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Gayle force beats India

Bridgetown - West Indies captain Chris Gayle fell short of an unprecedented second Twenty20 international hundred but still inspired his side to a 14-run win over India on Sunday.

Defeat left India, champions in 2007, contemplating elimination from the World Twenty20.

Gayle's innings of 98 powered the hosts to a total of 169 for six before a good all-round display by the West Indies in the field at the Kensington Oval saw India held to a total of 155 for nine from 20 overs.

Australia's 81-run thrashing of Sri Lanka in Sunday's other Super Eights match at Kensington at least meant India would not be out of semi-final contention before their final second round game.

However, India will have to beat Sri Lanka in St Lucia on Tuesday and then hope both for an Australia win over the West Indies and that their own run-rate is better than that of Gayle's side.

West Indies' victory revived their bid for a last-four spot after a 57-run thrashing by Sri Lanka at Kensington on Friday.

"It was a good win, just what we needed," said Gayle, whose typically enterprising innings lasted 66 balls, with seven sixes and five fours.

"I was under pressure, not just cricket-wise, but I was also given so much support. So it was important to play well myself," the man-of-the-match added.

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his batsmen for India's plight.

"The batting hasn't been up to expectations. The bowlers have done decently, give or take a few overs here and there.

"Batting is supposed to be our strength, and we should chase 170 in these conditions," he added.

India lost opener Murali Vijay in the fourth over when he was caught at deep backward square leg for seven pulling a short, rising ball from Darren Sammy.

They suffered another early blow when Gautam Gambhir gloved a short ball from Kemar Roach and was caught behind for 15.

India slipped to 38 for three in the eighth over, when Rohit Sharma gloved behind essaying a scoop shot off Kieron Pollard.

The dismissal was mired in controversy, when the batsman essentially asked umpire Billy Bowden to refer the decision to TV umpire Steve Davis.

But the umpire decision review system is not in place for the competition, and Bowden upheld his original decision, following consultation with his on-field colleague Simon Taufel.

A stand of 42 between left-handers Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh bolstered India, but they were both removed in the space of five balls.

Raina was caught inside the deep mid-wicket boundary off Gayle for the top innings score of 32, and Yuvraj was caught at wide mid-on off Sulieman Benn as India slipped to 81 for five in the 13th over.

Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan put on 33 in 19 balls to raise Indian hopes of a come-from-behind victory.

But Pathan was caught at long leg off Jerome Taylor for 17 in the 16th over, and Dhoni was run out going for a second run by Dwayne Bravo's direct hit at the bowler's end from long-on to take India's last hopes with him.

Earlier, Gayle was run out going for a second run, when he failed to beat substitute fielder Dinesh Karthik's throw from the cover boundary to wicketkeeper Dhoni off the penultimate ball of the West Indies innings.

Gayle was dropped at square leg on 46, when he top-edged a pull off Ashish Nehra in the 12th over and Dhoni and short third man fielder Yusuf Pathan ran into each other.

With left-handed opener Gayle nearing a hundred, both Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan sacrificed their wickets with miscued pulls to mid-wicket off Nehra, who ended with three wickets for 35 runs.

Gayle was the first of only four men to score a Twenty20 international hundred when he made 117, still the highest individual score at this level, against South Africa at the inaugural World Twenty in Johannesburg in 2007.


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