Gayle leads Windies past UAE, Afghanistan collapse

Harare, AFP: Chris Gayle hammered his 23rd one-day international hundred to lead the West Indies to victory in their opening World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, while Afghanistan collapsed to defeat by Zimbabwe. 

Opening batsman Gayle struck 11 sixes in a blistering 91-ball 123 in Harare as the Windies racked up 357-4 in their Group A clash, with the UAE falling 60 runs short.  Afghanistan’s hopes of taking one of the last two places for next year’s tournament in England and Wales are hanging by a thread, after following Sunday’s shock loss to Scotland with an agonising two-run defeat by the hosts. 

Elsewhere, Ireland and Scotland both made it two wins from two by seeing off Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong respectively.