Chris Gayle slams current generation of T20 openers, says they are too slow and 'killing the entertainment'

Abu Dhabi: Big-hitting West Indies batter Chris Gayle has criticised the modern-day openers for "killing the entertainment" in T20 cricket with their cautious approach in the power plays.

He said that the T10 is setting new standards when it comes to explosive batting.

"I think, with T10 cricket, that's how T20 cricket started. From the first over, batters used to go but T20 cricket has slowed down dramatically and T10 cricket has now raised the bar a bit," Gayle said in a statement.

"They're killing the entertainment in T20 cricket, straight up, because in those first six overs, we can get more as openers but guys are taking their own time.

"Sometimes they bat to get a score and they take away from the fire they should be bringing to the batting department in the first six overs, but T10 is spot on and hopefully, we'll see more T10 coming around."

On pitches which were not really conducive for playing expansive shots straightaway, the batters often resorted to adopting a cautious approach in the power plays during the T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Gayle said, "I don't know why batters get so cagey during the first six overs. When T20 cricket started, guys were going from ball one, if you really check the history of T20 cricket looking back on it.

"I don't like that fact, I think we should go hard, keep the entertainment that is within the game of T20 cricket and continue to keep that aggression in the first six overs."

Gayle's Team Abu Dhabi are currently top of the Abu Dhabi T10 table with five wins from five matches.

The 42-year-old Jamaican veteran is confident that this could be the year that Team Abu Dhabi lift their first T10 title.