Oman- Cricket: Gayle lauds Kohli but warns of T20 upset

3/31/2016 4:46:42 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

Chris Gaylelauded Virat Kohli as a "world beater" on Tuesday but warned that the West Indies were ready to upset hostsIndiain their World Twenty20 semi-final this week.

Kohli has excelled so far at the tournament and hit an unbeaten 82 to leadIndiato an improbable victory over Australiain a do-or-die final group match on Sunday.

The 27-year-old's exploits ledIndian great Kapil Dev to describe him as "a genius with the bat" while some commentators even went as far as drawing parallels with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

Big-hitting Gayle said the form of Kohli who is the highest scorer of players still in the tournament with 184 runs was "no surprise" and jokingly urged him not to fire on all cylinders on Thursday.

"I have said it over the years that he is going to be the world beater he is today" Gayle told reporters in Mumbai ahead of the last-four clash at the Wankhede Stadium.

"I am hoping please don't fire Virat. He can still get runs but for a losing cause. We'll be happy with that as well" joked Gayle 36.

Kohli also steered his side to victory over arch-rivals Pakistan earlier in the tournament with acomposed half century but Gayle stressedthat the Windies wouldn't direct their efforts solely towardsIndia's talisman.

"We are not going to focus on only Virat there are so many match-winners there and anyone of them can actually fire on any particular day" he said.

"It is very difficult to pinpoint one particular player in the Indian team. It is a very good all-round team a good fielding team as well.

"That's whyIndiaare the favourites. It is always going to be difficult to beat them here. But like I said West Indies are ready for an upset" Gayle added.

The destructive left-hander smashed a 47-ball century that included 11 sixes in the Windies' opening-match win overEngland but he has failed to reach those heightssince as the Caribbean team topped Group One.

A hamstring injury meant Gayle didn't bat against Sri Lanka whilehe only made four runs against South Africa before being rested for the defeat to Afghanistan.

But Gayle said he was "mentally prepared" for whateverIndiahave to throw at him as the Windies seek to continue their bid for a second World T20 title after their 2012 triumph.

They will have to overcomeIndiawithout top-order batsman Andre Fletcher however.

The 28-year-old who scored 84 not out in the West Indies' win over Sri Lanka has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after injuring his right hamstring in Sunday's match against Afghanistan.

He has been replaced in the squad by Lendl Simmons the InternationalCricketCouncil said in a statement late Tuesday.

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