IPL Season 4 T20 Cricket Latest News Updates

THE OPENING ceremony of XVI Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou, China is going to be one of a kind.
It’s the first ceremony where the whole event will not take place in any closed place or a stadium but in an open space. It will take place on an island on Pearl River and each country’s contingent will be taken there on a separate boat.

There will be a combined ceremony part on land and part on sea, also being anxiously awaited are the ‘mysterious lightings’ that China claims to be on display.

India’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony is ace shooter Gagan Narang, but, as he has an early morning schedule on 13th November, Saina Nehwal is the stand-by flag bearer. It is not officially confirmed yet as to who will bear the flag.

Although, the local public of China has seen the rehearsals of he ceremony taking place but there still are parts which have been kept hidden till now and will be revealed to the world together, today.

The opening ceremony is being organised under Chen Weiya, who was also the assistant director of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Chen revealed in a special interview that the ceremony "will surprise the world." Reportedly, a 7,000 people team will contribute to the ceremony.

Read More >> Asian Games, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games 2010 News

THE 2010 Asian Games are going to open in China on November 12, 2010 and the games will continue till November 27, 2010.

It is being speculated that the opening ceremony of the Asian Games will be a mega event, even when compared to the Olympics as the Asiad will host 42 events. 45 countries have confirmed participation in the Games.

The opening ceremony is being organised under Chen Weiya, who was also the assistant director of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Chen revealed in a special interview that the ceremony "will surprise the world." Reportedly, a 7,000 people team will contribute to the ceremony. A lighting ceremony, separate at the sea and land will be held at the opening ceremony.

Sports like mountain biking, Wushu, Rugby, Chess and many more uncommon as well as traditional sports will be part of the event.

All 45 members of Olympic Council of Asia are participating in the Games. Athletes from these 45 countries will compete in a total of 476 events in 42 sports making it the largest competition in the history of the Asian Games.

China is leaving no stone unturned for the success of the Games, also now in the wake of the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, held at New Delhi.

As is expected both the events are bound to be compared and thus China is working extra hard to make it a bigger extravaganza. In one of the measures half of the 2.1 million private cars in Guangzhou have been ordered off the roads for the period during and leading up to the games. This step has been taken to improve the ambient air quality,  this is similar to the measures taken for the 2008 Olympics held at China.

While China battles it out to make it a spectacular event, spectators can gear up for another treat for their eyes as the Opening Ceremony is bound to be magnificent.

Read More>> Asian Games 2010, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games opening ceremony

CHINA HAS invited President Asif Ali Zardari to attend the opening ceremony of 16th Asian Games which is going to be held from November 12 to 27, in Guangzhou, China.
China is hosting another biggest event after 2008 Olympics games where in Athletes of 45 Countries will participate.16th Asian Games are schedule to start from November 12 to 27.
According to sources in Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), an invitation has been received from China in which they have invited President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to attend the opening ceremony of the 16th Asian Games.
Pakistani Contingent is also taking part in the Asian Games. National athletes will leave for china in two parts. First batch of athletes will leave on November 8 and second batch of athletes will leave for china on November 10.
Training camps of baseball, snooker, squash, kabaddi, volleyball, martial arts, football, weightlifting and hockey are already getting underway at different venues of Pakistan Sports Complex (PSC). 169 contingent members including players and officials will visit China to participate in the mega event.
Sources in Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) said that purpose to hold all training camps under one roof is to monitor the performance of National Sports Federations and to get the best results from the athletes who will participate in the mega event of the sports world.

Read More>> Asian Games 2010, 2010 Asian Games, Asian Games opening ceremony

TWO INDIAN Premier League teams Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore will meet in the first semi-final of the Airtel Champions League T20 at Durban on Friday September 24. MS Dhoni led Chennai and Anil Kumble led Bangalore will take on each other in the crucial match and it may become the one of the most watched match in CLT20.
Chennai Super Kings from Group A has won three matches while, lost one in the super over against Victoria at Port Elizabeth. In their first match in the tournament, they won against Central Districts by 57 runs. In the second match Chennai Super Kings won by 97 runs against Wayamba and in their last league match that was a do-or-die match for them, the team won by 10 runs against South African team Warriors at Port Elizabeth a day before yesterday.
Second semi-finalist in Champions League T20, Royal Challengers Bangalore started their campaign in Champions League T20 with a big win against Guyana at Centurion by nine wickets with 46 balls remaining. In the next two matches they lost against South Australia Redbacks and Mumbai Indians by eight wickets and two runs respectively. In the final league match against Lions, Royal Challengers won by six wickets and secured their berth for semi-final on better net run rate.
For the Chennai Super Kings, Murali Vijay, Suresh Raina, Michael Hussey and Captain MS Dhoni are the key players. Till now Murali Vijay has performed consistently well. Spinner Ashwin has also performed well and picked crucial wickets in all the matches. Muttiah Muralitharan is also a key player for his team.
For Royal Challengers Bangalore, they also have a number of big name in international cricket like Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, Anil Kumble and Dale Steyn. They can be very useful from bat and ball for their team.
Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore's first semi-final match in Airtel Champions League T20 will start at 9:00 PM IST.

IN THE last league match of Airtel Champions League 2010 this evening at St. Gerorge's Park, Port Elizabeth, MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings will take on unbeaten Warriors in the battle to reach  Semifinals.
In Group A, Warriors have six points after winning three matches and Chennai has won two matches and lost one against Victoria Bushrangers in the Super Over.  On the other hand, Victoria Bushrangers also have six points from four league matches. If tonight, Chennai Super Kings is able to win against South African local team Warriors, then they will qualify for semifinals on the basis of better run rate.
From Group B, South Australia Redbacks and Royal Challengers Bangalore have already secured their place for semi-final match.
Chennai Super Kings, the winner of Indian Premier League 2010, have many world class players. Murali Vijay and Suresh Raina are the key players for CSK. In the previous match Michael Hussey did not perform well, but he is a world class cricketer. Captain Dhoni can also destroy any bowling attack. Local men Albie Morkel and Justin Kemp are always useful both with bat and ball.
In the bowling department spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan can destroy any batting side. Fast bowler Doug Bollinger and Laxmipati Balaji can take the advantage of bouncy pitches.
Warriors Captain Davy Jacobs, who has performed well in all the league matches can cause headache for Chennai. Ashwell Prince and Mark Bouncher are also in good touch with the bat. Makhaya Ntini, Nicky Boje and Johan Botha can play a important role for their team.
Chennai Super Kings and Warriors match in the Champions League T20 will start from 9 PM IST.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS Bangalore will play a crucial match on Tuesday against Highveld Lions to secure a berth in the semifinals of the Airtel Champions League T20 championship at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. South Australia Redbacks have already qualified from Group B in the semis.
Highveld Lions has played three matches and won two, whereas, Royal Challengers in the same number of matches won only one match. However, Royal Challengers net run rate is better than Highveld Lions and Mumbai Indians, who also have four points from four matches.
In the first match, Royal Challengers Bangalore won against Guyana by nine wickets, but in the next two matches Anil Kumble led Bangalore team lost against South Australia Redbacks and Mumbai Indians. South Australia won by eight wickets and in the previous match Mumbai Indians won by two runs.
In the previous match against Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost only on the last ball. Virat Kohli almost won the match for his team, but he was out on the last ball of the match and Bangalore lost just by two runs. He smashed 47 runs in 30 balls. Opener Rahul Dravid also played well and was unbeaten for 71 runs.
The South African Highveld Lions captain and opener Alviro Petersen has scored two fifties so far in the tournament and is the highest run getter for his team. In the previous match against Guyana, Lions fast bowler Ethan O'Reilly picked four wickets for the cost of 27 runs.
In the do-or-die match today, Royal Challengers will have to perform well with bat and ball to secure a place in semifinals in the Airtel Champions League T20.

