Three cities to host T20 Champions League cricket matches

Organizers for the Twenty20 Champions League picked Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai as venues for the inaugural tournament.

Lalit Modi, chairman of the Champions League board, announced the selections for the Dec. 2-10 event in a statement Thursday.

The Champions League will feature the leading provincial teams from India, Australia, South Africa, England and Pakistan.

The top two teams from the domestic Twenty20 competitions in India, Australia and South Africa will be featured in the US$6-million tournament. One team each from England and Pakistan will complete the lineup.

India will be represented by Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, the champion and losing finalist of the inaugural Indian Premier League played earlier this year.

Western Australia Warriors and Victoria Bushrangers are the Australian teams, while South Africa will send Titans and Dolphins. England is represented by its Twenty20 champion county Middlesex.

Pakistan's entry will be the winner of its domestic Twenty20 championship, which will start on Oct. 4.