LAHORE, Nov 8: The touring West Indies cricket team said on Wednesday it hoped prolific opening batsman Chris Gayle recovered quickly from a stomach bug that forced him to miss a tour opener.

“Gayle caught a stomach bug during the final of the Champions Trophy in India and was resting for the two-day game and we hope he recovers in time for the first Test,” West Indies media liaison officer Imran Khan told AFP.

West Indies, who opened the tour with a two-day match against the Pakistan Cricket Board Patron's XI here on Wednesday, start the first of three Tests against Pakistan on Saturday.

Overseas players have a history of picking up stomach bugs while on tours to the sub-continent.

The 27-year-old Gayle, from Jamaica, was declared player of the Champions Trophy in India earlier this week after he smashed 474 runs in eight matches with three centuries.

Gayle has amassed 4,079 runs in 61 Tests since making his debut against Zimbabwe at Port of Spain in 2000.—AFP