s the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, being staged in UAE is in full flow, there preparations starting for the Abu Dhabi T10 league. In a virtual round table conference, held on Tuesday, star cricketers Sam Billings and Carlos Brathwaite shared their thoughts on the format and the various prospects that could be explored from strength to strength.
“I think it’s really the pace of the game, and given its span of only 10 overs, that really separates the T10 format from the T20 format. The format is more compact and you have to be in the game right from the beginning. Say you waste a few deliveries, in fact just one, and suddenly the pressure is on the batsman. The key is to be in the game from the beginning until the end,” Sam Billings said about the T10 format.
“I will see if the game kind of picks up around the world, certainly with the Olympics as a kind of carrot, I think, that would be the best encouraging factor internationally,” Billings added about the prospect of the t10 format in international cricket.
Meanwhile, West Indies cricketing star Carlos Brathwaite is sure of the Abu Dhabi T10 league attracting a new set of audience. Brathwaite has batted for cricket in Olympics, a ‘game-changer’ with T10 being the bridge. Both cricketers also praised the facilities that T10 venues like Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi have provided.
“It’s about handling pressure and a player needs to get the basics right. It will interest a person to get into cricket. It’s only 10 overs. Let’s get through 60 balls and have a game of cricket. Let’s see what it’s like. I hope that in my lifetime cricket can get into the Olympics. And this is one way I see it being feasible,” Brathwaite said.
