Abu Dhabi, Jan 17 (IANS): Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik believes T10 cricket format is a perfect advert to attract new fans to the game.

"It's always nice to be part of something positive in the game. T10 is a perfect advert to bring new audiences to cricket as it's short, exciting and a great way to show the best of cricket, especially the new skills that players are continually bringing," Malik said.

Malik is set to feature in the upcoming season of the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament as the captain and icon player for defending champions Maratha Arabians.

The all-rounder, who has scored over 11,000 runs in international cricket, said he is looking forward to playing with his long-time Pakistan teammate Mohammad Hafeez in the upcoming tournament starting January 28 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

"It will be nice to be a teammate with my long-time international colleague Mohammad Hafeez. Plus, there are always new stars to identify as T10 offers fantastic opportunities and exposure to so many players. Hopefully, those new stars will come from Maratha Arabians," he said.

The 39-year-old further said his team will look to enjoy their cricket in the T10 tournament.

"We have a mixture of experience and raw talent so hopefully we can all come together and contribute to the team cause and see if we can enjoy our cricket and win a few matches. You never know in T10. It's an unpredictable format, which is why it's exciting."