Karachi, Mar 9 : West Indies batting star Chris Gayle has said that he believes his team will face a tough challenge when defending their World Twenty20 title at Bangladesh this year.

The left-handed opener was a key member of the side which lifted the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka two years ago, and is expected to be at the forefront again in the March 16 to April 6 campaign in Bangladesh.

According to The Nation, Gayle said that although West Indies has a realistic shot at defending their World T20 title, it however, would be a tough challenge for them as the other teams are playing good cricket and are in good form currently.

Gayle further said that his team needs to target the crucial first round of the tournament and then look forward to the semis and hopefully the final, adding that it is therefore important that they use the three-match T20 series against England starting Sunday at the Oval, to find precious momentum ahead of the World T20.

Gayle also said that West Indies have not been playing well in the shorter format recently, although he hoped that history repeated itself at the tournament and they assume a dangerous form for their rivals.

Since winning the T20 World Cup, the West Indies have lost five of the ten T20 internationals they have played and they also find themselves in a tough group alongside Australia, India and Pakistan, the report added. (ANI)