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After the 50-over Champions Trophy cricket, it's now the turn of the shortest version of the game to take to the world stage.
The inaugural Champions League Twenty20 is all set for off tomorrow with 12 of the world's best club teams battling it out for a record prize money pool of $6 million (BD2.26 million), including a winners' share of $2.5 million.
"This is the single largest prize money pool in any cricket tournament so far," said the tournament's chairman Lalit Modi before unveiling the glittering 1.5-foot tall diamond-studded trophy in Mumbai.
The runners-up in the 16-day tournament are to receive $1.3 million while the losing semi-finalists would get richer by $500,000 each. Teams ending up in positions five to eight would get $200,000 each and those finishing in the bottom four would pocket $100,000 apiece, it was announced.
"A hundred top cricketers of the world would be seen in action. The opening ceremony would be held at Bangalore on October 7. We have put top class security measures in place with the involvement of the governments and city authorities," said Modi.
IPL champions Deccan Chargers, led by the indomitable Adam Gilchrist, look to be the favourites after their strong showing in the event held in South Africa. They have no injury worries and with most of their overseas players not having figured much in the international arena, should be raring to have a go at the title.
But Victoria's star batsman David Hussey believes Delhi Daredevils are the favourites. They play their opening match of the competition in Delhi against the Daredevils, whose squad includes destructive Twenty20 batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan, as well as the wily spinners Daniel Vettori and Amit Mishra
IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore have six overseas players in their ranks but with New Zealand's Jesse Ryder on the injured list, which he suffered during the Champions Trophy, they can call on only five of them.
Daredevils, will be boosted by charismatic stroke-player Virender Sehwag, who returned to action this week for the first time after the shoulder injury, which he picked up during IPL 2. They will be led by Test Player of the Year award-winner Gautam Gambhir but will be missing star South African batsman AB de Villiers who will be out of cricket for upto six weeks due to a severe left lumbar spasm.
Another player of note who will miss the tournament is South African skipper Graeme Smith who was to turn out for the Cape Cobras.
Among the other teams are two each from Australia (New South Wales and Victoria), England (Somerset and Sussex) and South Africa (Cape Cobras and Eagles) and one each from New Zealand (Otago), Sri Lanka (Wayamba) and West Indies (Trinidad & Tobago).
Pakistan's cricket authorities have said they weren't contacted at all with regard to their ouster from the pool of teams, a further worrying indicator of their increasing isolation in world cricket.
Modi was quoted as saying: "Unfortunately, the Pakistan government won't give them (the players) clearance to come to India, and since Saturday was our cut-off date, it's not possible to have a team from Pakistan this year."
