After a spectacular ICC Champions Trophy 2009, the focus of the cricketing world now shifts to the Twenty20 format and the first ever international club competition. The much anticipated Champions League Twenty20 has had its share of troubles ever since it had to be cancelled last December following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, but now, eleven months later, it is finally here amidst much hype and expectation. The excitement is understandable because the tournament has all the makings of a blockbuster - Twelve top Twenty20 teams from seven cricketing nations all vying for the ultimate prize of $2.5 million and the pride of being crowned the first ever Twenty20 champions of champions.
The Champions League is an offshoot of the highly successful Indian Premier League and so it was but natural that India would host the first of its kind competition with the home cities of the three participating Indian teams, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad being chosen as the venues. The event kicks off on Thursday, 8th October in Bangalore with the opening match between the home team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the Cape Cobras. And it will culminate 16 days later on the 23rd of October with the final in Hyderabad. The League format looks short and sweet and no doubt adds to the appeal of the tournament. For the initial stage, the teams have been divided into four groups of three teams each of which the top two teams from each group will progress. These teams will then compete in the league stage to determine the four semi-finalists who will fight for a place in the final.
The most exciting aspect of the inaugural CLT20 is the wealth of talent that the twelve participating teams bring to the cricket pitch. The sides are all at the top of their game on their country’s domestic circuits - the two T20 finalists from South Africa, Australia and England, the T20 champions from West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka and of course the three top teams from IPL 2009. The teams are a heady concoction of the best international players in the business, exciting new talent and some legendary veterans.
GROUP A
The IPL 2009 champions, the Deccan Chargers will square off against the England T20 Cup finalists Somerset County Cricket Club and the West Indies T20 champions Trinidad and Tobago in Group A. On paper, the Chargers and Somerset look like the teams that will make it to the league stage.
The Deccan Chargers are certainly the favourites in Group A and, indeed, have been pipped by many as the team to make it all the way to the final. The team that severely underperformed in the inaugural IPL, proved their class by bouncing back and clinching the title in 2009. The Chargers have a number of past and present internationals in the side including proven match winners such as VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma, Fidel Edwards, Scott Styris and Chaminda Vaas. But perhaps what gives them the edge is the presence of two iconic Australians in their ranks - Adam GilchristAndrew Symonds. Both players were instrumental in bringing the IPL trophy to Hyderabad and will no doubt have a huge part to play this time around as well. The loss of Herschelle Gibbs, who chose to play for Cape Cobras, shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Chargers who have a number of explosive batsmen who can step in. Gilchrist’s side have the added advantage of playing some matches at home. and
With the inclusion of English T20 runners up Somerset CCC in the CLT20, India sees the return of prolific batsman Marcus Trescothick for the first time since he broke down due to stress during the England tour in 2006. He is easily Somerset’s best batsman having scored 1024 runs in 30 matches at a strike rate of 156.33. The English side will be relying heavily on Trescothick to continue his good form at the top of the order along with fellow veteran opener and captain Justin Langer. These two need to fire if Somerset are to make it to the latter stages of the tournament, although the rest of the side comprises of some handy cricketers who could make things uncomfortable for superior opponents.
Trinidad and Tobago, the T20 champions from the Caribbean, are perhaps the least favoured side in Group A because of their lack of big name international players. Experienced all rounder Dwayne Bravo is the player to look out for in this team alongwith captain Darren Ganga, Ravi Rampaul and international wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin. Youngsters Kieron Pollard and Darren Bravo have had a good domestic season and will be looking to perform on the big stage. It’s a well balanced side but with the lack of international experience, T&T are unlikely to get far. This format of the game, however, has proved time and again that good solid teams are capable of major upsets so don’t be surprised if T&T do make some progress.
GROUP B
Aussie T20 champions New South Wales headline group B but they could be pushed hard by, South African runners up Diamond Eagles and England champions the Sussex Sharks who are both solid, consistent teams.
The T20 championship in Australia is known as the Big Bash and the current holders will be hoping to have just that when they begin their campaign in the CLT20. New South Wales comes to India without three key players, Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken and Brad Haddin who are all unfit, but they still have a strong squad, some of whom were involved in the recent Champions Trophy win. Brett Lee and Nathan Hauritz were influential in Australia retaining that title and they will be high on confidence for this competition. The team led by Simon Katich has a number of young Aussies on the brink of a permanent place in the side, not least openers David Warner and Phillip Hughes who will be looking to impress at the top and catch the eye of Australian selectors. With the talent they possess, NSW should make it to the semi-finals atleast.
