After a spectacular ICC Champions Trophy 2009, the focus of the cricketing world now shifts to the Twenty20 format and the first ever international club competition.

The much anticipated Champions League T20 has had its share of troubles ever since it had to be cancelled last December following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, but now, eleven months later, it is finally here amidst much hype and expectation. The excitement is understandable because the tournament has all the makings of a blockbuster - Twelve top T20 teams from seven cricketing nations all vying for the ultimate prize of $2.5 million and the pride of being crowned the first ever T20 champions of champions. boucher_kohli_brc.jpgThe Champions League is an offshoot of the highly successful Indian Premier League and so it was but natural that India would host the first of its kind competition with the home cities of the three participating Indian teams, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad being chosen as the venues. The event kicks off on Thursday, 8th October in Bangalore with the opening match between the home team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and the Cape Cobras. And it will culminate 16 days later on the 23rd of October with the final in Hyderabad. The League format looks short and sweet and no doubt adds to the appeal of the tournament. For the initial stage, the teams have been divided into four groups of three teams each of which the top two teams from each group will progress. These teams will then compete in the league stage to determine the four semi-finalists who will fight for a place in the final. The most exciting aspect of the inaugural CLT20 is the wealth of talent that the twelve participating teams bring to the cricket pitch. The sides are all at the top of their game on their country's domestic circuits - the two T20 finalists from South Africa, Australia and England, the T20 champions from West Indies, New Zealand and Sri Lanka and of course the three top teams from IPL 2009. The teams are a heady concoction of the best international players in the business, exciting new talent and some legendary veterans.