is proof that there will be jeopardy at every step of the group stages. Defeat against Bangladesh – Champions Trophy semi-finalists and recent tri-series winners in Ireland – would leave them excruciatingly placed going into India’s opening match in Southampton on Wednesday.”Look, there is always a pressure if you play every game and especially when you are representing your country,” said Tahir. “But you can take the pressure positively or negatively, and we are very positive. We have been beaten by a very good England team who has been dominating world cricket for a year or so, but we are going to learn from our mistakes.”Imran Tahir celebrates Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal•AFPThose mistakes, for the most part, were made by the batsmen whom Tahir admitted had allowed themselves to be rushed in the run-chase. Broadly speaking, their bowlers and fielders were exonerated after limiting England to a daunting but obtainable 311 for 9 – and Tahir was a key factor in that performance, thanks to that initial impact and the overall energy of his two-wicket display.”I am the kind of guy who likes challenges and I like to think that my captain [Faf du Plessis] can give me a ball in any situation and I will be the first guy to say yes,” he said. “It was a plan which I had been working on for the last year or so, so I think we knew that it was going to be pretty much a shock for everybody.”It was a great challenge, bowling against two top players in world cricket who have been in form, and we were really pleased as a team with the way it came out.”The same strip will be in use for the Bangladesh match, which may tempt South Africa into a repeat performance (not that the man himself would be drawn). But whenever he enters the fray, you can be sure that further crucial breakthroughs will cause his team-mates to gravitate towards him once again … wherever in the outfield his cavorting may carry him.”I always look for one thing, and that’s hard work and to never give up,” Tahir said. “I know I’m the oldest guy on the team, which I’m really proud of, because playing on this team, you need to be very fit.”I’m really enjoying my cricket. I’m enjoying my team-mates. I just hope as a team we have a great World Cup, like how we thought before we came to England.”

Emma Hayes has named her first U.S. women's national team squad ahead of two June friendlies against the Korea Republic.

Hayes names first USWNT squadTwo players given first U.S. call-ups19 holdovers from SheBelieves CupWHAT HAPPENED

Hayes named a 23-player squad on Tuesday ahead of the USWNT's pair of friendlies against Korea Republic. The roster features a total of three uncapped players, including Sam Staab and Hal Herschfelt, both of whom are in their first USWNT camp. They're joined by Lily Yohannes, the young Ajax starlet who was called in for her second USNWT camp.

The squad is headlined, though, by many regulars, including Lindsey Horan, Alex Morgan and Jaedyn Shaw. Also included is Rose Lavelle, who missed out on the SheBeleives Cup due to injury. In total, 19 players return from that SheBelieves Cup-winning team.

In addition to the 23-player squad, Hayes has also called in Olivia Moultrie, Croix Bethune and Kate Wiesner as training players, with the latter two joining the USWNT group for the first time.

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GOALKEEPERS:Jane Campbell (Houston Dash), Aubrey Kingsbury (Washington Spirit), Casey Murphy (North Carolina Courage)

DEFENDERS:Tierna Davidson (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Fox (Arsenal FC), Naomi Girma (San Diego Wave FC), Casey Krueger (Washington Spirit), Jenna Nighswonger (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Emily Sonnett (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Sam Staab (Chicago Red Stars)

MIDFIELDERS:Korbin Albert (Paris Saint-Germain), Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns FC), Hal Hershfelt (Washington Spirit), Lindsey Horan (Olympique Lyon), Rose Lavelle (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Lily Yohannes (Ajax)

FORWARDS:Crystal Dunn (NJ/NY Gotham FC), Catarina Macario (Chelsea FC), Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave FC), Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave FC), Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns FC), Mallory Swanson (Chicago Red Stars)

GettyWHAT HAYES SAID

“I’m really looking forward to getting started,” said Hayes. “The preparations have been well underway and I can’t wait to get into camp. We know it’s a short turnaround and we have a lot of work to do, but I’m fully focused on making sure that the performances are at the levels that are required to compete.

"I want to build on the work that Twila [Kilgore] has been implementing over the last six months. I expect complete commitment from everyone to absorb very quickly the things that I value as the most important so that we can compete this summer. I know they are a highly coachable group and I’m looking forward to challenging them.