Diksha Ohri

Read More >> http://www.merinews.com/cj/diksha_ohri

Chennai’s form has been impeccable, but the opposition have been Central Stags and Wayamba – clearly the weakest of all the teams in the competition. This means that the game against the Victorians will be their first true test and it will not be as easy as the previous wins. For Victoria, the first match was a game to forget against Warriors (11/8 at Coral). But they have come back well to beat the Stags in a game that went down to the wire.

Chennai will be favorites (4/6 at Stan James) for this one, but will need to hold all their catches if they are to maintain that tag. Indian teams have found it difficult to field as well as their opposition and that is where the problems have crept up for them.

The batting is not a problem on the whole for the Super Kings, but the form of Matthew Hayden (4/1 at Boylesports) is a definite issue. He had got out to a first-ball duck against the Stags and hardly got a move on against the Wayamba side. Suresh Raina (4/1 at Stan James) was at his explosive best on a track that had nothing for the pace bowlers, but the question is whether he will be able to get his best game out against a good bowling attack.

MS Dhoni (13/2 at Coral) has been holding himself back in the tournament so far, probably due to health reasons. However, one cannot see him not bat in the top four if the Super Kings lose early wicket in this game.

The Bushrangers have Aaron Finch (4/1 at Coral) to thank for their lone win in the tournament. His unbeaten 90 against the Stags was a well-compiled and a matured innings, something that the likes of David Hussey (4/1 at BetFred and Rob Quiney (9/2 at William Hill) could do well to learn. If Brad Hodge (7/2 at Boylesports) is fit, it will make things easier for the Bushrangers, as it was evident from the previous match that the lower-middle order like Andrew McDonald (8/1 at Blue Square) need their time to get on with the game.

Tips:
Favourites: Chennai Super Kings (4/6 at Stan James)
Top Chennai batsman: MS Dhoni (13/2 at Coral)
Top Victoria batsman: Brad Hodge (7/2 at Boylesports)

Read More >> Champions League T20

With the third consecutive win against IPL Royal challenger Bangalore in the Airtel Champions league T20 the South Australian Redbacks became the first team to qualify for the semi-final in the champions’ league tournament. Royal challenger was demolished by the Redbacks by 8 wickets. It seems that Bangalore can’t withstand the absence of the all-rounder Jacques Kallis from the team as the team was seen struggling in both the batting as well as bowling part of the game.

Batting first, Royal challenger posted a below average target of 154 runs in 19.5 overs which was chased by the Redbacks in 18.3 overs only with 8 wickets in their hand. After winning the toss, Royals decided to bat first. However, their decision to bat first did not go in their favour as they lost three of their initial wickets early in the match cheaply. Utahappa failed to open his account and he was sent back to pavilion on duck.

Royal’s inning was a bit controlled after the initial three blows and they were brought at the score of 74 in 10 overs. Du Preez played some attacking shots and with his 46 runs contribution to the total, Bangalore at one stage was looking at better position but the wickets kept falling and Royals were reduced to 154 for 10 with one ball to go.

Ross Taylor also made 46 runs. Cameron White contributed 25. For Redbacks, Daniel Christian took four wickets, while Tait and Putland took two wickets each. Chasing the target of 154 runs was made mockery by Redbacks batsmen as they made 124 runs for the first wicket stand. Redbacks reached the target of 155 in 18.3 overs only with 8 wickets in their hands.

Michael Klinger remained unbeaten on 69, while Daniel Harris made 57. Callum Ferguson remained unbeaten on 21. Klinger was declared “Man of the Match” for the second time in CLT20.

Read More >> Airtel Champions league T20

IN THE 11th match in the Airtel Champions Trophy T20 tournament this evening, Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on South Australia Redbacks at Kingsmead, Durban. South Australia have won in both the matches and topped the group, while Bangalore crushed Guyana in their only match in the tournament.
In the previous match on Sunday at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Royal Challengers won by nine wickets with 46 balls remaining against Guyana, which lost again yesterday against Mumbai Indians. Jacques Kallis showed his all-rounder performance and was declared man-of-the-match. Rahul Dravid also contributed as an opener. Young Robin Uthappa smashed 25 runs in just eight balls.
Other Banglore batsmen Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor and Cameron White can change the match with their abilities. In the bowling, Captain Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar can cause mayhem against any opponent with their world class bowling ability.
In today's match if Redbacks are able to win against Royal Challengers, they automatically qualify for the Semifinal. Their Captain Michael Klinger smashed 78 runs in 48 balls against Highveld Lions and 50 against Mumbai Indians. Daniel Harris scored 57 runs in 38 balls inning against the Mumbai Indians. Shaun Tait, who is one of the fastest bowler in international cricket, could be the main concern for Royal Challengers Bangalore this evening.
Royal Challengers Bangalore and South Australia Redbacks match in the Airtel Champions Trophy T20 tournament will start from 9 PM IST.

