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WI vs Aus | 3rd T20I: Universe Boss roars back to form as hosts annihilate Australia to win series

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Brief Scores 


Australia 141/6 in 20 overs (Moises Henriques 33, Hayden Walsh Jr 2/18) 


West Indies 142/4 in 14.5 overs (Chris Gayle 67, Riley Meredith 3/48)


West Indies won by 6 wickets (with 31 deliveries to spare)


The day belonged to 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle and West Indies as they annihilated Australia by six wickets in the third T20I to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. With his back to the wall, Gayle responded in a fashion which only Chris Gayle can. He clobbered the Australian bowlers all around St. Lucia during his blazing knock of 67 of 37 deliveries. Gayle turned back the clock and smashed his first fifty in T20I’s after the 2016 World Cup. 


Chasing a modest target of 142, West Indies received an early jolt in the form of Andre Fletcher’s wicket. However, Lendl Simmons and Chris Gayle ensured that it was just a mere hiccup as they blazed away in their respective knocks. Gayle who generally tends to take few deliveries before letting loose expressed himself right from the outset and made the difference. 


He reserved some special treatment for Josh Hazlewood in the 2nd over smashing his for 18 runs in four deliveries to set the tone for the run-chase. With the required rate down under control, Gayle started working around for singles and doubles while Simmons struck some fine shots. His dismissal didn’t make any difference as Nicholas Pooran along with the Universe Boss make light work of the chase as Windies sailed past the victory target. 


Gayle tore into Zampa in the 11th over depositing him for three consecutive sixes and a four, making the run-chase a mere formality. There was no respite for Riley Meredith in his second spell either as he was nailed for two massive sixes by Chris Gayle in the 12th over. During the innings, Gayle became the first player in the history of the game to reach 14,000 T20 runs. 


He was eventually dismissed by Meredith in that same over but by then the damage was done. Dwayne Bravo was again sent up the order at No 5 and did justice to the trust shown by the team management in the new role. He stayed there till the end as Nicholas Pooran smashed a couple of boundaries of Meredith in the 15th over to seal the deal for the home team. 


Earlier in the day, Aaron Finch went with the method which had worked for West Indies in the previous two matches and opted to put runs on the board. The Aussies were off to a steady start scoring 41 runs in the first 5 overs. Wade looked in good touch and struck 4 boundaries during his brisk knock of 23 but it was Obed McCoy, the newbie of the Windies team who made an impact yet again bagging his prized wicket. 


Mitchell Marsh departed for a low score as he was struck plumb in front of a straighter one from Fabian Allen. Run scoring became difficult in the middle overs as the Windies bowlers tightened the screws around the Aussie middle order and didn’t allow them to let loose. Moises Henriques and Ashton Turner scored some runs but it came at a relatively low strike rate which never really allowed Australia to get over the 150 mark. 


Once again, Hayden Walsh Jr was held back by Nicholas Pooran and the leggie didn’t disappoint. He bagged two crucial wickets and continued his dream run in the series so far. He bowled slow and was never afraid to toss the ball up. The wickets of Alex Carey and Aaron Finch derailed Australia in the middle overs as they could only muster 141 in their allotted 20 overs. In the end, the score proved nowhere close to being enough. 

 

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