2011 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TWENTY20
CURRENT EDITION
In April of 2009, ICC announced that Pakistan had lost its right to co-host the 2011 World Cup because of concerns about the "uncertain security situation" in the country.
ICC's decision came on the heels of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore one month prior. The PCB estimated that this would lose them $10.5 million.
This figure took account only of the fees of $750,000 per match guaranteed by the ICC. The overall loss to the Pakistani economy were expected to be much greater.
To avoid such a loss Pakistan proposed that South Asia host the 2015 Cricket World Cup and that the 2011 Cricket World Cup be moved to Australia and New Zealand.
This idea was shot down by Pakistan's co-hosts as it wasn't favorable to them. ICC instated Pakistan to still be a co-host and be payed their fees allocated previously.
As a make good Pakistan were awarded the rights to host the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 should the security in the country be improved by the time of the event.
Such was not the case and so ideas for a potential replacement started to float around as early as September 2010, with South Africa and Malaysia being top-runners.
PCB pitched the idea for Pakistan to host Champions League in the UAE. PCB had similarly hosted Australia and the West Indies for bilateral series in the UAE in 2008-09.
By the time the 2011 Champions League Twenty20 rolled around, UAE had already become Pakistan's second home with them playing all of their home matches there.
Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah were chosen as the hosting cities. All matches were to be played in three venues across these three cities with Dubai hosting the final.
12 teams qualified for the 2011 Champions League - exactly as many as the previous year's edition in England. The exact same tournament format was retained as well.
The twelve participants are split into four pools of three, with each team playing the other teams once. Top-two teams from each pool will advance to the knockouts.
All knockout matches are single-leg games, meaning there will be no rematches. There are no placement matches scheduled for the losers of knockout games either.
Winners of the 2008 Champions League Twenty20 - Trinidad & Tobago are set to make their second overall appearance in the league with more or less the same squad.
This will also be the second appearance for 2009's runners-up - South Africa's Cape Cobras, alongside New Zealand's Auckland Aces who first appeared in the 2007 season.
Carlton Cricket Club will appear for the third time in four years. The remaining eight teams will all be playing in their debut edition of the Champions League Twenty20.
Lahore Lions will be representing host nation Pakistan. Rajshahi Rangers will make history by becoming the first Bangladeshi team to participate in the Champions League.
TEAM
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REPRESENTING
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LEAGUE
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APPEARANCE
|| - ▉ MOUNTAINEERS| | - Zimbabwe| | - 2009/10 Standbic Bank 20 Series | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ RAJSHAHI RANGERS| | - Bangladesh| | - 2010 National Cricket League Twenty20 | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ CHENNAI SUPER KINGS| | - India| | - 2010 DLF Indian Premier League | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ HAMPSHIRE ROYALS| | - England| | - 2010 Friends Provident t20 | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ VRA CRICKET CLUB| | - Netherlands| | - 2010 Insinger de Beaufort Twenty20 Cup - | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ BIRATNAGAR| | - Nepal| | - 2010 National Twenty20 League | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ LAHORE LIONS| | - Pakistan| | - 2010/11 Faysal Bank T20 Cup | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ AUCKLAND ACES| | - New Zealand - | | - 2010/11 HRV Cup | | - 2nd| |
| - ▉ SOUTHERN REDBACKS| | - Australia| | - 2010/11 KFC Twenty20 Big Bash | | - 1st| |
| - ▉ TRINIDAD & TOBAGO| | - West Indies| | - 2010/11 Caribbean Twenty20 | | - 2nd| |
| - ▉ CAPE COBRAS| | - South Africa| | - 2011 Standard Bank Pro20 Series | | - 2nd| |
| - ▉ CARLTON CRICKET CLUB - | | - Scotland| | - 2011 Murgitroyd Twenty20 | | - 3rd| |
Massive shoutout to @Life Warrior for Hampshire Royals' main logo