"I think Champions League has already been slotted in as part of the FTP [Future Tours Program]," said Mr.Modi, the Indian Cricket Board vice president who is also chairman of the Indian Premier League. For the readers FTP is nothing but ICC'S schedule for mutual tours between test playing nations. Which means CLT20 would be part of the schedule on ICC's calendar which is already packed to the rafters. This schedule will favour the lesser known teams in the tournament. I will explain in detail why I favour those teams in my next column.
"We're working with all the member countries and the ICC, and we have together come out with the dates of the Champions League to benefit everybody," Modi said.
The tournament has now been expanded to 12 teams and includes the domestic champions from the West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, along with teams from India, Australia, South Africa and England.India will have three teams in the competition, while Pakistan do not have a team included, Sailkot Stallions the Pakistani T20 champions will be sorely missed by not only Pakistani fans but also by Indian fans too, Pakistani's bring flair and raw talent to the game, but there is still hope well at least the PCB thinks so,In a Statement: The Pakistan Cricket Board is hoping that an improvement in bilateral relations with India would pave the way for its local Twenty20 champions Sialkot Stallions' participation in the Champions League in October. "If political and diplomatic relations improve before October anything is possible and we can press the Indian board to include our national champions in the league as well," a PCB source said. I think the only way to improve relations is to get Pakistani's on Indian soil, but I am not diplomat its just an thought.
- Representing India in the Champions League will be IPL finalists Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers, and the Delhi Daredevils – who finished top of the IPL standings at the end of the league stage.
- Victoria and New South Wales states qualified from Australia,
- Cape Cobras and Eagles from South Africa,
- Trinidad and Tobago from the West Indies,
- Otago from New Zealand and
- Wayamba from Sri Lankan
Modi said the Champions League Twenty20 was expected to be staged in a different country every year. "We've always envisaged the movement of the Champions League from country to country, and to showcase the best of the best playing in different parts of the world."I think Mr. Modi's vision is to built CLT20 into something similar to UEFA Champions Leauge with homw and away matches, so this move of CLT20 is well thought out by Mr.Modi as always.
Sorry for the typo's in my previous blog it was blogged in a 5 minute break
