SHAHID Afridi and Darren Sammy, Hampshire’s overseas players, have criticised the format of the Natwest T20 Blast ahead of tonight’s clash against Kent at Canterbury.

Afridi believes the format needs to be played in a shorter time period than the three months it will take to complete the last season of the Blast in its current guise (it will be played in July/August next year).

“It’s always great playing here but it should be a separate event,” he told the Sports Pink. “You can easily finish it in a month and you can’t play this event in between four-day and one-day cricket.

“Having a six-day or eight-day gap [between games], it’s not that easy to adjust yourself.”

Sammy agrees with Afridi, his teammate at the Pakistan Super League with Peshawar Zalmi earlier this year.

“It’s a difficult tournament, at least three months, it’s long,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “It can be frustrating playing one or two games every weekend. It’s Twenty20, you’ve got to be playing it fast.”

Afridi enjoyed his first taste of T20 with Kent in 2004, alongside Michael Carberry, who may be available tonight after missing Hampshire’s first two Royal London One-Day Cup games with a hand injury.

Hampshire are aiming to complete the double over Kent after Thursday’s nine-run win at the Ageas Bowl.