Chris Gayle scored a century in his final List A match for Jamaica to lead his country to victory in their 50-over encounter against Barbados.

Gayle called time on his List A career for his home country Jamaica with a blistering, match-winning 122 off 114 balls – including 10 fours and eight massive ‘Gayle-force’ sixes. To mark the momentous occasion, Gayle was given the captaincy role for Jamaica instead of regular skipper Nikita Miller. He brings his 50-over career for his native Jamaica to an end after the encounter and got a well-earned guard of honour from members of both the Jamaican and Barbados team as he walked on to bat in the first innings at Bridgetown.

‘It’s very pleasing to get a hundred in my last 50-over game for Jamaica, it’s something I will always cherish,’ Gayle said. ‘To lead the team to a win makes it more special. It’s been a pleasure representing my country, more so captaining them. I’m thankful and grateful to be standing here aged 39 and still get a century in my last game for Jamaica. There’s a lot in the tank to be honest, but there’s life after cricket, so have to enjoy life as well. Playing cricket for over 25 years has been a great achievement from a personal point of view, but I have a family now. I have to gel with them as much as possible and watch your kid grow.’

Although his List A career has reached an end, Gayle still has plans of representing the West Indies during the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and Wales, even though he isn’t a centrally contracted player anymore. He also wishes to represent Jamaica in the four-day format one last time as he has his best memories of his cricket career in the longer format while playing for Jamaica. He picked his record-breaking partnership with Leon Garrick in 2001 as his fondest moment with Jamaica as they posted the first quadruple-century opening stand in West Indian first-class history. Gayle, then 21 years old, made 208 not out while Garrick made exactly 200 not out.

‘That’s a special partnership, my most special memory is not from international cricket but for Jamaica. That partnership with Leon is special,’ he said. ‘Also, the two triple hundreds in Tests, the double-century in ODIs [against Zimbabwe at the 2015 World Cup] and the first T20I century by a West Indian – these will all be special, but the 400-partnership will stand out.’

Photo: ESPNCricinfo