June 09, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1429

LONDON, June 8: A Twenty20 Champions League involving eight teams playing 15 matches will be staged this year either in India or the Middle East, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Saturday.

The competition, which follows the successful launch of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, will feature two teams each from India, England, Australia and South Africa.

An ECB statement said the winners of the tournament, to be played over 10 days in late September and early October, would receive $5 million.

Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings from India, the Titans from Pretoria and KwaZulu Natal Dolphins representing South Africa and Western Australian and Victoria from Australia will take part. The finalists of England’s Twenty20 competition will complete the line-up.

“We are extremely grateful to our great friends from Australia, India and South Africa for their hard work and determination to get this tournament off the ground,” ECB chairman Giles Clarke said in a statement.

“We are already aware of a number of broadcast and commercial partners who are anxious to become involved with cricket’s latest exciting venture.”

Meanwhile, Australia’s international cricketers will miss the inaugural edition year due to touring commitments, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Sunday.

Australia’s internationals, however, are committed to playing in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and to a tour of India, CA chief executive James Sutherland told reporters.

“I think leading into the Test series which starts in the first week of October, it is unlikely that any of our Test players are able to play,” Sutherland said.

Sutherland added he hoped the competition would become an annual event as Twenty20 was used to attract new fans to both Test and one-day cricket.

“Test cricket is strong but I think we can make it stronger around the world,” he added.

—Reuters