Chris Gayle and partner Natasha Berridge welcomed the arrival of their first daughter and took social media by storm by announcing that she had been named ‘Blush’.
The West Indian and Royal Challengers Bangalore opener rushed back to the Caribbean to be with his partner for the birth of his first born at the start of the week and announced her arrival on his Instagram page just a couple of hours after she was born.
"We would like to welcome the arrival of our beautiful daughter 'Blush' to this world 2 hours ago, Thank God", Gayle posted on his social media accounts, along with a photo of his partner Natasha.
The name chosen by the Jamaican batsman and his partner Natasha Berridge for their baby girl has already raised a few eyebrows, given Gayle's infamous history with the phrase "don't blush baby" a few months ago during the Big Bash. Gayle also used inverted commas around 'Blush' in his announcement, leading many people to think the name was a hoax. But given Gayle’s unpredictable nature, it wouldn’t come as a surprise.
“Don’t blush baby” controversy
In January, Gayle was at the centre of a raging controversy during the KFC Big Bash League as he awkwardly attempted to flirt with Network 10 reporter Mel McLaughlin.
Gayle was interviewed by McLaughlin after being dismissed for a quickfire 45 during the game between the Melbourne Renegades and the Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena, where he made awkward advances at her by saying that the two "should go out for a drink" after the match was over.
Gayle's uncomfortable advances were promptly thwarted by McLaughlin, and the Big Jamaican told the reporter "don't blush, baby" as the interview ended. He apologized the very next day for his "simple joke" and McLaughlin said she had been left "embarrassed, angry and upset" by the interview.
Gayle was the fined $10,000 by Cricket Australia for the inappropriate remarks but the West Indian felt his comments were blown out of proportion. "A lot of things have flared up from a simple comment, a joke, a simple joke on air and it seemed to go out of proportion," Gayle said.
"There wasn't anything at all meant to be disrespectful or offensive to Mel and if she felt that way I'm really sorry for that. There wasn't any harm meant in that particular way, to any particular person like that.
"It was a simple joke, the game was going on. Entertainment, things get out of proportion but these things do happen," Gayle went on to add about the incident.
RCB slump to another defeat
The Royal Challengers Bangalore, on the other hand, did not have such a great day as they lost to Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede. RCB got off to a good start but losing Kohli and AB in the same over dented their chances of putting up a big score drastically. Travis Head, the South Australian southpaw who replaced Gayle in the playing 11 impressed in his debut, scoring 37 off 24 balls and put up a 50 run stand with Sarfraz Khan to stabilize the innings and take RCB to a decent total of 170.
Head showed signs of his big hitting launching two massive sixes including a flat pull which went over 80 meters and also hit boundaries as his innings along with Sarfraz’s fired Bangalore to a fighting total of 170 after they lost star batsmen Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the same over.
Mumbai Indians started off slowly losing Parthiv Patel in the second over almost lost Rohit a couple of overs later had it been a direct hit from Travis Head. That missed run out proved costly for RCB as Rohit powered his way to 63 to put MI in the driver’s seat. Jos Buttler also played a steady hand and scored 28 in quick time hitting Iqbal Abdulla for two huge sixes over his head.
But it was Pollard who stole the show making a comeback after injury. Pollard scored 40 in 19 delivers to seal the deal for MI and on course ripped the RCB bowling to shreds.
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