Maverick batsman Chris Gayle has said he "stands by his comments" against former teammate Ramnaresh Sarwan but conceded that his actions were damaging to West Indies cricket, prompting the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organisers to close the controversial issue. The 40-year-old Gayle, who was signed by St Lucia Zouks for the 2020 season of the CPL, had called Sarwan "worse than coronavirus" in a video post, accusing the Guyanese of plotting his exit from CPL outfit Jamaica Tallawahs.

The self-styled 'Universe Boss' admitted, in a statement issued by CPL Technical Committee (CTC) chief P J Patterson, that his description of Sarwan was "damaging Cricket West Indies, and to the CPL tournament and its brand". "I made these videos with one single intention ¿ to explain to the fans in Jamaica the reasons behind ... my second departure from the Tallawahs franchise. It was my greatest wish to finish my CPL career in Jamaica ... with the franchise that I had previously led to two CPL titles," Gayle said in the statement.