Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi to host CL T20

The Champions League T20 is on back track. On Friday, the organisers announced Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad will host 23 matches of the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 scheduled to be held from October 8 to 23. DNA had reported about the venues on July 1.

The decision on the venues was linked to the Indian teams that have qualified for the tournament. Deccan Chargers of Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils will be the three Indian teams in the first edition of the tournament. The match schedule, featuring 12 teams, would be announced on July 30. The draw was to be held in London on June 23 but was postponed.

Other teams are Victorian Bushrangers and New South Wales Blues from Australia, Cape Cobras and Diamond Eagles from South Africa, Otago Volts from New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago from West Indies and Wayamba from Sri Lanka. England’s Twenty20 Cup finalists will be decided on August 25, 2009.

CL Twenty20 chairman Lalit Modi said, “we are glad to see the CLT20 taking shape and momentum as the year’s most eagerly awaited club championship. Having had considerable experience from the IPL’s success in South Africa, we believe that the club concept will slowly but surely be accepted by cricket fans across the world. The CL T20 is thus the ideal tournament to crown the best-of-the-best in club cricket from across the cricketing world.”

The championship carries a prize money of $6 million. It will be telecast live on ESPN STAR Sports.