Umpire Ian Gould escorts Chris Gayle back into dressing room

Last night Sri Lanka took on the hottest team in their group the West Indies at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. This was a crunch match for Sri Lanka as a win here would have made sure an easy passage to semi-finals, while for West Indies, they already are on a roll.

Sri Lanka were put into bat first and on a pitch that is slow and conducive to spinners, Sri Lanka lost the plot early on against Samuel Badree and Suleiman Benn, who bowled beautifully on a pitch that is well known to their opener Chris Gayle.

Sri Lanka could only muster 118 and that was mainly due to an innings of 40 made by Thisara Perera and a 20 from captain Angelo Mathews. Badree picked up 3/12 in his four overs. The West Indians started in their own style, but without Chris Gayle opening for them, which induced a massive ‘We Want Gayle’ chants from the crowd, which is like second home to him.

Actually, Gayle had injured the hamstring in his left leg during fielding and then had to leave the field for treatment. He didn’t return to the field and hence, could not open or come to bat until he had spent an equivalent time in the dressing room.

But Andre Fletcher kept going on and made a valiant 82* in order to win the match for West Indies. Leg spinner Jeffrey Vandersay who was called in the team to replace Lasith Malinga was the picked of the Sri Lankan bowlers taking 1/11 in 4 overs. Andre Russell provided the last minute fireworks to win the match.

During the innings, when the wicket of Denesh Ramdin fell, Chris Gayle signaled the dugout that he was coming out to bat, but 4^th umpire Ian Gould stopped him from stepping into the ground, as he was still some minutes away from completing his time. As the crowd saw Gayle standing near the sightscreen and umpire stopping him, they started booing the officials and Gould playfully escorted Gayle back into the dressing room, away from the eyes of spectators.

The manner in which he did it, made everyone from the commentators to the players in the West Indies dugout laugh out, including the big man Gayle himself. Watch it for yourself here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=47&v=y5WHZxbt4Kw