Kallis, Pollard opt for IPL teams in CLT20

All the players named by more than two teams for the Champions League Twenty20, including South African legend Jacques Kallis and West Indian dasher Kieron Pollard, have opted for their IPL franchises instead of their domestic teams.

"Eight players scheduled to take part in the competition were in high demand after being named in more than one squad, after their respective Twenty20 clubs from around the world qualified for the tournament," according to the CLT20 organisers.

The tournament will be played in India from September 13 to October 4.

Champions League T20 2013

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Explaining the process for deciding which teams these players will represent, Dean Kino, CLT20 Governing Council member and Director of Legal and Business Affairs, said like previous seasons, the IPL franchises will have to financially compensate the teams that the players have left.

"Like previous seasons, players who have been named by more than one team have been asked to nominate which side they are going to represent. Players are free to make any decision they wish. Teams are then allowed to replace any player that has withdrawn from their squad and elected to play for another side," he said.

"CLT20 regulations state that when a player elects to play for their 'away' team, that team must pay the 'home' team $150,000 compensation per player. A 'home' team is classified as a team from the country a player is eligible to represent in international cricket," he added.

Therefore, New Zealand's rising star Corey Anderson will play for Mumbai Indians, while Australia's George Bailey will turn up for IPL 7 runners-up Kings XI Punjab.

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Kallis has opted for IPL 7 champions Kolkata Knight Riders instead of Cape Cobras, while Pollard and Lasith Malinga have gone with defending champions Mumbai Indians, who have to go through the qualifier after finishing fourth in the seventh edition of the IPL.

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 September 17 to October 4. It will feature 10 teams. The Qualifier will be played from September 13 to September 16.

At the Group stage, 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.

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 October 2.

Bengaluru will host the final on October 4.

The groups:

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, Barbados Tridents, A team from the Qualifier.

Qualifier: Q1 – Lahore Lions, Q2 – Mumbai Indians, Q3 – Northern Knights, Q4 – Southern Express.

Champions League T20 2013