Chris Gayle came, Chris Gayle swung that willow, Chris Gayle hit it out of the park anytime it was even remotely in the arc, Chris Gayle went past Brendon McCullum as the highest six-hitter in T20 international cricket, Chris Gayle struck a ridiculous century, the fastest in World T20s, Chris Gayle won the West Indies the ICC World T20 match against England. Pretty simple, really.
In a high-scorer in Mumbai, where plenty of batsmen wielded that willow to good use on a true T20 wicket, Gayle stole the show, as he so often does, with a brilliant, six-heavy, unbeaten 100 from 48 balls (5x4, 11x6) to help the West Indies chase down England's score of 182/6, with 11 balls to spare.
The chase was always going to be about "can Gayle bring the Gaylestorm to the Wankhede Stadium?", and he did just that, quite perfectly too, staying patient when he needed to, especially when Marlon Samuels (37, 27b, 8x4) was going all guns blazing, but not missing out on anything that was there in his hitting zone.
With the dew playing a big factor as well, the chase was skewed in West Indies' favour, but had it not been for Gayle's innings, England might well have walked away with a victory.
But, Gayle's day it was, as the 14th over bowled by Moeen Ali showed, when the big left-hander struck the offspinner for three massive, straight and consecutive sixes, with the West Indies profiting as a result courtesy a comfortable win.
Earlier, England got to 182/6, thanks to contributions from batsmen all through. Jason Roy and Alex Hales got England off to a solid start, putting on 37 in 4.3 overs, and once Roy (15, 15b, 2x4) fell, to Andre Russell, Hales and Joe Root put on a 55-run partnership, to build that platform a wee bit more.
Root (48, 36b, 3x4, 2x6) was the glue that held the England innings together, showing again why he is up there with the Virat Kohlis, Steve Smiths and AB De Villiers, and with it allowing the likes of Eoin Morgan (27, 14b, 1x4, 2x6), Jos Buttler (30, 20b, 3x6) and Ben Stokes (15, 7b, 2x4, 1x6) to smash a few towards the end.
However, with Gayle in the form that he was in at the Wankhede, even 220 might not have been enough, let alone 182.
Watch the highlights of West Indies vs England, including Gayle's ridiculous century, HERE