THIS EVENING at Kingsmead in Durban, Mumbai Indians will play for their first win in the ongoing Airtel Champions League T20 tournament against South Australian Redbacks in a Group B match. In the opening tie of the Champions League 2010, Mumbai Indians lost against Highveld Lions, whereas, South Australia Redbacks started their campaign with a victory over Highveld Lions at the SuperSport Park, Centurion, on Sunday.
Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar has the ability to clinch the victory from the jaw of defeat single-handed, but in cricket it is also important to see the team effort. In today's match, Mumbai Indians may consider the reshuffle in batting order of Kieron Pollard. He is one of the best stroke player of the world. Young Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu can also steal the show for their team. Today, Saurabh Tiwary may also get a chance ahead of R Sathish against South Australian Redbacks.
Mumbai Indians main concern is their bowling, in the previous match Zaheer Khan was very expensive, Harbhajan Singh is also not performing well. However, Lasith Malinga did bowl well against Highveld Lions.
South Australian Redbacks Captain Michael Klinger smashed 78 runs in 48-ball innings which had six fours and five sixes, to an 11-run victory over Highveld Lions. In the bowling department Shaun Tait, whose deliveries touched 150kmph, was the most successful bowler with three for 36 from his four overs.

Read More >> Champions League T20 tournament

SACHIN TENDULKAR led Mumbai Indians desperately need a win against the Caribbean opponents Guyana at Durban today to survive their hopes for the Semi Final berth from Group B after back-to-back losses in the Airtel Champions League T20 tournament. Mumbai Indians is on the fourth spot in their group, whereas, Guyana is on the last in the group.
The IPL runner-up Mumbai Indians lost once while chasing against Highveld Lions and once while defending against South Australian Redbacks. On the previous two occasions they scored 176 and 180 runs. In the previous match, young Sourav Tiwary smashed brilliant 44 runs off 36 balls and Kireon Pollard cracked 36 runs. Captain Sachin Tendulkar also played brilliantly  for 62-ball 69 runs, in the first match of the tournament. Other Mumbai Indian batsmen also contributed for their side in the last two games.
In the bowling department only Lasith Malinga has been impressive. He picked important wickets on both the occasion, but Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh have failed to impress the batting sides. Zaheer Khan has picked only one wicket for 78 runs so far in the Champions League T20 tournament.
Mumbai Indians Captain Sachin Tendulkar blamed the fielding for the lost. Mumbai Indians dropped some important catches in the previous two occasions. He was also concerned a bit about the bowling department.
The Caribbean team Guyana lost their first game against Royal Challengers Bangalore by nine wickets. Skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan is the only big name in their side. Today's match between Mumbai Indians and Guyana is a do-or-die situation for both teams.

Read More >> Champions League T20

ROYAL CHALLENGERS Bangalore opened their account in Airtel Champions League 2010 T20 tournament with a big win against Guyana. Royal Challengers Bangalore crushed Guyana by nine wickets on Sunday night at SuperSport Park, Centurion. RCB's Jacques Kallis was declared man-of-the-match for his all-round performance.
Earlier, Royal Challengers Bangalore's captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to ball first. Bangalore's bowler Dale Steyn and Praveen Kumar did not allow Guyana's batsmen to make runs freely as the ball swung making it difficult to score freely. Jacques Kallis picked three wickets just for 16 runs in four overs. Guyana was all out for 103 runs in 20 overs. Christopher Barnwell scored maximum 30 runs for his side.
In response, RCB opened their inning in style. For the first wicket, openers Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid added 78 runs in 10.5 overs. Rahul  Dravid left the crease after making 33 runs in 34 balls with three fours. Next man Robin Uthappa smashed 25 runs with two massive hits over the fence and two fours in just eight balls. Jacques Kallis was not out for 46 runs with 4 fours and a six in 32 balls. Royal Challengers Bangalore won the match with 46 balls to spare.
Today in Champions Trophy T20 tournament, Victoria Bushrangers will play against Chevrolet Warriors at St. George’s Park in Port Elizabeth in a Group A match. In their first game at the same ground on Saturday Warriors had beaten Wayamba.

MS DHONI'S Chennai Super Kings is all set to clash with New Zealand's Central Districts Stags team in the third match of Airtel Champions League 2010 at the Kingsmead in Durban this evening. Chennai Super Kings is the winner of Indian Premier League 3, whereas, Central Districts were the winners of the T20 Cup that happened in New Zealand last season. It is an interesting fact that Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming hails from New Zealand.
Some of the top players of Chennai Super Kings are captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Mathew Hayden, Suresh Raina, Michael Hussey, Muralitharan and Justin Kamp. These players delivered great performances during the IPL 3 and helped the team lift the trophy.
New Zealand's Central Districts Stags is without Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram. Ross Taylor is playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Jacob Oram is suffering from an injury. However, Captain Jamie How and Matthew Sinclair can change the direction of the match at any moment.
Chennai Super Kings won their first practice match against local side Dolphins but lost in the next match. It will be great to watch the match this evening as one of the strongest contenders of Champion League T20, Chennai Super Kings will start their campaign against Central Districts Stags. The match promises to be an entertainer and will be definitely delight the cricket fans with quality of cricket. 

The arena is all set for the Airtel Champions League T20 2010. It will be held in South Africa from 10 to 26 September 2010 as the 2nd edition of the multi-million dollar Champions League Twenty 20. It is headed by Mr. Shashank Manohar who is the BCCI President and Chairman and Commissioner of IPL.

The participants comprise club teams from countries like India; Australia; England; South Africa; Sri Lanka; New Zealand and West Indies. The teams are named Central Districts; Chennai Super Kings; Guyana Lions; Mumbai Indians; Royal Challengers Bangalore; South Australia; Victoria; Warriors; and Wayamba.

The opening ceremony of the 2nd edition of this League was held in Johannesburg that possess of players like Muttiah Muralidharan and certainly, the officials and big players of the hosts.

