The format of Champions League being organized in Indian has been announced. Eight cricket teams will participate in this tournament. This tournament will start on 29th of September and end on 8th of October. This event will start just after the end of the Champions Trophy which finishes on 28th of September.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) described the details about participating teams. Two teams from each of India, South Africa and Australia; two teams will be either from England, Pakistan or New Zealand. England nomination is not the final; it depends upon the settlement of the dispute between England and BCCI.
This is the first tournament of its kind. It is featuring eight teams. Fifteen matches will be played at three localities – Jaipur, New Delhi and Mohali. Next year it is planned to invite 12 teams for 23 matches.
The pattern would be the same as other tournaments do have. The teams will play in two groups; two best ones from each of them will qualify for the semi-finals and then proceed for the final match.
There is a big chance that England teams might not be allowed to participate in the tournament. The reason is that BCCI is strict on his decision and refused to back down on its ruling about English counties having any kind of links with ICL.
There are some English counties who have players from the ICL – Indian Cricket League which is an unofficial league and rival to the International Cricket Council and official Indian Premier League.
According to BCCI they have allowed Twenty20 Cup winners Middlesex to participate for they are not having any players from ICL.
However the beaten team of the Twenty20 final is not considered as eligible for the Champions League because of having two players from ICL – Azhar Mehmood (Pakistani Player) and Justin Kemp (South African).
