DHAKA: David Warner smashed Chris Gayle for 14 runs off three balls after switching from his regular left-hand batting to a right-hand stance, reported ICC.
Warner, the suspended Australia opener who is captaining Sylhet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League, made 61* off 36 balls in the match against Rangpur Raiders on Wednesday, 16 January. Sixers posted 187/5 thanks to the efforts of Warner and Liton Das, who made 70 off 43 balls, and pulled off victory by 27 runs.
In the 19th over of the innings, having taken two runs off the first ball of Gayle’s over, the Australian struggled to score off the next two deliveries. So, he changed stance. It worked immediately, as he was able to dispatch Gayle, who was bowling around the wicket, straight down the ground for six.
Unbelievable by Warner if it’s not working with your left hand switch to your right!!! Shot Boi!!!!Video Credit : https://t.co/WE1KrAg5a3 #BPL19 #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/sKUCP3YjSS
— CPL T20 (@CPL) January 16, 2019
While the bowler switched to going over the wicket, Warner stayed with his new stance, and swept a full toss behind square for a boundary. Then, off the last ball of the over, he reverse swept it for another four runs.
The opener is naturally right-handed, and batted that way in his childhood before making the switch.
“It was one of those things at the back of my mind as I couldn’t get Chris [Gayle] away because of his height and the lengths that he was bowling,” Warner said after the match. “I play golf right-handed, so I thought I might as well come and swing and clear the ropes. It came off.”
However, the innings might have also caused an elbow injury to prematurely end his BPL campaign. “David has reported some pain in his right elbow. He will return to Australia on January 21 to be assessed, but is expected to play in the remaining BPL matches until his return. We will have a clearer understanding of the extent of the injury once he has been assessed,” a Cricket Australia spokesperson said.
