West Indies batsman Chris Gayle announced on Sunday that he will retire from ODI format after the 2019 World Cup. In a tweet, the Windies Cricket Board said: “WINDIES batsman Chris Gayle has announced he will retire from One-day Internationals following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 England & Wales.”

The announcement came just a day after the left-handed batsman was recalled for the upcoming one-day series against England. Gayle last appeared for the West Indies’ ODI side in July 2018 against Bangladesh, having missed tours to India and Bangladesh to play in the Afghanistan Premier League and the T10 League.

Despite his recent form, the explosive batsman remained in West Indies’ plans for the World Cup, which is set to start from May 30, 2019. The 39-year-old is expected to form the opening pair with Evin Lewis.

Gayle, who remains the Windies’ second-leading ODI run scorer, has scored the most centuries (23) by a West Indian in the ODI format. He sits behind legendary Brian Lara on matches played and runs scored and could surpass him by the time the 39-year-old retires. Gayle has played 284 games to Lara’s 299, and scored 9727 runs to Lara’s 10,405.

In his 19 year long career, Gayle has played 284 ODIs, in which he has scored 9,727 runs at an average of 37.12. His glittering resume includes 49 fifties and 23 centuries at a strike rate of 85.52.

Gayle is the only Windies player to get a double ton and the first ever to score at a World Cup. He scored 215 runs in 147 balls against Zimbabwe in an ODI in 2015. In the course of that performance, he and Marlon Samuels also broke the record of the highest ODI partnership, putting together 372 runs for the second wicket.

Courtesy: The Indian Express