A typically devastating 48-ball unbeaten century from Chris Gayle consigned England to a six-wicket defeat in their opening World Twenty20 game in Mumbai on Wednesday. West Indies easily chased down England's 182/6 with 11 deliveries in hand.
A new-look England squad got off to a good start, powering to 81/1 in ten overs. Joe Root scored a stylish 36-ball 48 and Jos Buttler hammered three sixes in a 20-ball 30 before Eoin Morgan finished off England's innings with an unbeaten 27 off 14.
But it only looked like an imposing total before Gayle came in and stamped his authority on the game. The West Indies batsman played just six balls in the first five overs, but took charge after that, smashing 11 sixes, and went on to score his second Twenty20 International century. England picked up wickets at the other end and apart from Marlon Samuels' 27-ball 37, no other West Indian batsman scored many, but it didn't really matter. Thanks to Gayle, West Indies reached their target quite comfortably.
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