Chris Gayle - File

Sidelined West Indies opener Chris Gayle says he is disappointed that he will not be able to participate in this year's bi-annual ICC World Twenty20, which will be held in Sri Lanka later this year.

The quick-scoring opener, who to date has the highest individual score in Twenty20 Internationals, is ineligible to participate in the tournament due to West Indies Cricket Board rules and regulations.

According to the statutes, players interested in representing the region in various formats of the game must play in regional tournaments of a similar nature.

Gayle, therefore, by virtue of not representing Jamaica during last month's third annual Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, due to participation with the Sydney Thunders in the annual Australian Big Bash League, will have to wait until the 2014 edition.

ineligible

"I knew that if I did not play in the Caribbean T20 it would make me ineligible to play in the Twenty20 World Cup," said Gayle.

"But it was a choice that I had to make. Nothing was guaranteed for me as it relates to representing the West Indies again.

"So it was a situation where I had to pull through with my obligations for my franchise," added the 32-year-old.

Gayle, who is rated as one of the best players in the 20 overs format of the game on the world stage, has been been at loggerheads with the regional selectors ever since he made controversial comments in a radio interview following last April's ICC World Cup in India.

During the interview, Gayle openly criticised some of the officers of the West Indies Cricket Board and the West Indies team, including coach Otis Gibson.

Since then, the board has issued a statement declaring that if Gayle is to be considered for future West Indies teams he needs to retract the statements he made during the interview.

Gayle has, however, vowed not to apologise saying that he is not clear what segments of the interview he needs to apologise for.

Meanwhile, Gayle, who since the dispute has been plying his trade in lucrative leagues around the world, said he wishes the team all the best heading into the Twenty20 World Cup, as if they play their true potential anything is possible.

"We have a number of good players, who on their day can be match winners, and if they play to their potential they can do well," he said.

The West Indies have never made it past the group stages of the Twenty20 World Cup despite three previous attempts.

The first Twenty20 World Cup was held in India, the second in Pakistan, and the third here in the Caribbean.

This year's tournament will be held between September 18 and October 7.