The lists of full schedule of the Champions League T20:

• On September 10, Friday: at 9 pm IST-Mumbai Indians Vs Highveld Lions at Johannesburg.
• On September 11, Saturday: at 5 pm IST- Warriors Vs Wayamba at Port Elizabeth; at 9 pm IST-Central Stags Vs CSK at Durban.
• On September 12, Sunday: at 5 pm IST- Highveld Lions Vs Redbacks at Centurion; 9 pm IST- RCB Vs Guyana at Centurion.
• On September 13, Monday: at 9 pm IST- Victoria Bushrangers Vs Warriors at Port Elizabeth.
• On September 14, Tuesday: at 9 pm IST-Mumbai Indians Vs Redbacks at Durban.
• On September 15, Wednesday: at 5 pm IST- Central Stags Vs Victoria Bushrangers at Centurion; at 9 pm IST- CSK Vs Wayamba.
• On September 16, Thursday: at 9 pm IST-Mumbai Indians Vs Guyana at Durban.
• On September 17, Friday: at 9 pm IST-Redbacks Vs RCB at Durban.
• On September 18, Saturday: at 5 pm IST-Warriors Vs Central Stags at Port Elizabeth; at9 pm IST-CSK Vs Victoria Bushrangers at Port Elizabeth.
• On September 19, Sunday: at 5 pm IST- Highveld Lions Vs Guyana at Johannesburg; at 9 pm IST- Mumbai Indians Vs RCB at Durban.
• On September 20, Monday: at 9 pm IST- Victoria Bushrangers Vs Wayamba at Centurion.
• On September 21, Tuesday: at 5 pm IST- Redbacks Vs Guyana at Johannesburg; at 9 pm IST- Highveld Lions Vs RCB at Johannesburg.
• On September 22, Wednesday: at 5 pm IST- Wayamba Vs Centra Stags at Port Elizabeth; at 9 pm IST- CSK Vs Warriors at Port Elizabeth.
• On September 24, Friday: 9 pm IST- 1st Semifinal at Durban.
• On September 25, Saturday: 9 pm IST- 2nd Semifinal at Centuriona.

The live coverage of the event will be telecasted on the TV. The rights of its live production have been reserved by the Star Network that will show the matches utterly on their Star Cricket Channel.

IN THE inaugural match of the second edition of Airtel Champions League T20 tournament, Mumbai Indians will take on Highveld Lions at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, this evening in a Group B match. Mumbai Indians led by the none  other than Sachin Tendulkar had finished runner-up in the Indian Premier League this year, whereas, South African team Highveld Lions finished second in South Africa's Standard Bank Twenty20 series.

Mumbai Indians is the first-timer in the Champions League T20 and it looks strong on paper. Sachin  Tendulkar, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, JP Duminy, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga form backbone of this team. Mumbai  Indians also have some young guns like Ambati Rayudu, R Sathish and Saurabh Tiwary, who have performed exceptionally well in the IPL and domestic cricket.

Highveld  Lions, the South African team led by Alviro Petersen seems ideal for the T20 format. They have no big names in the squad, but is full of all-rounders. However, Alviro Petersen and Neil McKenzie are capable of showing fireworks against any opponent. Robert Frylick and Ethan O'Reilly are the leading bowler of his side.
The second edition of the Champions League Twenty20 Cricket match will be played among ten teams from six countries for the next 17 days. The fireworks between Mumbai Indians and Highveld Lions will start from 9 PM IST.

Read More >> Champions League T20, CLT20

The Champions League T20 2010, commercially known as Airtel Champions leagueTwenty20 is set to start from September 10, 2010 in South Africa. The tournament going to be played with 10 teams from 6 countries. Champions League will start on September 10 and the finals will be sept 26. 10 teams from 6 countries participate which will broadcast all over the world. ESPN Star secured the broadcasting rights for the tournament. ESPNStar's Star Cricket and Star Sports will be showing it live in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Australia, Canada,  and other different countries.

Here are a list of TV Channels showing Airtel Champions League T20 2010 Live:

Airtel Champions league T20 2010 available in Many Languages in across the world

Read More >> CLT20 , Champions leagueTwenty20

The battle of Champions, Champions League T20 2010 is set to start from 10 September 2010 in South Africa. 10 champion teams from 6 countries will battle in this tournament which will last till 26th September. Millions of cricket fans from all over the world will be watching the event live on TV as well as other media. Here are some tips to watch Champions League 2010 live:

Watch CLT20 2010 live On TV: ESPNStar is official broadcaster of the event. Star Cricket will be showing CLT20 live in India. Check out more TV channels showing live.
Watch CLT20 2010 Live on internet : Unlike the IPL 2010, I have not found any free (legal) ways to watch the CLT20 live. However, paid options are available for specific regions. Those who are in USA can check willow. TV for the live packages of the tournament.

Live Scores from CLT20 2010: There are many sites showing live scores and commentary of Champions league. Cricinfo.com is the best option for me. You can also check out merinews.com - the official site, espnstar.com, cricket nirvana.com and many other sites.
Watch highlights of CLT20 : You can watch the highlights of merinews.com for free. Videos section of official site will be putting those online. I think ESPNStar will also show the highlights on their media player section.

Breaking News! The cricket fever will be back soon, as the second edition of the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) will begin on September 10 in South Africa. Airtel is the official sponsor of this tournament.

Three teams from India will participate in the CLT20, while 10 teams in total will be competing for the title. The matches will be played at four venues - Durban, Port Elizabeth, Centurion and Johannesburg. No teams from Pakistan and England will take part in Airtel CLT20 2010.

Group A : Chennai Super Kings (India), Warriors (South Africa), Victoria Bushrangers (Australia), Wayamba Elevens (Sri Lanka), Central Stags (New Zealand).

Group B: Mumbai Indians (India), Highveld Lions (South Africa), South Australian Redbacks (Australia), Royal Challengers Bangalore (India), Guyana (West Indies).

Champions League Twenty20 Schedule & Fixture:

Sept 10 (9 PM IST) - Mumbai Indians vs Highveld Lions - Johannesburg

Sept 11 (5 PM IST) - Warriors vs Wayamba - Port Elizabeth

Sept 11 (9 PM IST) - Central Stags vs CSK - Durban

Sept 12 (5 PM IST) - Highveld Lions vs Redbacks - Centurion

Sept 12 (9 PM IST) - RCB vs Guyana - Centurion

Sept 13 (9 PM IST) - Victoria Bushrangers vs Warriors - Port Elizabeth

Sept 14 (9 PM IST) - Mumbai Indians vs Redbacks - Durban

Sept 15 (5 PM IST) - Central Stags vs Victoria Bushrangers - Centurion

Sept 15 (9 PM IST) - CSK vs Wayamba

Sept 16 (9 PM IST) - Mumbai Indians vs Guyana - Durban

Sept 17 (9 PM IST) - Redbacks vs RCB - Durban

Sept 18 (5 PM IST) - Warriors vs Central Stags - Port Elizabeth

Sept 18 (9 PM IST) - CSK vs Victoria Bushrangers - Port Elizabeth

Sept 19 (5 PM IST) - Highveld Lions vs Guyana - Johannesburg

Sept 19 (9 PM IST) - Mumbai Indians vs RCB - Durban

Sept 20 (9 PM IST) - Victoria Bushrangers vs Wayamba - Centurion

Sept 21 (5 PM IST) - Redbacks vs Guyana - Johannesburg

Sept 21 (9 PM IST) - Highveld Lions vs RCB - Johannesburg

Sept 22 (5 PM IST) - Wayamba vs Centra Stags - Port Elizabeth

Sept 22 (9 PM IST) - CSK vs Warriors - Port Elizabeth

Sept 24 (9 PM IST) - 1st Semifinal - Durban

Sept 25 (9 PM IST) - 2nd Semifinal - Centurion

Sept 26 (9 PM IST) - FINAL - Johannesburg

Airtel CLT20 Teams

Central Stags (New Zealand):

Jamie How (C), Michael Mason, Mitchell McClenaghan, Brad Patton, George Worker, Matthew Sinclair, Peter Ingram, Adam Milne, Brandon Diamanti, Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler, K. N. Barnett, Seth Rance, Bevan Griggs, Tim Weston.

