CHRIS Gayle blasted 54 runs from just 30 balls to help the Balkh Legends to a 171-run victory over the Nangarhar Leopards in the semi-finals of the Afghanistan Premier League yesterday.

Gayle, who scored 73 in the Legends’ six-wicket win over the Kandahar Knights on Thursday, smashed nine fours and two sixes yesterday as the Legends went on a rampage scoring 235 for 5 against a toothless Leopards attack.

Darwish Rasooli top-scored with a 45-ball 78, that included seven fours and four sixes.

Man-of-the-match Mohammad Nabi also filled his boots with a 16-ball 47 in which he hit two fours and five sixes. Colin Munro also scored 33, as the Legends raced to their match-winning total.

Chasing an improbable 236 to win, the Leopards wilted from the outset collapsing to 64 all out, as Nabi snatched 4 for 12 off 3.1 overs. Qais Ahmad 3 for 18 runs and Miwais Ashraf 2 for 14 also contributed to the rout.

Andre Fletcher only managed 13 and Johnson Charles 4 for the losers, who were overwhelmed by their in-form Legends.

On Thursday, Gayle, who has been enjoying his time in Afghanistan joked after his match-winning knock of 73 that won him the Player-of-the-Match award, that he would love to chill with newly elected Pakistan president Imran Khan.

Khan is a former captain for the Pakistan cricket team who was considered the best ever cricketer from Pakistan. During his career, he took 362 Test wickets and scored 3 807 runs.

“I have never visited Pakistan, but would love to go there and meet the Prime Minister Imran Khan who captained the national cricket team as well. And maybe I get a chance to chill with the world cup winner,” Gayle joked during an interview with Sports Mirchi.

“On only one condition I can visit Pakistan is that country must send a private jet for me to be there.”