Champions League to begin in Oct 2009
Saturday, 13 December 2008
The 2008 edition of the Champions Twenty20 League, which was postponed following the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, has been cancelled. The tournament, whose inaugural edition was scheduled between December 3-10 in India, will now kick off in October 2009.
Following the postponement, discussions among the BCCI, Cricket South Africa and Cricket Australia - the three founding partners - focused on identifying a possible window in January or February with India remaining the hosts. However, the packed international schedule left little room for the tournament: the home and away series between Australia and South Africa, and the concurrent domestic Twenty20 competitions in those countries, made it virtually impossible to obtain a window.
The only solution was to push back the tournament's ten-year cycle by a year and hold the tournament in October 2009, during the dates that were identified for the second season. It is understood that there is a provision for such an adjustment in the organisers' arrangement with ESPN-Star Sports (ESS), the broadcasters, though it would mean teams would have to qualify afresh for the tournament.
There is US$6 million on offer during the tournament for participating teams, which includes the domestic Twenty20 finalists from India, South Africa and Australia. Middlesex and Sialkot Stallions, the domestic Twenty20 champions from England and Pakistan, were the other teams invited to participate in the edition that has now been cancelled. -Cricinfo
Following the postponement, discussions among the BCCI, Cricket South Africa and Cricket Australia - the three founding partners - focused on identifying a possible window in January or February with India remaining the hosts. However, the packed international schedule left little room for the tournament: the home and away series between Australia and South Africa, and the concurrent domestic Twenty20 competitions in those countries, made it virtually impossible to obtain a window.
The only solution was to push back the tournament's ten-year cycle by a year and hold the tournament in October 2009, during the dates that were identified for the second season. It is understood that there is a provision for such an adjustment in the organisers' arrangement with ESPN-Star Sports (ESS), the broadcasters, though it would mean teams would have to qualify afresh for the tournament.
There is US$6 million on offer during the tournament for participating teams, which includes the domestic Twenty20 finalists from India, South Africa and Australia. Middlesex and Sialkot Stallions, the domestic Twenty20 champions from England and Pakistan, were the other teams invited to participate in the edition that has now been cancelled. -Cricinfo