Chris Gayle has quit the Indian Premier League (IPL) unable to continue living in what is been called the “bubble” where players are kept in confinement unable to move around freely and interact due to Covid 19 restrictions.
Gayle, who became the first batsman to smash over 1000 sixes in T20 cricket, said he found it better to move out from the Punjab Kings team bubble and instead focus on the upcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the same venue where the IPL is being held as he is also a member of the West Indies team that will also be in the bubble once the event starts on October 17.
At age 42 Gayle was the oldest competitor in the IPL and played in two IPL matches for the Panjab Kings when the championship recommenced in the UAE two weeks ago after it was shifted from India where it came to a halt in May following a rise in the number of Covid 19 cases.
He made scores of 14 versus Sunrisers and 1 against the Mumbai Indians. Panjab Kings said in a statement that Gayle left the team hotel because of “bubble fatigue” and the left hand power hitting batsman said he wished to “mentally recharge and refresh”.
“I want to refocus on helping the West Indies in the T20 World Cup and would like to take a break in Dubai,” he was quoted as saying in the statement.
Since the global pandemic broke out in March last year many sportsmen have been confined to team bubbles that restricts their movements prompting several of them to back out from participation and cricket was no exception.
Punjab Kings head coach Anil Kumble said the team respected Gayle’s decision and “desire to prepare himself for the T20 World Cup” starting on October 17 in the UAE and Oman.
The Punjab Kings need to win their remaining two matches in IPL to have an outside chance of qualifying for the play-offs.