It is that time of the year when domestic T20 giants from across the world come together on a single platform. The Champions League, which gets under way here on Saturday night, will see Mumbai Indians face Rajasthan Royals in the opening clash, and the 10 top domestic teams vying for the $6 million prize money over the next two weeks.

In its fourth year, the tournament has already seen two Indian teams emerge winners on past occasions — Chennai Super Kings in 2010, followed by Mumbai in 2011 — and this year’s competition too brings forth strong challenge from the Indian sides.
Besides the two, the Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad — who booked their place after a strong show in the Mohali qualifiers this week — will clash with teams from Australia (two), South Africa (two), and the West Indies and New Zealand (one each).
The fact that defending champions Sydney Sixers failed to qualify this year emphasises the unpredictability of the format.
It’s a new battleground, but there is a lot at stake for both Mumbai and Rajasthan who come face-to-face on Saturday night. Mumbai, who won the Champions League crown before the Indian Premier League, will be eager to continue their strong show under skipper Rohit Sharma. And given that it will be the final appearance of Sachin Tendulkar in a T20 event, it acquires a new dimension.
Rajasthan, the perennial home favourites, will take field having withstood a spate of controversy in the last two months. Skipper Rahul Dravid, who in all probability is playing his last few competitive cricket matches, has kept his chin up and the confidence flows down to his young bunch.
The last encounter between the two teams here — in the sixth edition of the IPL — had an unlikely hero. Royals’ off-spinner Ajit Chandila had accounted for both Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting in one over, putting Mumbai in a spin and handing them an 87-run loss. Chandila is now awaiting the for his alleged involvement in spot-fixing, while main strike bowler S. Sreesanth and all-rounder Ankeet Chavan have been banned for life says a lot about what this team have gone through.
Former Royals’ bowler-turned-bookie Amit Singh is serving a five-year ban, and with medium pacer Siddharth Trivedi banned for an year, it will all come down to utilising their depleted squad to the optimum. That Dravid and coach Paddy Upton are adept at handling such situations is what makes this bunch a favourite on any given day.
The Royals have an impeccable record at home, and were unbeaten in all their eight league games here in this year’s IPL. They may be devoid of big names, but the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, Brad Hodge, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Ashok Menaria and Dishant Yagnik have delivered in testing times.
Mumbai, on the other hand, are a bundle of talent and energy. Sharma’s men managed to last the distance in IPL 2013, getting past twice champions Chennai Super Kings for their first trophy. Pacer Lasith Malinga, the highest wicket-taker in the IPL, though will be missing from action, as also Ricky Ponting — the think-tank decided to drop him due to poor form — but Mumbai’s reservoir is overflowing.
Mitchell Johnson will spearhead the pace attack, while Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha will handle the spin department. The batting runs deep with Dinesh Karthik, Ambati Rayudu, Tendulkar and Sharma, all capable of big knocks.
Teams
Group A: Mumbai Indians, Highveld Lions (South Africa), Perth Scorchers (Australia), Rajasthan Royals, Otago Volts Group B: Chennai Super Kings, Titans (South Africa), Brisbane Heat (Australia), Trinidad & Tobago (West Indies), Sunrisers Hyderabad
Past winners
2012: Sydney Sixers, 2011: Mumbai Indians, 2010: Chennai Super Kings, 2009: New South Wales Blue