West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has admitted that the Twenty20 World Cup will be a "cracker" in Sri Lanka.

The explosive opener, who is expected to be a key member of the Windies side in the competition, believes that a good start is vital if they are to lift the trophy on October 7.

Gayle said: "We have to adapt to the conditions as quickly as possible.

"We want to make a solid start and look to put other teams under some pressure.

"There are a lot of competitive teams here. Every team has a chance to win and we have to be at our best at all times. The World T20 is going to be a cracker."

West Indies face Australia in their first match on September 22.