"It’s time to go to work. I can’t wait to meet the fans and it’s really time to get behind the team as we get closer to putting a roster together for the Olympics.”

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Among the notable absentees is Alyssa Naeher, the USWNT's incumbent starting goalkeeper. Naeher recently suffered an injury on the club level with the Chicago Red Stars, leading to her absence.

Additionally, the positional designations could offer some insight into how Hayes sees the squad. Crystal Dunn, long a left-back for the USWNT, is listed as a forward, while Emily Sonnett is listed among the defenders.

Alex Morgan and Tierna Davidson return, however, despite recent injuries at the club level.

ESPNcricinfo’s live updates on New Zealand v West Indies

Karthik Krishnaswamy22-Jun-2019

Mauricio Pochettino is set to return to Stamford Bridge to take charge of the Soccer Aid World XI despite leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.

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Pochettino left Chelsea by mutual consentSet for Stamford Bridge returnWill honour his contract with World Soccer AidWHAT HAPPENED?

The Argentine manager will be at the helm of the Soccer Aid World XI team for a second consecutive year with the event scheduled for June 9 in West London. Pochettino's team will lock horns against an England side managed by former Chelsea boss and club legend, Frank Lampard.

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Assisting Pochettino will be his long-term staff members Jesus Perez and Tony Jimenez. The roster for this year's event includes notable names such as Jill Scott, Karen Carney, Jermain Defoe, David James, Gary Cahill, David Seaman, Roberto Carlos, Joe Cole, and Jack Wilshere.

WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

Pochettino expressed his enthusiasm for participating in Soccer Aid once again, highlighting the positive experience from the previous year.

"Soccer Aid for UNICEF is a huge event — and one I am delighted to be part of again," he had said earlier.

"The 2023 match was a great experience to be a part of and that is why I was more than happy to accept a return this year, particularly as it will be at Stamford Bridge and with Frank Lampard, a Chelsea legend, in the opposing dugout for England.

"We raised so much money last year, and I hope we can do the same this time, so please get involved and buy your tickets. A sold-out Stamford Bridge generates an incredible atmosphere and we want the players who are part of Soccer Aid 2024 to enjoy that same feeling when they step out onto the pitch on Sunday, June 9.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Soccer Aid, established in 2006, has grown into a significant event on the football calendar. It merges the worlds of football and entertainment, drawing attention to UNICEF's vital work in supporting children worldwide. The 2024 edition promises to be another memorable occasion, with fans eagerly anticipating the match-up between Pochettino's World XI and Lampard's England team.

Pochettino's involvement in Soccer Aid has been instrumental in raising substantial funds for UNICEF. The event, which brings together former footballers and celebrities, has so far generated nearly £100 million for the charity.

Zaheer lauds his ‘stubborn’ attitude while Bumrah himself believes clarity of thought under pressure helps

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-2019Jasprit Bumrah “is the best bowler in the world at this stage”, declared Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbai Indians icon, after the paceman had returned 2 for 14 to star in their IPL 2019 final win over Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.His returns – not a boundary hit off his 24 balls, and 13 dot balls thrown in – were incredible all right, making him a straight pick for the Man of the Match award too. Chatting with Tendulkar for after the match was Yuvraj Singh, who played a few matches early on in the season for Mumbai but was subsequently benched.

Let me go on record and say that he is the best bowler in the world at this stageTENDULKAR ON BUMRAH

Asked by Tendulkar what made Bumrah so difficult to face, Yuvraj said that apart from an “awkward” action, it was “very tough to understand at what pace he is coming”.”I think he is bowling the best I have seen in his career,” he added, and Tendulkar agreed: “Let me go on record and say that he is the best bowler in the world at this stage. And the best is yet to come, hopefully.”Bumrah was the toast of the Mumbai team, and their fans. Not for the first time either. Forget the past, just this year, Bumrah came on at the toughest of moments for Mumbai, and delivered almost without fail. Among bowlers to have sent down at least 60 overs, only Rashid Khan had a better economy rate for the season – 6.28 – than Bumrah’s 6.63.For two fewer wickets – Bumrah ended with 19 and Rashid 17. Expand that list to bowlers who have bowled at least 40 overs, and Bumrah’s economy rate stands at No. 4, with Ravindra Jadeja (6.35) and Chahar (6.55) slotting in between Rashid and Bumrah. Bumrah still ended with the most wickets among them.

