'No way I could pick his slower ball': Chris Gayle names Mumbai Indians pacer as the toughest bowler he faced in T20 cricket

Chris Gayle has named Mumbai Indians pacer Lasith Malinga as the toughest bowler he faced in T20 cricket. The West Indies' Universe Boss admitted that he struggled to read Malinga's slower ball, which made it difficult for him to position himself correctly. Gayle scored 57 runs off 72 balls against Malinga in T20 matches, getting dismissed once.

Despite his reputation for hitting sixes, Gayle chose to protect his wicket and survive against Malinga, stating that he was trying to look to block or get off strike. The head-to-head stats between the two players show that Gayle only scored 57 runs off 72 balls in their eight-year T20 encounters, with a strike rate of 79.2. Malinga's slower ball was a significant challenge for Gayle, and the bowler's admission of Gayle's difficulty in facing him highlights the battle of power against skill in their rivalry.