Gayle storm alert as West Indies square off against Sri Lanka in World T20

BENGALURU: High on confidence after their emphatic victory over England, the West Indies will once again look for an explosive knock from Chris Gayle to inch closer to a semifinal berth when they take on defending champions Sri Lanka in a World Twenty20 Super 10 Group 1 match here tomorrow.

The West Indians showed ominous form in the triumph over England but the Lankans are expected to put up a stronger challenge to them.

Gayle could, however, prove to be the trump card for the West Indians after setting the tone with a 47-ball hundred against England - the fastest ever in World Twenty20.

Should his bat roar the way it did against England, the Lankans will find it nearly impossible to stop him from steering West Indies.

Both the sides are not short on experience with Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan being the Lankan mainstays.

As far as the batting of the West Indies is concerned, it will revolve around the power-hitting Gayle who hammered 11 sixes against England.

Perfect foil for Gayle at the other end would be Marlon Samuels, who would be keen to continue the form which he hit against England in the previous match.

Samuels struck eight fours in his 37 before Gayle's brutal strikes took West Indies home.

The West Indies also seem unaffected by the absence of all-rounder Kieron Pollard, opener Lendl Simmons and Darren Bravo.

Mystery spinner Sunil Narine is not there to trouble the rival batsmen with his unorthodox bowling, but the Caribbeans still have a decent spin trio of Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, and Marlon Samuels.