Chennai Super Kings (India):

MS Dhoni (C), Ravichandran Ashwin, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Douglas Bollinger, Shadab Jakati, Muttiah Muralitharan, S. Badrinath, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Anirudha Srikanth, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Joginder Sharma.

Guyana (West Indies):

R Sarwan (C), Devindra Bishoo, Esaun Crandon, Steven Jacobs, S. Chattergoon, Travis Dowlin, Assad Fudadin, Richard Ramdeen, Royston Crandon, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathan Foo, Christopher Barnwell, Lennox Cush, Paul Wintz, Derwin Christian.

Highveld Lions (South Africa):

Alviro Peterson (C), Craig Alexander, Ethan O'Reilly, Neil McKenzie, Jonathan Vandiar, Vaughn van, Jaarsveld, Shane Burger, Richard Cameron, Werner Coetsee, Cliffie Deacon, Zander de Bruyn, Robert Frylinck, Aaron Phangiso, Jean Symes, Thami Tsolekile.

Mumbai Indians (India):

Sachin Tendulkar (C), Zaheer Khan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Lasith Malinga, Harbhajan Singh, Ali Murtuza, Shikhar Dhawan, Jean Paul Duminy, Saurabh Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Ryan McLaren, Kieron Pollard, Rajagopal Sathish, Aditya Tare.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (India):

Anil Kumble (C), Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Nayan Doshi, Dale Steyn, Rahul Dravid, Manish Pandey, Virat Kohli, Ross Taylor, Dillon du Preez, Balachandra Akhil, Jacques Kallis, Cameron White, Robin Uthappa.

South Australian Redbacks (Australia):

Michael Klinger (C), Cullen Bailey, Peter George, Jake Haberfield, Gary Putland, Shaun Tait, Cameron Borgas, Callum Ferguson, Daniel Harris, Daniel Christian, Tom Cooper, Chris Duval, Aaron O'Brien, Tim Ludeman, Graham Manou.

Victorian Bushrangers (Australia):

David Hussey (C), Shane Harwood, Bryce McGain, Clinton McKay, Dirk Nannes, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Aaron Finch, Brad Hodge, Rob Quiney, John Hastings, Andrew McDonald, Glenn Maxwell, Ryan Carters, Matthew Wade.

Warriors (South Africa):

David Jacobs (C), Nicky Boje, Juan Theron, Makhaya Ntini, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Garnett Kruger, Lyall Meyer, Ashwell Prince, Colin Ingram, Craig Thyssen, Arno Jacobs, Jon-Jon Smuts, Johan Botha, Justin Kreusch, Mark Boucher.

Wayamba Elevens (Sri Lanka):

Jehan Mubarak (C), Thisara Perera, Chanaka Welagedara, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis, K. Lokuarachchi, Isuru Udana, Mahela Udawatte, Jeewantha Kulatunga, Mahela Jayawardene, D. Hunukumbura, Farveez Maharoof, S. Karunanayake, Sameera de Zoysa, Kusal Janith Perera.

AMIDST THE match fixing drama being played out in international cricket, the Airtel Champions League is all set to give the fans some respite from unsavoury allegations and dish out some top quality cricket. With hardly a week to go for Champions League T20 to begin, the teams have started to land in South Africa but they are also suffering a peculiar handicap as some of the key players will be missing in action due to various reasons.

The Central Stags from New Zealand landed in Johannesburg Thursday evening while the matches get underway from next Friday. On the first day of the tournament, Mumbai Indians will be pitched against Highveld Lions from South Africa at the Wanderers which is also Lions' home turf.

However, Stags will be devoid of their two important players, Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram. Taylor has opted to play for his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore while Oram is recuperating an injured knee. Central Stags being the New Zealand champions has previously won HRV Cup,  when with the help of Taylor they managed to crush Auckland. Taylor had smashed 80 off 30 balls. Stags play against IPL-3 winners Chennai Super Kings at Kingsmead in Durban.

Stags are the second team that has arrived in South Africa after Mumbai Indians. The latter have been put up in Durban.

Post the spot fixing scandal that has taken the cricketing world by storm, the Indian IPL franchises are under a lot of pressure as they were not able to put up a good show in the previous versions of this tournament. Royal Challengers Bangalore will miss key players like Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan and same goes with Chennai Super Kings as they will have to face the opponents without Andrew Flintoff.

On the more glamorous front, Champions League T20 roped in Indian mega star Amitabh Bachchan as their brand ambassador. The promotion has already created a stir amongst the people and they cannot stop raving about it.

Injury-plagued New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out of next month’s Champions League Twenty20 in South Africa as he is undergoing knee surgery next week.

Oram will not be available for New Zealand Twenty20 champion side Central Districts for the Champions League Twenty20, which starts on September 10 in Johannesburg.

Central Districts had already been hit hard after they lost Ross Taylor to Royal Challengers Bangalore though they got USD 2, 00,000 in exchange.

Oram returned home from Sri Lanka on Wednesday after aggravating his knee injury, which he first suffered during the ODI series against Australia in March, during New Zealand’s training ahead of tri-series match against India.

Oram, whose condition would be assessed by New Zealand medical staff for four to six weeks, is hoping to return for the home series against Pakistan in December.

“While I’m gutted to miss the Champions League with the Stags I’m thankful the medical specialist has found the problem now so we can get the right plans in place to get it right,” Oram said in a statement.

“I’ve been told that I should be realistically targeting the Pakistan homes series at the end of the year, but who knows, if surgery and rehab goes well I may be available for selection before the Indian tour in November.

“It’s frustrating more than anything but I’ve been through this before. I’m confident I can return injury-free following a course of rehabilitation,” Oram said.

