KKR, CSK to kick off Champions League T20 on 17 September

Kolkata Knight Riders, winners of the IPL in 2014 and 2012, will take on Chennai Super Kings, winners of the IPL in 2011 and IPL and CLT20 champions in 2010, in the inaugural Group match of the Champions League Twenty20 2014, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad, on 17 September 2014. [caption id=“attachment_1632483” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  KKR, winners of the IPL in 2014 and 2012, will lock horns with CSK, winners of the IPL in 2011 and IPL and CLT20 champions in 2010, in the inaugural Group match of the CLT20. BCCI[/caption] India will host the sixth edition of the world’s premier domestic T20 competition from 13 September 2014 to 4 October 2014. The tournament will follow a format similar to the three previous editions, with a Group Stage preceded by a Qualifier. A total of 29 matches will be played in the competition. The Group Stage will be played from 17 September 2014 to 4 October 2014. It will feature ten teams. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings apart, Group A will comprise Dolphins (winners of South Africa’s domestic T20 competition), Perth Scorchers (Big Bash League winners), and a team from the CLT20 2014 Qualifier. Group B will feature Hobart Hurricanes (Big Bash League runners-up), the winner of the domestic T20 competition in the West Indies, Kings XI Punjab (runners-up in IPL 2014), Cape Cobras (runners-up in South Africa’s domestic T20 competition), and a team from the CLT20 2014 Qualifier. Each side will play the other four in its group once, with the top two sides from each group going through to the semi-finals. “The Group stage matches will be played at Mohali, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Raipur. The Qualifier will be played at Raipur. The CLT20 Governing Council has confirmed the teams that will compete for a total prize money of US $ 6 million,” Sanjay Patel, Hony. Secretary, BCCI, said. The CLT20 2014 Qualifier, to be played from 13 September 2014 to 16 September 2014, will feature four teams – Mumbai Indians (fourth-ranked team in IPL 2014), Northern Knights (winners of New Zealand’s domestic T20 competition), Southern Express (winners of Sri Lanka’s domestic T20 tournament) and Lahore Lions (Pakistan’s domestic T20 competition champions). In the Qualifier, all teams will play each other once, with the top two advancing to the Group Stage. The top team from Group A will play the second-ranked team from Group B, and vice versa, in the semi-finals, both of which will be played at Hyderabad on 2 October 2014. Bengaluru will host the final on 4 October 2014. Group Stage Group A Kolkata Knight Riders Dolphins Perth Scorchers Chennai Super Kings A team from the Qualifier Group B Kings XI Punjab Cape Cobras Hobart Hurricanes Champion side from the West Indies A team from the Qualifier Qualifier Q1 – Lahore Lions Q2 – Mumbai Indians Q3 – Northern Knights Q4 – Southern Express Q1/Q3 will enter Group A if either of them makes it to the Group Stage. Q2/Q4 will enter Group B if either of them makes it to the Group Stage. If Q1 and Q3 both make it to the Group Stage, then Q1 will enter Group A and Q3 will enter Group B. If Q2 and Q4 both make it to the Group Stage, then Q2 will enter Group B and Q4 will enter Group A. About Champions League Twenty20 CLT20 is a sub-committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The tournament is broadcast around the world by Star India Private Limited, who are also the commercial rights holders for the event. Previous winners 2009 - NSW Blues (Australia) 2010 - Chennai Super Kings (India) 2011 - Mumbai Indians (India) 2012 - Sydney Sixers (Australia) 2013 – Mumbai Indians (India) Press release