Just trying to be calm, trying to execute, trying to keep things simple whenever I’m trying to bowl … so that’s probably itJASPRIT BUMRAH

Let’s look at more numbers.Bumrah bowled 172 balls in the death overs (17 to 20), 52 more than the next on the list: Kagiso Rabada. And how did he do in them? His economy rate in that period was 7.67, by far the best among bowlers to have sent down at least ten overs at the death. Next on the list is Chris Morris, with an economy rate of 8.61. And Bumrah’s 13 wickets at the death was also second only to Rabada’s tally of 17.But Bumrah was – is – more than just his numbers. It’s the effect he has had on opposition batsmen, coming it at crunch moments and making sure liberties were kept to a minimum. “Phenomenal”, Zaheer Khan, the Mumbai director of cricket, called Bumrah – he’s been doing it year in and year out, for Mumbai and for India.”Just trying to be calm, always learning from all the legends of the game that we have over here, trying to execute, trying to keep things simple whenever I’m trying to bowl … so that’s probably it,” Bumrah told Zaheer about his agenda out in the middle.Those are words one hears often – not much there. But Zaheer did give away a bit of inside information about Bumrah: he is “stubborn”, and he takes “a lot of convincing” when new plans are discussed. But, at the same time, chatting about bowling with Bumrah can make for “great conversations”.One such conversation – more than once, actually – was apparently about bowling more outswingers, which Bumrah did against MS Dhoni in the final. Only three balls Bumrah got to bowl at Dhoni on Sunday night. The first was an awaygoing delivery, angling in and holding its line, leaving Dhoni poking at thin air.”He’s been behind [after] me for the outswingers since the tournament’s beginning,” Bumrah said of Zaheer. “I told him I’d bowl it, but he was behind me all the time ‘you should bowl it more often’. So after bowling it today he was very happy.”

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford was spotted in a confrontation with a fan, and it has now been revealed what was said during the argument.

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Rashford argues with Man Utd fanFan told forward to leave the clubEriksen had to guide Rashford awayGetty/StrettyEnd/JacobHorsfallWHAT HAPPENED?

Ahead of the Red Devils' enthralling 3-2 win over Newcastle United at Old Trafford, Rashford was spotted in a heated argument with a Man Utd fan as he halted his warm-up to go and try to shoot down the criticism he received from the supporter. However, after an exchange of words, Christian Eriksen had to step in and guide the 26-year-old away from the scene.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT WAS SAID IN THE CONFRONTATION

As per Manchester Evening News, the confrontation started when a fan seated in the Stretford End shouted, "If you wanna go, go!" at Rashford who was warming up.

The forward halted his session and moved towards the forward who continued to point at the Man Utd badge on his jacket. Rashford did the same and exclaimed, "Why don't you go?" to the fan, while another fan defended the winger saying, "Rashford, don't listen to him!" trying to defuse the situation.

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This is not the first time that Rashford has confronted criticism from a fan as, in 2021, the winger made a disrespectful hand gesture to a supporter who appeared to criticize his performance against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

This time the criticism likely stemmed from the fact that Rashford has been linked with a potential move away from the boyhood club. Manchester United are also reportedly willing to listen to offers for the forward in the summer transfer window.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR RASHFORD?

The England star will likely be in the starting lineup this weekend against Brighton on May 19 and next weekend in the FA Cup final against Man City on May 25.