Read More >> Champions League Twenty20

What the Indian Premier League started, the Champions League T20 seems bent on completing. First, city loyalties went for a six in the IPL, say when Ishant Sharma played for Kolkata Knight Riders against Delhi Daredevils or when in IPL 1, Zaheer Khan and Robin Uthappa found themselves in 'wrong camps' when Mumbai Indians took on Royal Challengers.

Switch to CLT20 and for city-based clubs, read states, provinces or nations, the prime examples being RCB's trio of Jacques Kallis, Cameron White and Ross Taylor, each of whom could come face to face with their country's champion sides at some stage of the tournament.

Divided by loyalties and united by money wouldn't exactly be the way to describe these worthies. After all, they are professionals and cricket is their livelihood.

And because they are professionals, they will be able to look at their state-mate in the eye and perhaps have a sledge or two to throw at him as well when they clash.

Captains will use to their benefit the extra knowledge these dual citizens provide. "I don't see any issues here," RCB skipper Anil Kumble told TOI. "They are professionals and I am sure there will be no clash of loyalties."

Kumble was confident that he would be able to pick the brains of, say White when they play Victoria Bushrangers or Kallis, when they play the Warriors.

"It happens in the IPL as well. When we play Mumbai, I give my team some extra inputs about Sachin and he does the same about me with his team," explained Kumble. "And yes, you can bet I will be picking the brains of such players that much more."

Actually, in the case of all three - Taylor, Kallis and White - their associations expressed disappointment at having to let them go. But they ultimately chose to honour the players' contracts with the IPL teams.

There will, undoubtedly, be some sort of ribbing from their state-mates when they cross swords. Of course, in a couple of other cases, like that of Mumbai Indians' Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, their task was made simpler when their home team T&T lost in the semis of the Caribbean T20 bash.
That left them to choose between Victoria Bushrangers and South Australian Redbacks respectively, and their IPL teams, which was a no-brainer once MI chose to have them on board.
In that sense, it's certainly easier to decide between two professional engagements rather than have to look at where the heart and perhaps mind is and then think of the money being elsewhere.

Note: Makhaya Ntini and Mark Boucher will turn out for Warriors ( South Africa) as their IPL sides CSK and RCB didn't pick them in their final squad CT: Central Stags; VB: Victoria Bushrangers; SAR: South Australian Redbacks

ICC has made the nominations for this year's ICC cricket award for different categories. Players like Amla, Sehwag, Dhoni, Tendulkar, Bollinger are nominated for the top categories. The nomination is made by a panel chaired by Clive Lloyd also includes former international players Angus Fraser, Matthew Hayden, Ravi Shastri and Duncan Fletcher.
The nominees for different categories are:

Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Michael Clarke (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Ryan Harris (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Jacques Kallis (SA), Morne Morkel (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Daniel Vettori (NZ), AB de Villiers (SA), Shane Watson (Aus)

Test Player of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Mohammad Asif (Pak), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Tamim Iqbal (BD), Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Jacques Kallis (SA), Simon Katich (Aus). Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Thilan Samaraweera (SL), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Dale Steyn (SA), Graeme Swann (Eng), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Shane Watson (Aus)

ODI Player of the Year: Hashim Amla (SA), Doug Bollinger (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind), Tillekeratne Dilshan (SL), Ryan Harris (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), Jacques Kallis (SA), Ricky Ponting (Aus), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), AB de Villiers (SA), Daniel Vettori (NZ), Shane Watson (Aus), Cameron White (Aus)

Emerging Player of the Year: Mohammad Amir (Pak), Umar Akmal (Pak), Tim Bresnan (Eng), Steven Finn (Eng), Shafiul Islam (BD), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Virat Kohli (Ind), Angelo Mathews (SL), Eoin Morgan (Eng), Pragyan Ojha (Ind), Tim Paine (Aus), Wayne Parnell (SA), Kemar Roach (WI), Steven Smith (Aus), Paul Stirling (Ire), David Warner (Aus)

Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: Ashish Bagai (Can), Richie Berrington (Scot), Muddassar Bukhari (Scot), Tom Cooper (Neth), Ryan ten Doeschate (Neth), Trent Johnston (Ire), Kevin O'Brien (Ire), Mohammad Shahzad (Afg), Samiullah Shenwari (Afg), Paul Stirling (Ire)

Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Suleiman Benn (WI) - 4-2-6-4 v Zimbabwe, Port of Spain, 28 Feb 2010; Deandra Dottin (WI Women) - 112 not out (45b, 7x4, 9x6) v South Africa Women, Basseterra, 5 May 2010; Chris Gayle (WI) - 98 (66b, 5x4, 7x6) v India, Bridgetown, 9 May 2010; Michael Hussey (Aus) - 60 not out (24b, 3x4, 5x6) v Pakistan, St Lucia, 14 May 2010; Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 100 (64b, 10x4 4x6) v Zimbabwe, Guyana, 3 May 2010; Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 98 not out (56b 9x4, 4x6) v West Indies, Bridgetown, 7 May 2010; Nuwan Kulasekera (SL) - 3-1-4-3 v New Zealand, Lauderhill, 23 May 2010; Ryan McLaren (Aus) - 3-0-19-5 v West Indies, North Stand, 19 May 2010; Brendon McMcllum (NZ) - 116 not out (56b, 12x4, 8x6) v Australia, Christchurch, 28 Feb 2010; Eoin Morgan (Eng) - 85 not out (45b, 7x4, 5x6) v South Africa, Johannesburg, 13 Nov 2009; Nehemiah Odhiambo (Zim) - 4-0-20-5 v Scotland, Nairobi, 4 Feb 2010; Ellyse Perry (Aus Women) - 4-0-18-3 v New Zealand Women, Barbados, 16 May 2010; Suresh Raina (Ind) - 101 (60b, 9x4, 5x6) v South Africa, St Lucia, 2 May 2010; Darren Sammy (WI) - 3.5-0-26-5 v Zimbabwe, Port of Spain, 28 Feb 2010

Women's Cricketer of the Year: Suzie Bates (NZ), Nicola Browne (NZ), Katherine Brunt (Eng), Sophie Devine (NZ), Jhulan Goswami (Ind), Lydia Greenway (Eng), Sarah McGlashan (NZ), Shelley Nitschke (Aus), Ellyse Perry (Aus), Laura Poulton (Aus) Mithali Raj (Ind), Gouher Sultana (Ind), Stafanie Taylor (WI)

Umpire of the Year: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar, Steve Davis, Asoke de Silva, Billy Doctrove, Marais Erasmus, Ian Gould, Tony Hill, Daryl Harper, Rudi Koertzen, Asad Rauf, Simon Taufel, Rod Tucker.

