Chris Gayle will try for double century

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has already done it. Virender Sehwag came close doing it against Bangladesh on Saturday. Now West Indies opener Chris Gayle too fancies himself scoring a double hundred in One-Day Internationals.

The West Indies practiced at the Palam grounds here on Sunday, simulating match conditions with all team members playing in a game split in two innings. After practice, the swashbuckling left- hander spoke of the possibility of scoring 200 in the World Cup.

“ The master blaster (Sachin) got a 200. Sehwag can do it. If you bat through the innings, it’s an opportunity. You have to pace your innings accordingly. If I get a chance, I will definitely try for it,” he said.

Apart from his batting, Gayle would be required to bowl his frugal off- spinners too and the Jamaican is ready to roll his arm over and pick a few scalps on the way.

“ I want to be the best all- rounder of the World Cup. I will look to pick a few wickets and hit a few with the bat too. I have already got all the prized wickets. I don’t see a problem in getting them again,” Gayle said.

The first target for the Caribbean team is the game against South Africa here on Thursday and Gayle knows his team’s first assignment is as tough as it can get. “ We are playing the first game against one of the tournament favourites. Their batting and bowling is top quality. We will have to be on our A game.

“ Our first task is to get to the quarters and then anything can happen in the next last three games.” The Windies haven’t had the best last few months, losing the ODI series in Sri Lanka 2- 0. And Gayle is aware of it.

“ We had an ODI series in Sri Lanka where things didn’t go according to plan.“ But this tournament is the one that actually matters. We are looking forward to the first game. There are a couple of guys in the team who have played here and know the wickets. We just need to make the necessary adjustments as the pitches will be slower.” Gayle feels that despite the bowling prowess of most of the teams in the tournament, it will be the batsmen who will have the final say.