Gayle blasts WICB for Bravo, Pollard axing

Powerful West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has blasted the Caribbean islanders Cricket Board for the non-selection of Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard in their 15-man World Cup squad.

Former captain Bravo, it seems, is paying the price for the ill-fated tour of India last October when the West Indies players boycotted the tour due to a contractual dispute with their own board.

Gayle, who was speaking after helping the West Indies to a 2-0 lead in the current three-match T20 series against South Africa, feels that the WICB are targeting those two players.

The Jamaican Gayle said: "There's no way you can tell me those guys shouldn't be in the team. For me it's got to be victimisation towards those two guys. Come on guys, it's just ridiculous. Honestly, it choked me up.

"I'm really glad we won this (T20) series for Pollard and Bravo. I don't know what they're (the WICB) thinking is behind all this."

Bravo and Pollard will also not be part of the squad for the five-match ODI series against the Proteas starting next week in preparation for the World Cup.

Gale continued: "Bravo said to me the team they selected is to build for the next World Cup, which I can't understand. What they're telling us then, is this team selected is not going there to win the World Cup.

"Building for the next World Cup is ridiculous. I cannot understand what Bravo told me. I don't know what the history behind it is. It's ridiculous selection from my point of view.

"To actually not have them in the side leading up to the World Cup as well. I don't know where our cricket is heading with this sort of situation. It's really sad.

"We actually won the T20 series with our best team and now there will be changes with two of our biggest players in ODI cricket not involved. That's really sad and a big blow for us to actually lose two key players – key all-rounders as well."