Yes, its time for Champions League T20 2.0!
The format of Champions League is fairly simple. The top teams in the domestic league of every cricket playing nation battle it out to find one ultimate winner, the champion of champions.
After a very successful first edition last year in our very own turf, the action this year shifts to another T20 friendly nation, South Africa.
The previous edition saw the participation of 12 teams, 2 each from Australia,England and SouthAfrica, 1 each from Newzeland, Srilanka and WestIndies and 3 from India. These 12 teams were divided into 4 groups and the top 2 from each advanced to the knockout stages.
This year though, is a different ball game. This year the participation has come down to just 10 teams as the English county teams have decided to back out from this tournament due to domestic commitments. Hence, the 10 participating teams are divided into 2 groups of 5 each.
Apart from entertaining humongous audiences throughout the world, this entertaining T20 tournament did a world of good for the lesser known players. Last year, Trinidad and Tobago, a team that did not come in as the favourites to even get past the group stages , outplayed almost every opponent of theirs and reached the finals of the tournament where they lost a thriller to the Australian outfit, New South Wales. Through this very tournament, a lesser known West Indian opener, Adrian Barath got his due in the form of recognition. Their middle order monster, Keiron Pollard was very easily the revelation of the tournament. Every opportunity he got to come out and bat, he made it count. With such an explosive style, he caught the eye of a lot of people and was one of the costliest player to be bid for in the third season of the IPL.
This year's Champions League will be a similar platform for youngsters who want to make it to their national T20 squads or get more playing time in their domestic or any international league.
This year's Champions League will be a similar platform for youngsters who want to make it to their national T20 squads or get more playing time in their domestic or any international league.
This blog will contain everything that happens in the course of this tournament. I will write a preview to every game that is played and will do a post-match analysis as well.
In just three and a half hours from now, entertainment will be transformed as Mumbai Indians will take on the South African side, Highveld Lions. So like Mr. Amitabh Bachchan says in the promos, in a dramatic fashion that only he can pull off, Ab hoga Asli Muqabala!
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