The delivery from Dhawal Kulkarni hit the stumps, but the bails stayed put, and it ran away for four runs too

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Apr-2019Rajasthan Royals captain Ajinkya Rahane wanted the ball that pinged Chris Lynn’s stumps without dislodging the bails to be treated as a dead ball, he revealed after Royals lost their home match against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.Lynn was on 13 at the time, and off the 12th ball he faced – the ball after Rahul Tripathi had dropped Sunil Narine, the other batsman – Dhawal Kulkarni drew an inside edge that hit leg stump. However, the zing bails didn’t dislodge despite lighting up, and the ball ended up ricocheting to the fine-leg boundary. Lynn – and Knight Riders – awarded four runs, adding insult to the Royals’ injury.Rahane was seen having a discussion with the umpires after the incident. “The rules are the rules, but I told the umpires, ‘at least don’t give it as a boundary’. Already the T20 format is so tough for bowlers, and if you get such a situation, at least that ball can be a dead ball,” he said after Knight Riders had romped to victory by eight wickets, with 6.1 overs to spare.

I’m happy to ride that luck. I might actually go to a casino tonight if there’s one hereCHRIS LYNN

“That was my conversation with the umpires. But see, there is nothing to be gained from brooding about whatever is not in our control.”This was the second time in IPL 2019 that Royals had seen one of their bowlers hit the stumps but not get their man. In their match against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, Jofra Archer had gone through MS Dhoni and nicked the stumps before the batsman had scored a run. Dhoni went on to hit a match-winning 75 not out off 46 balls then, and on Sunday, Lynn made use of his reprieve to smash 50 off 32.”I always like to ride my luck,” Lynn told Harry Gurney on iplt20.com. “It is a T20 game and I like to go hard in the first six overs. After I inside-edged it, I heard a second noise and I thought, ‘he’s either going to catch it, or the bail’s going to come off’. But I got lucky. I told the umpire, I saw him put up byes, so I went down and he actually changed it. I’m happy to ride that luck. I might actually go to a casino tonight if there’s one here!”The loss left Royals with just two points from five matches, sitting at seventh on the table with only the winless Royal Challengers Bangalore below them, and the other six teams at least four points clear.2:08

Five reasons why Kolkata won

Rahane though, said that there was no need to panic yet.”It’s not yet late, nine games are left. And things can change quickly in this format. What has happened has happened,” Rahane said. “When you lose, you think more deeply about it. When you win, you don’t think as much. I think there’s no need to panic or brood too much about this loss.”Out of five games, this is the only one that has gone very badly for us. In the last four matches, we played well. Yes, we could have won three matches but we didn’t. But the T20 format is such that you have to take a risk somewhere and back yourself. I don’t think it’s any individual player’s fault. We win as a team and lose as a team. So we need to improve as a team. The quicker we learn, I’m sure the results will change automatically.”The slowness of the pitch at Sawai Mansingh Stadium contributed to Royals mustering only 139 for 3, but Rahane didn’t want to point fingers for the below-par total.”We thought 150-160 would be challenging. But still, if we made 140, and found it difficult to score, we can learn from that as a bowling unit,” he said. “Especially when playing at home, the quicker we adjust to the pitch in terms of what lengths and lines we should bowl, the better. Overall, there are lots of things for us to learn as a team.”We knew the pitch will be slow. We have practiced here also a lot. It’s not right to give an excuse that we can’t play on a slow pitch. Like I said, we should know as a batting unit when to take risks and when not to.”Gurney, who was the man of the match on IPL debut with 2 for 25 in four overs, also used the lack of pace to his advantage. “The pitch looked quite dry, so quite early on in my spell I bowled a cutter and saw a bit of purchase. So I knew that for the rest of my spell, a majority of my balls would be cutters,” Gurney said. “Thankfully the ball gripped and I was quite effective tonight.”

Chelsea fans sent out a message to the ownership to not sell Conor Gallagher this summer, ahead of their clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

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Gallagher sale considered by ChelseaTottenham Hotspur looking to buy playerChelsea fans send message in supportGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

It has been heavily reported that Todd Boehly and company are looking to sell Gallagher this summer and that Tottenham is the likeliest destination for the 24-year-old. However, ahead of the London derby kickoff between Spurs and the Blues, fans at Stamford Bridge unveiled a huge tifo of the midfielder with the words "Chelsea since birth."