Airtel Champions league T20 2010 available in Many Languages in across the world

1. Bulgarian

2. Czech

3. Danish

4. English

5. French

6. German

7. Greek

8. Hungarian

9. Italian

10.Polish

11.Romanian

12.Russian

13.Serbian

14.Turkish

15.Swedish

Read More >> Airtel Champions league T20 2010 Schedule

The Champions League T20 2010, commercially known as Airtel Champions leagueTwenty20 is set to start from September 10, 2010 in South Africa. The tournament going to be played with 10 teams from 6 countries. Champions League will start on September 10 and the finals will be sept 26. 10 teams from 6 countries participate which will broadcast all over the world. ESPN Star secured the broadcasting rights for the tournament. ESPNStar's Star Cricket and Star Sports will be showing it live in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, and other different countries.

Here are a list of TV Channels showing Airtel Champions League T20 2010 Live:

Chennai Super Kings Squads : MS Dhoni, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, A Srikkanth, L Balaji, Muttiah Muralitharan, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, Thilan Thushara, Albie Morkel, Matthew Hayden, Joginder Sharma.

Victoria Bushrangers Squads: David Hussey, Ryan Carters, Aaron Finch, Shane Harwood, John Hastings, Brad Hodge, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Clint McKay, Glenn Maxwell, Dirk Nannes, James Pattison, Rob Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade.

Chevrolet Warriors Squads : Davy Jacobs, Ashwell Prince, Colin Ingram, Mark Boucher, Johan Botha, Nicky Boje, Craig Thyssen, Juan Theron, Makhaya Ntini, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Justin Kreusch, Garnett Kruger, Arno Jacobs, Lyall Meyer, Jon Jon Smuts.

Central Districts Squads: Adam Milne, Bevan Griggs, Brad Patton, Brendon Diamanti, Doug Bracewell, George Worker, Jacob Oram, Jamie How, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Matthew Sinclair, Michael Mason, Mitchell McClenaghan, Peter Ingram, Seth Rance, Tim Weston.

 Highveld Lions Squads: Alviro Peterson, Thami Tsolekile, Craig Alexander, Shane Burger, Richard Cameron, Werner Coetsee, Cliffe Deacon, Zander de Bruyn, Robert Frylinck, Neil McKenzie, Ethan O'Rielly, Aaron Phangiso, Jean Symes, Jonathan Vandiar, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.

Mumbai Indians Squads: Shikhar Dhawan, Sachin Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu, Saurabh Tiwary, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, R Sathish, Ali Murtaza, Dhawal Kulkarni, Aditya Tare, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, JP Duminy, Lasith Malinga, Ryan McLaren.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Squads: Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Praveen Kumar, R Vinay Kumar, Virat Kohli, Cameron White, Ross Taylor, Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis, Dillon du Preez, B Akhil, Abhimanyu Mithun, Nayan Doshi.

Wayamba Elevens Squads: Jehan Mubarak, Mahela Udawatte, Mahela Jayawardene, Jeevantha Kulatunga, Kaushal Lokuarachchi, Kushal Janith Perera, Rangana Herath, Chanaka Welegedara, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Thissara Perera, Damitha Hunukumbura, Shalika Karunanayake, Isuru Udana, Sameera Zoysa.

South Australia Squads: Cullen Bailey, Daniel Harris, Graham Manou, Daniel Christian, Gary Putland, Peter George, Callum Ferguson, Michael Klinger, Jake Haberfield, Tim Ludeman, Shaun Tait, Tom Cooper, Chris Duval, Cameron Borgas, Aaron O'Brien, Cullen Bailey.

Guyana Squards: Ramnaresh Sarwan, Royston Crandon, Lennox Crush, Travis Dowlin, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Narsingh Deonarine, Jonathan Foo, Derwin Christian, Christopher Barnwell, Esuan Crandon, Devendra Bishoo, Assad Fudadin, Paul Wintz, Steven Jacobs, Richard Ramdeen.

Read More >> Airtel Champions League Twenty20 2010, Champions League T20, Champions League T20 Latest News

The second edition of the multi-million dollar Champions League Twenty20 was launched here in a glittering function attended by top officials of Cricket South Africa and star players including retired spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

CSA president Dr. Nyoka, secretary Gerald Majola and CLT20 CEO Sundar Raman unveiled the glittering trophy at a city hotel on Tuesday night.

South African players Jean-Paul Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Albie Morkel, Wayne Parnell and Makhya Ntini were also present. Mr. Raman said India will continue to be represented in future by three teams while two teams from Australia and South Africa, the two other founder members, will take part.

“We have a 10-year contract with ESPN Star Sports. The number of matches will remain 23 but regarding the increase in number of teams that is the decision of CLT20 council. Three teams from India, two each from South SAfrica and Australia will take part in future tournaments also. The other teams were on invitational basis,” he said.

THE SECOND edition of Airtel Champions League T20 trophy was unveiled in Johannesburg amongst much fanfare and glitterati . The event saw the presence of cricketing wizards like Muttiah Muralitharan and top officials and players from South Africa. The glittering trophy was unveiled by CSA President Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka, secretary Gerald Majola and CLT20 CEO Sundar Raman.

At the ceremony, CSA President, Dr Nyoka said that South Africa was honoured to be hosting the 2010 Airtel Champions League Twenty20. He further stated that the cricket tournament is coming at the right time. Complementing the country's cricketing culture, CLT20 CEO Sundar Raman that South Africans are a sports loving people and it was encouraging to see the support for CLT20.

The event being a star studded affair included players like Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini (Warriors), JP Duminy (Mumbai Indians), Ryan McLaren (Mumbai Indians), Wayne Parnell (Warriors), Justin Kreush (Warriors), Alviro Petersen (Highveld Lions), Jean Symes (Highveld Lions) and Werner Coetsee (Highveld Lions). The players at the launch started with a coaching clinic at a Johannesburg school where the players shared their knowledge and skills with the upcoming players. The children were visibly excited when they received expert guidance on how to tame the game.

On the participating teams, Sundar Raman said the tournament has a 10 year contract with ESPN Star Sports wherein the number of matches will remain 23 but regarding the increase in number of teams that is the decision of CLT20 council. Three teams from India, two each from South Africa and Australia will take part in future tournaments also. The other teams were on invitational basis.

Read More >> Champions League T20, Champions League T20 Schedule

MEGA STAR Amitabh Bachchan has been roped in by ESPN for endorsing the Champions League T20 tournament that will kick start in September. The matches of the league will be held in South Africa.

