The Nokia Champions League Twenty20’s return to India will be
headlined by the biggest names in world cricket after the confirmation
of the 13-team squads.The participating teams are overflowing
with cricket’s established and emerging stars, among them MS Dhoni,
Sachin Tendulkar, Daniel Vettori, Chris Gayle, Jacques Kallis, Mike
Hussey and Shane Watson.More than 100 players named across the squads have experience at international level.Players
from 10 nations will be represented, including a pair from Ireland for
the first time in dual Ireland/England international Eoin Morgan and
19-year-old young gun George Dockrell.A number of teams will be
able to field virtual international playing XIs, among them the Chennai
Super Kings, NSW Blues and Cape Cobras.Not far behind in terms of
international playing strength is South Africa’s other representative,
the Warriors, as well as the IPL’s Royal Challengers Bangalore and
Kolkata Knight Riders.The 13 teams invited to this year’s
tournament have consistently shown over the past three years they are
the world’s elite at home and on the CLT20 stage.Among them are
former CLT20 Champions (NSW 2009 and Chennai 2010), finalists (Trinidad
& Tobago 2009 and Warriors 2010), and semi-finalists (Cape Cobras
2009 and South Australia 2010).England’s Leicestershire and
Somerset were the last of the 13 teams to qualify last weekend after
both won thrilling one-over eliminators in their respective domestic T20
semi-finals.It will be Leicestershire’s first appearance in the
CLT20 while Somerset will make a return visit after playing in the
inaugural event in 2009.During that tournament they defeated Deccan Chargers in their opening match before bowing out at the group stage.After
its success in South Africa in 2010, the CLT20 returns to India with a
new naming rights sponsor, more teams, more prize money and
participation fees, and the world’s best T20 talent.CLT20
commercial rights holder ESPN Star Sports and its broadcast partners
will beam the action live into lounge rooms and bars around the world as
a record number of teams battle to claim the world’s most prestigious
prize for domestic cricket.This year’s event features a six-team
qualifier for the first time that will determine the final three
participants in the group stage.The qualifier will be played in
Hyderabad from 19-21 September while the 10-team Nokia Champions League
Twenty20 starts in Bengaluru on Friday 23 September and ends with the
final on Sunday 9 October in Chennai.