The South African Pro20 runners up the Diamond Eagles have had some fantastic seasons on the domestic circuit but with no current South African internationals some have suggested the side may struggle against their more fancied opponents. The key to their success will be the performance of captain and former international Boeta Dippenaar and wicketkeeper Morne van Wyke who has the reputation of being a big hitter. Dippenaar is the only player to have had any proper experience of Indian conditions and he’ll need to guide his young side well if they are to make any impact on the tournament.
The Sussex Sharks, winners of the T20 cup in England, boast of two tested T20 dynamos in the form of Dwayne Smith and Luke Wright but the rest of the side is relatively unknown. There are a couple of players in the team who have a point to prove, though, and they could be quite a handful if they can come good. They do however also have promising Indian leg spinner Piyush Chawla in the side, and with the youngster having been left out of the national side lately he’ll be desperate to get noticed. The only Pakistani in the competition, fast bowler Yasir Arafat will also be looking to make a mark on a tournament from which his country was unceremoniously left out of.
GROUP C
This group sees Anil Kumble’s Bangalore Royal Challengers pitted against Pro20 champions Cape Cobras and New Zealand T20 champions Otago Volts. The Volts are the underdogs in this group although they have the capability and firepower to spring a few surprises.
The Bangalore Royal Challengers have a squad full of incredible international talent and for that reason it would be hard to bet against this team making it to the semi-finals. They have to do without the services of Kevin Pietersen and Jesse Ryder but with the likes of Jacques Kallis, Ross Taylor, Rahul Dravid, and Mark Boucher in their ranks, the injured batting supremos may not be missed too much. With Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe, Praveen Kumar and Kumble in the bowling department this is definitely one of the most formidable sides in the competition.
The Cape Cobras suffered a huge blow when captain Graeme Smith was ruled out of the competition due to some necessary rehabilitation on his long standing elbow injury, but the South African champions still have two aces in their pack - Herschelle Gibbs and JP Duminy. Gibbs can singlehandedly destroy any bowling attack at the top of the order and his form in the league will be crucial for the Cobras. JP Duminy adds that much needed punch towards the end of the innings as well as providing an extra spin option in the bowling department. The rest of the team comprises of solid South Africans, all pretty much unheard of in the rest of the world but impressive in their own right.
The Otago Volts carry the underdog tag but they will take much heart from the performance of their national side in the Champions Trophy recently who were written off but ended up as the runners up. Four players from that national team play for the Volts and they will be confident of continuing the good work started there. Brendon McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Neil Broom and Ian Butler will need to make full use of their international experience if they are to cause a few upsets. Englishman Dmitri Mascarenhas could well turn out to be their secret weapon, having already had the experience of playing in the IPL.
GROUP D
There could be an interesting tussle for top spot in Group D with two powerhouses, Delhi Daredevils and the Victoria Bushrangers set for battle. Sri Lankan champions Wayamba Eleven round up the group.
The Delhi Daredevils have been the team most affected by injury pull outs from their high profile players. South African batsman AB de Villiers was the first to go followed by Paul Collingwood and Kiwi captain courageous Daniel Vettori. They are all big match players and will be sorely missed by the Daredevils. The side still looks good though with the explosive opening partnership of Gambhir and Sehwag at the top of the order and Tillakaratne Dilshan to follow. The bowling department boasts of Dirk Nannes, Amit Mishra, Ashish Nehra and could see Glenn McGrath replace Vettori. The Aussie hasn’t had a game for the team since the IPL semi-final 2008 and this would be a great moment for him to remind everyone of his ability.
The Victoria Bushrangers are arguably Australia’s best T20 side having won the Big Bash for three years in a row before losing in the final in 2009. They have an incredibly strong team and are surely one of the leading contenders for the CLT20 title. Brad Hodge, one of the best T20 batsman, lurks in their ranks as do Cameron White, David Hussey, Peter Siddle and Andrew Mcdonald, all hugely talented young players. Watch out for their first match against the Daredevils - it could very well give us an indication of things to come from these two sides.
Sri Lanka’s provincial champions Wayamba Eleven cannot be discounted from making an impact in the group either. After all, the team led by Jehaan Mubarak boasts of 11 players with international experience. Their bowling department could do some damage to the big name batsmen in the other teams with Farveez Maharoof and Ajantha Mendis ready to work their magic. Lankan great Mahela Jayawardene can set alight any stadium with his array of text book shots and he will provide some stability to the rather inexperienced batting order.
With so many champion teams in action it’s absolutely impossible to predict a winner. And that unpredictability is what gives this tournament its biggest edge. The Champions League T20 is wide open as superstar veterans and exciting new youngsters from across the cricketing world look to set the tournament ablaze. Get set for 16 days of T20 cricket at its very best.
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