2010 Champions League T20 to have new format

The 2010 Champions league T20 to be played in South Africa will have a new and different format compared to the inaugural edition which was played in India. The new format will see the competing teams divided into two groups of five teams each. The top two teams from each group will go through to the semi finals.

The inaugural season of 2009 had four groups of three teams each. The top two teams from each group advanced to the second round of the tournament. Now this round-robin round determined the semi-finalists. The 2009 season saw 12 teams participating while 2010 season will witness only 10 teams with no team from England participating this year. Despite the decrease in the number of the teams and change in the format of the tournament the total number of matches to be played remains same at 23.

The inaugural match of the 2010 Champions League T20 will be played between Mumbai Indians and South African side Lions at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.  The two groups of the tournaments are Group A and Group B. Group A consists of 2010 IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, Australia's Big Bash champions Victoria, South Africa's Pro Series champions Warriors, as well as Sri Lanka's Wayamba and New Zealand's Central Districts. Group B has Mumbai Indians, Lions from South Africa, South Australia, Royal Challengers Bangalore and a team from the West Indies which will be determined in late July.

The Champions of 2009 Champions League T20, the New South Wales Blues, did not qualify for the 2010 Champions League.

There are a few players who are eligible to play for two teams: Jacques Kallis (Warriors, Bangalore), Mark Boucher (Warriors, Bangalore), Makhaya Ntini (Warriors, Chennai ), Kieron Pollard (South Australia, Mumbai), Dwayne Bravo (Victoria, Mumbai) and Cameron White (Victoria, Bangalore). Ross Taylor of New Zealand is the only player to qualify with three teams - his home province Central Districts, and 'away' teams Victoria and Bangalore.


The rules of Champions League T20 have provisions that if a player chooses to play for an 'away' team rather than his 'home' team (the team from the country he is eligible to represent in international cricket), the 'away' team must pay US$200,000 compensation to the 'home' team. No such compensation will be paid if a player chooses to play for his home team.