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Apart from being one of the most dangerous batters of all-time, 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle is also one of the most humorous characters the game has seen. The legendary opener is all set to take part in the new franchise league '6IXTY', which begins on August 24.
Gayle recently revealed his excitement about the tournament during a chat with ESPNCricinfo while stating that he wants to contribute with both bat and ball. He has been a handy off-spinner throughout his career and said about his bowling:
"You know what? My bowling is natural. I definitely have to bowl. I'm the greatest off-spinner of all time. Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) won't contest that for sure. I have the best economy, not even Sunil Narine can come close to that."
"I'm like a kid again" - Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle hasn't announced his retirement yet, but last played for the West Indies at the 2021 T20 World Cup. The veteran is showing no signs of slowing down as he looks forward to exploring another franchise league in the 6IXTY.
On this, he stated:
"I'm really excited to be back in the field. I missed it. I'm like a kid again, looking forward to the first game... For my debut. I'll have to get back in shape. I'm still in shape but just a li'l (little) prep here and there to get in that mindset of playing cricket."
There are a number of exciting rules in this tournament, which features 60-ball games, that could make fans a focal point. Referring to the importance of spectators interacting with the game and the rise of bowlers in the shorter formats, Gayle added:
"Bowlers nowadays are creative. They've got a lot of variations and they make it challenging for the batters. Of course, the batting part is more dominant in shorter forms but the bowlers have a lot of skills to make it uncomfortable for the batter."
He concluded:
"It's gonna be exciting, there's gonna be a lot of chaos. It'll be up to us how we make it even more interesting for the fans out there."
The 6IXTY will feature a men's tournament with six teams as well as a women's edition with three teams.
Will Chris Gayle surprise everyone and feature for the West Indies in the upcoming T20 World Cup Down Under? Let us know in the comments.
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