Chris Gayle confirms his availability for England series

West Indies batsman Chris Gayle, who had recently pulled out from the India and Bangladesh tour, has confirmed his availability for the upcoming England series.

Confirming the same, the 39-year-old said that he is currently focused on scoring runs in franchise cricket leagues which is a part of his preparation for the 2020 T20I World Cup.

"I am definitely available for selection against England. At this moment, scoring runs in these leagues [franchise cricket] is important as everything can be seen as being geared up towards the World Cup," International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted Gayle, as saying.

Reflecting on his preparation for the upcoming prestigious tournament, the left-handed batsman, who is currently playing in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL), said that he only has to manage his time to ensure his fitness.

"I've merely got to manage my time, my schedule and my body to ensure that I am in top shape. After this [APL], there is a lot of cricket to come. We have the T10 cricket and after that, we have so much more cricket by the time of the World Cup," he said.

"I feel that at this juncture, it is all about clicking at the right time and having fun playing," he added.

West Indies are slated to play a five-match ODI series against England from February 20 to March 2 in 2019.

-ANI