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Chelsea are looking to make major sales this summer as they look to comply Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability rules. They believe the sale of homegrown players is the best way forward as it would count as 100% profit and give them greater space financially.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

It has been reported that Newcastle are also interested in the 24-year-old and he could cost the Magpies around £40 million (€46m/$49m). By the end of June, £100 million ($125.3m) in player sales are needed by June 30 if they are to reach compliance with the Premier League's PSR.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA

Chelsea finish off their Premier League season with games against West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Bournemouth. The club then look set for a busy summer after what's been a disappoinjting season on the pitch.

George Dobell in St Lucia02-Mar-2019It looked like a goodbye. And, as Chris Gayle reflected on his remarkable ODI series against England, it started to sound like one as well.Gayle had just rounded off his incredible series – 424 runs in four innings at a strike-rate of 134.17 – with an innings of 77 in 27 balls that included the fastest half-century (19 deliveries) by a West Indies batsman in the history of this format. He hit 39 sixes from the 316 balls he faced in the series – a record in either series or tournaments of any length – meaning he hit, incredible though it sounds, every 8.10 balls he faced for six.And while he said, only days ago, he could yet be persuaded to extend his career beyond the World Cup, as he walked off here – turning to salute all corners of the ground – it looked pretty clear that he would not be back.”This is my last ODI series in the Caribbean,” he said. “So I was giving the fans a nice wave. Right through the tournament they have been superb from both sides: West Indies and England sides. It would be nice if it was in Jamaica, but the crowds have been fantastic.”It’s been an honour to wear the crest and entertain the people around the Caribbean. West Indies is No. 1. This is the best achievement you can have in the Caribbean as a cricketer. This is the best thing, to be honest with you.”It hasn’t always seemed that way. When he flew into London from the IPL 48 hours ahead of the Test series against England in 2009 – he was captain at the time – it seemed representing the region’s team was getting in the way of his T20 career. Equally, when he was alleged to have been seen in the party stand not long his side had been defeated by England in 2004, when he was embroiled in a long-running stand-off with the board, or castigating the selectors for their failure to pick Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard for the 2015 World Cup it didn’t always appear that West Indies was his top priority. But, he might argue, it was partly because he cared so much that he felt the need to push back against the administrators. If he didn’t care about West Indies, why would he argue for Bravo and Pollard? If he didn’t care about West Indies, why would his omission from the team to play Pakistan in two ODIs in 2011 have rankled so long?And, if he didn’t care, how has he played until he was 39 and when, at times, he has clearly been struggling with injury? And, if it sometimes seemed he had an eye on the T20 dollar, well, why shouldn’t he? The history of cricket is full of episodes when players have been chastised for trying to increase their earning opportunities. On nearly every occasion – the rebel tours perhaps offering the greatest exception – history has vindicated them. Gayle has played 100 Tests and nearly 300 ODIs. He could have limited himself to the T20 circuit years ago if he wasn’t committed to West Indies cricket.While Gayle rebuffed the suggestion he is in the form of his life – “My better ODI form was in India when Carl Hooper was captain,” he says, “I made three centuries in that series and I made two here” – he accepted he might never have played better in a home series.”I’m thankful for the form,” he said. “I wasn’t getting any runs in the T20 tournaments I was playing. When you get a chance to score runs, make sure you score heavy. But it’s the best [I’ve played] in my home conditions and I’m happy and grateful for that.”I’m not surprised by how well I’ve done. Or the number of sixes. Sixes come along. It’s just natural, to be honest. In T20s I score a lot of sixes as well, but this is the first time in an ODI series. To hit 39 sixes aged 39: it’s fantastic from a personal point of view.”But my mindset is that, even when I’m 60, I’ll still think I can do it. I’ll still think I can score runs against the best bowlers in the world. That will never change. It’s just the body which is always the worrying part for me.”It sounds as if he still enjoys it, doesn’t it? And you can tell, it’ll be a wrench to leave. And maybe, just maybe, he is keeping the door open a crack.”You’ll just have to wait and see,” he says. “There’s still a long way to go. Let’s just carry on with life.”West Indies cricket will miss Chris Gayle. World cricket, even. And, it seems, he’ll miss it a little more than it sometimes appeared.