Gayle, Russell among Windies stars for Abu Dhabi T10

Jamaica and West Indies stars Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are among a group of Caribbean cricketers who will be parading their skills during the fifth season of the Abu Dhabi T10 league, which is set to bowl off after the ICC T20 World Cup in November.

The explosive all-rounder Russell will join the Deccan Gladiators as their icon player alongside hot-shot opener Evin Lewis, who was drafted with the opening pick.

West Indian teammate Nicholas Pooran will be the icon player for the Maratha Arabians, who will also have Jamaican Fabian Allen on their roster.

Gayle is set to rejoin Team Abu Dhabi after the franchise selected the left-hander with their first pick in yesterday's draft.

Several West Indian players were also retained by their respective franchises, with Team Abu Dhabi recalling left-arm seamer Obed McCoy, with Bangla Tigers also retaining opener Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher.

Veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo as well as Guyanese batsman Sherfane Rutherford and Barbadian all-rounder Nyeem Young will return for another season with the Delhi Bulls while Jamaican Rovman Powell, Kennar Lewis, and Trinidadian Rayad Emrit will suit up once again for the defending champions, Northern Warriors.

Abu Dhabi T10 League chairman Shaji UlMulk says the influx of international stars and icon players will make for another exciting competition.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have these star players featured in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The league is nothing without its players and fans and, therefore, we could not be more delighted about welcoming some of the biggest cricket stars to Abu Dhabi."

Some of those international stars that will also be showcasing their talent are England T20 captain Eoin Morgan, Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi, T20 spin wizards Rashid Khan, and Imran Tahir, along with South African Faf Du Plessis.