Chris Gayle's fireworks take Windies to 158 for 2 before rain stopped play in 3rd ODI
Port of Spain, Aug 14: Chris Gayle seems to have walked into the sunset after playing a typical aggressive knock that led West Indies to 158 for two in 22 overs against India before rain halted the third and final ODI here on Wednesday.
The weather continued to play havoc in this tour of India as the rain forced two interruptions after the hosts elected to bat in the match, which they need to win to level the series.
Gayle came out with a clear plan to attack the Indian bowlers, making the most of what appeared his swan-song innings for his country.
Whether it was Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami or Khaleel Ahmed no Indian pacer was spared with Gayle hammering them for sixes with remarkable ease.
Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal was the only bowler who commanded some respect from the West Indian marauder.
The left-handed opener the self proclaimed Universe boss punished the Indian bowlers with five sixes and eight shots to the fence in his entertaining 72-run knock.
He added 115 runs with fellow opener Evin Lewis, who was equally impressive with his 29-ball 43 which was laced with five fours and three sixes.
It was Chahal who brought some relief for the Indian camp by dismissing Lewis and soon Gayle too departed by hitting one straight to rival captain Virat Kohli at mid-off.
Soon after his dismissal, the Indian players rushed towards Gayle, shaking hands with him. Kohli even did Gayle typical jig before the burly West Indian walked off.
Gayle, in his inimitable style, put his helmet on the top of his bat's handle and lifted the bat in the air while walking off. Near the boundary ropes, he hurled the helmet in the air only to catch it back.
Brief Scores:
West Indies: 158 for 2 in 22 overs. (Chris Gayle 72, E Lewis 43; Y Chahal 1/21, K Ahmed 1/43).
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Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya case: Hope emerges as Iran may contact victim’s family in bid for pardon
New Delhi: There appears to be a glimmer of hope for Nimisha Priya, the nurse from Kerala on death row in Yemen, as report suggest Iranian officials may reach out to the family of Talal Abdo Mahdi, her former business partner, to seek a pardon through blood money. Priya was sentenced to death for Mahdi's murder.
The 37-year-old nurse is currently imprisoned in Sana’a, the Yemeni capital, which is under the control of Iran-backed Houthis.
A report by The New Indian Express published on Friday stated that discussions are underway to gain the victim's family’s support in seeking a pardon. “It’s a relief of sorts. Iran officials could use their good offices with Houthis for the reach-out with family of the victim. Some cash has been arranged for blood money and talks are on to get the family on board to seek pardon, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” a source told the publication.
It is learnt that using an appropriate intermediary equivalent of Rs 30 lakh has been kept ready, the report added.
Hailing from Kollengode in Kerala’s Palakkad district, the nurse was found guilty of murdering the Yemeni citizen in July 2017. She was handed capital punishment by a trial court in 2020 while Yemen’s Supreme Judicial Council upheld the verdict in November 2023.
Mahdi, reportedly died from an overdose of sedatives allegedly injected by Priya to retrieve her passport from him.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian government is extending all possible help in the matter. “We are closely following the developments around the sentencing of Nimisha Priya. The government is extending all possible help in the matter,” he said last week.
