Sammy, Afridi criticise NatWest T20 Blast format

Darren Sammy and Shahid Afridi, Hampshire’s World T20-winning overseas stars, have echoed Jos Buttler’s criticisms of the NatWest T20 Blast, admitting that the tournament’s once-a-week “appointment to view” format makes it hard for specialist players to maintain their form and focus over the course of an elongated tournament.

Buttler, who recently completed his maiden stint in the IPL with Mumbai Indians, told the Daily Mail that English cricket needed a “Big Bash-style tournament” if it wanted to bring out the best in England’s white-ball cricketers.

“It’s frustrating for the players and the fans that we don’t have a competition like the IPL,” Buttler said. “It feels as if our domestic players are missing out. After all, we did create Twenty20, but we’ve not taken it on.

“Our teams don’t have to have different names, but we should have fewer teams, and go with a Big Bash-style tournament. And if you hold it as a block, you’re going to attract the best players.”

His sentiments were echoed by two men who have ruled the world in T20 cricket – Sammy, who captained West Indies to victory in both the 2012 and, most recently, the 2016 World T20, when England were beaten in a thrilling final in Kolkata, and Afridi, who was Man of the Match when Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in the 2009 World T20 final at Lord’s.

“It’s a difficult tournament, at …

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