'How much will you change the game?'- Aakash Chopra on introduction of 6ixty

Former India Test opener Aakash Chopra has come forward and questioned the introduction of the 6ixty, a brand new T10 concept officially announced by Cricket West Indies (CWI) recently. The 10th edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be played in August this year, but it could play a second fiddle to the 6ixty.

Questioning the new format, Chopra said he is not convinced with the slow overrate and ‘mystery free hit’ rules and added that the bowlers would needlessly be at the receiving end if a team fails to bowl their allotted quota of 10 overs within the stipulated time period of 45 minutes.

It is T10 with a twist: Aakash Chopra

“Test matches used to be timeless, it was drawn once because a team would have missed their ship. Then came ODI cricket – that also went from 60 to 50 overs, then T20 came, and now T10 has come. I mean how much will you change the game, the 6ixty is going to come. It is T10 with a twist,” said Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“This is very good that in 45 minutes if you don’t bowl your 10 overs, you will have to field with one less player in the last over. One more interesting thing is that you can create a ‘mystery free hit’, the spectators can decide that through a website or app. It will suddenly come on the big screen, the bowler will say what is his mistake,” he added.

As far as CWI’s new T10 format is concerned, it will feature six men’s and three women’s teams and will be played in St. Kitts and Nevis from August 24 to 28. The tournament concludes just two days ahead of the commencement of the CPL 2022. Meanwhile, by deciding to launch the 6ixty, Cricket West Indies also became the first full-member board to come up with its own version of the T10 league.