According to reports, Big B completed the shooting, dubbing and all the necessary things for the advertisement well before the specified time period due to time constraints. Bachchan has posted the details on his profile on Twitter, which he usually does.

The tournament will start from September 10, 2010 and will be held across venues like Durban, Port Elizabeth, Centurion and Johannesburg. In the past, South Africa had successfully hosted IPL in 2009 and FIFA World Cup in 2010.

Champions League T20 will be held at some of the famous venues that also includes Wanderers Stadium. Now, with all the ten participating teams have been finalised, the teams have been divided into two groups. From India, teams playing in the Champions League T20 include, Mumbai Indians headed by Sachin Tendulkar, Royal Challengers Bangalore headed by Anil Kumble and Chennai Super Kings headed by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Cricket and Bollywood sure go hand in hand. The latest evidence to the above is the roping in of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to endorse ESPN Star Sports for the Champions League T20 tournament, to be held later this year.

The tournament, to be held in South Africa will feature 10 teams who'll play 23 matches across 4 venues. Scheduled to start on 10th September 2010, the Airtel Champions League T20 will bring together domestic leagues from seven nations as they vie for the top spot with the winner taking home close to USD 2.5 million dollars.

While this isn't the first time Bollywood blends with cricket (anyone following the IPL is sure to know this), it surely is the first time for Big B, the 67 year old Bollywood veteran actor. On a recent post in his blog, Amitabh announces his deal with ESPN and talks about the "rush and the speed" with which the shooting for his endorsement commenced.

Read More >> Champions League T20, Champions League T20 Schedule

With less than seven months to go before the beginning of the ICC World Cup 2011, its mascot has been unveiled in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo today. The event mascot's name was unveiled in a simple but impressive ceremony at P. Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo on Monday ahead of the third Test between Sri Lanka and India with the presence of all stars including India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena.

The mascot, an elephant, has been named 'Stumpy' after an online selection process that drew proposals from thousands of cricket fans around the world, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said. The lucky winner is to receive a cricket bat signed by the all-star quartet of Dhoni, Tendulkar, Sangakkara and Jayawardena. Stumpy was represented by a real life elephant at the launch in Colombo.

ICC CWC 2011 Tournament Director Prof Shetty who was in Colombo for the launch has said that, with 200 days to go before the opening match, plans in all three host countries, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh were on track.  "The preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 are on course and I'm happy with the progress we have been making," he has said.  At the launch Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has said that winning the Cricket World Cup was his childhood dream.

"The World Cup means everything to us. It is the one point of the cricketing calendar everyone looks forward to and wants to win it. We just have to make sure that we understand how privileged we are to be in that position and carry the hopes and aspirations of so many people," Sangakkara has said.  Sri Lanka is scheduled to hold 12 matches including a semi final at three venues.

Read More >> Airtel T20 Champions League, ICC World Cup

THE TEAMS participating in the recently concluded Champions League, though not national sides reflect a lot on the way the game is played in their nations. The Australians (read New South Wales) won the inaugural tournament and outplayed Trinidad & Tobago in the crunch game.

South Africa was aptly represented by the Cape Cobras, who despite being very good, ‘choked’ in the semi-final. The county sides from England lacked teeth, more of a reflection on the England’s international performance in the shorter versions of the game. The Indian sides did not capitalize on the home advantage and failed to even make it to the semi-finals.

This article is about the way the game is played, it is not the technique of batting or bowling that matters, it is the temperament, style and the approach towards the game. Let us look at the countries first. South Africa and New Zealand are two teams with exceptional fielding ability, above average individuals and great teamwork. It is said that in South Africa, a young cricketer is first taught the basics of fielding and he then moves on to learn batting or bowling. No wonder some of the best fielders come from the rainbow nation.
New Zealand is a team known to make up for their average lineups or team injuries by intelligent tactics, fielding abilities and simply good game sense. The teams from the Caribbean have their own style of playing - cool, hard-hitting but their unpredictable and hard to read expressions always make them a threat and so they were. The Australians play their cricket in a style of their own but they stick to it. They understand that their best cricket comes out when they sledge and admit it openly; prime examples, Shane Warne encouraging his team to sledge during their recent Ashes defeat or Mitchell Johnson sledging to get back in form. Though, probably not the cleanest way to play a sport but they play tough and have their basics in place. They always play the crucial games and the big moments well having already been tried, tested and well groomed in their domestic arena.

Big matches call for big players and Australians have always risen to the occasion. Shane Watson in the business end of Champions Trophy, Adam Gilchrist in WC 2007 final, Ponting and Co. in 2003 WC final are some examples.

Read More >> Airtel T20 Champions League, Champions League T20 Latest Updates

COME SECOND week of September, 2010 and all the cricket crazy fans and people of South Africa will once again witness one of the most awaited championships, ICC Champions League 2010. The championship will begin on September 10^th has Sachin Tendulkar led Mumbai Indians opening against Alviro Petersen led Highveld Lions at Wanderers, Johannesburg.

The 10 teams which have been chosen to play in this tournament will be divided in two groups of 5 each for which they will have to battle it out to reach the finals. Wanderer stadium, one of the best cricket stadiums in the world will also hold the final match. Apart from Wanderers, Durban and Centurion are slated to hold the semi finals on 24^th and 25^th respectively. Wanderers will hold the finals on 26^th September.

The 2010 IPL Champions Chennai Super Kings have been slotted in Group A along with the champions from Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. In Group B, our very own, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will fight it out along with Redback's from South Australia and West Indies, whose representative will be declared in late July.

Prior to the match, BCCI President and Airtel CLT20 Chairman, Shashank Manohar said, “ With 100 international stars qualified to participate through one or more of their Twenty20 teams, fans will be treated to daily battle between the world's best cricketers”.

Incidentally, two or more players have qualified for two or more teams. Some of the players include, Jacques Kallis (Warriors and Royal Challengers Bangalore), Mark Boucher (Warriors and Royal Challengers Bangalore), Makhaya Ntini (Warriors and Chennai Super Kings), Kieron Pollard (South Australian Redbacks and Mumbai Indian), Dwayne Bravo (Victorian Bushrangers and Mumbai Indian) and Cameron White (Victorian Bushrangers and Royal Challengers Bangalore).

Ross Taylor of New Zealand became the first man in the history of CLT20 for having being selected in three teams, Central Stags, Victorian Bushrangers and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Read More >> Airtel T20 Champions League schedule