Gayle apologises to fans

West Indies captain Chris Gayle has apologized to fans for his side’s meek exit from the 20/20 World Cup yesterday.



The hosts bowed out of the World Cup, following an embarassing six-wicket defeat by Australia at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St Lucia.



Choosing to bat, West Indies’ batting again flopped, when they were dismissed for 105 in 19 overs, and the Australians successfully chased a target of 106 to win with 22 balls to spare.



Gayle says he believes the team cracked under the pressure of being host nation.



He swiftly dismissed suggestions that there was unrest in the side, a common feature when the side has under-performed in the past.



Gayle, one of the World’s leading batsmen in the 20/20 format, admitted that he also felt the personal pressure of the responsibility that the fate of the side rested so much in his hands.



He says he was hoping that someone would take some of the pressure off him in the batting department, but it did not happen throughout the tournament.



West Indies will now tackle South Africa in a bilateral series, starting next week.



They meet the Proteas in two 20/20 and five One-day Internationals, as well as three Tests over the next six weeks.