IPL teams and stars keep CLT20 tournament breathing

In its sixth year of fragile existence, the Champions League T20 has seen a fourth title sponsor, only two countries hosting it and English counties giving it a miss three times.

In its sixth year of fragile existence, the Champions League T20 has seen a fourth title sponsor, only two countries hosting it and English counties giving it a miss three times.

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Apart from the inaugural year when Trinidad and Tobago reached the final, all other finalists have come from India, Australia and South Africa, with an all-IPL title clash happening twice.

Everything points to the fact that the CLT20 would struggle to survive without the IPL teams doing well. Add to it the leverage the IPL teams have over others when it comes to players choosing between a home and away team.

All eight players selected by more than one team have picked the IPL sides over the home ones. Kieron Pollard, who led Barbados Tridents to their title against Guyana Amazon Warriors, had no problem picking Mumbai Indians over his home team.

"It's been happening for years now. You play international cricket and you play club cricket and you play in a league and for this team and that team, so it's something you get accustomed to as an individual and as a professional athlete, so you go with the flow at that point of time. I have always turned out for Mumbai Indians each Champions League, so to answer what causes the decision… it's always been happening this way," said Pollard.

The compensation for every such switch is just $150,000 which the IPL teams are more than happy to pay the teams incurring the 'loss'. But all this makes for a Champions League tournament tilted heavily in favour of the IPL teams, again, not for the first time.