London, Sep 9 (IANS/CMC): Big hitting West Indies opener Chris Gayle will ply his trade in Durban next year when he turns out for Dolphins in South Africa's Twenty20 series.

The giant left-hander, who has been locked in an impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board, is one of the most sought after batsmen in the shortest form of the game.

He said he was looking forward to the new experience in the Feb 15-March 30 tournament.

"Twenty20 is a form of the game I love and to get the opportunity to play in a beautiful place like Durban is massively appealing," he said.

"South Africa will provide a new challenge, and I am sure alongside Shaun Tait (Australian fast bowler) and under the guidance of Graham Ford we can be a success."

Gayle was outstanding during this year's Indian Premier League (IPL), scoring over 600 runs and smashing two centuries for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He joined the tournament late as a replacement for Australian Dirk Nannes and quickly signalled his intentions with an amazing 102 from 55 balls.

Ford said: "Chris has an amazing record as a player and will not only bring a huge amount of flair and excitement to our cricket but will also bring a vast amount of experience and knowledge which will greatly assist the progress of our younger players."

Gayle is also set to turn out for Sydney Thunder in Australia's Big Bash at year end.