Gayle powers Gladiator to BPL final

Jamaica and West Indies opener Chris Gayle hammered an attacking century as Dhaka Gladiator defeated Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s Sylhet Royals by four runs in Mirpur to qualify for the final of the Bangladesh Premier League.

Gayle, playing in his first match, 114 from 51 balls to lead Dhaka Gladiator to 197 for nine off their allotted 20 overs.

It was Gayle’s tenth Twenty20 century.

Gayle’s West Indies teammate Kieron Pollard hit 18 from 17 balls.

Needing 198 for victory, the Sylhet Royals were restricted to 193 for six with Chanderpaul scoring only five at the top of the order and West Indies player Dwayne Smith getting 41 from 34 balls.

Mushfiqur Rahim top scored for the Sylhet Royals with 86 from 44 balls.

Royals will now have to face the winner of the knockout match between Chittagong Kings and Duronto Rajshahi.

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