Champions League T20 2014 schedule released; KKR to face CSK in opening group match

Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings will face off in the opening group game of 2014 CLT20

In the 2014 Champions League T20 schedule released today, current IPL title holders Kolkata Knight Riders will face two-time IPL champions and 2010 CLT20 winners Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Group Stage in Hyderabad on September 17, 2014.

Held in India, the global T20 franchise tournament will run from September 13 to October 4. Like previous seasons, a qualifying round will be player from September 13-16 before the start of the group matches.

A total of 12 teams will participate in 2014 CLT20, with 10 beginning the Group Stage. 4 teams in qualifiers will compete for 2 slots in the main groups.

In the Qualifying Stage, all teams will face off against each other once, with the top 2 teams qualifying for the Group Stage.

Teams in Group Stage have been divided into two groups, with each team facing 4 other teams in its group once. Top two sides from each group will proceed to semifinals.

The top team from Group A will face the second-ranked team in Group B and vice versa.

Group A:

Kolkata Knight Riders (India)	IPL 2014 winners
Dolphins (South Africa)	Ram Slam T20 winners
Perth Scorchers (Australia)	Big Bash League T20 winners
Chennai Super Kings (India)	3rd place in IPL 2014
Qualifier 1

Group B:

TBD (West Indies)	Winners of 2014 Caribbean Premier League T20
Kings XI Punjab (India)	IPL 2014 runners-up
Hobart Hurricanes (Australia)	Big Bash League T20 runners-up
Cape Cobras (South Africa)	Ram Slam T20 runners-up
Qualifier 2

Teams for Qualifying Stage:

Q1	Lahore Lions (Pakistan)	Faysal Bank T20 Cup winners
Q2	Mumbai Indians (India)	4th place in IPL 2014
Q3	Northern Knights (New Zealand)	HRV Twenty20 winners
Q4	Southern Express (Sri Lanka)	Super 4’s Twenty20 winners

*Q1/Q3 will enter Group A on qualifying for the Group Stage. Q2/Q4 will enter Group B on qualifying for the Group Stage.

**In case both Q1 and Q3 qualify for Group Stage, Q1 will enter Group A and Q3 will enter Group B. If Q2 and Q4 qualify, Q2 will enter Group B and Q4 will enter Group A.

4 venues have been finalised for the tournament - Mohali, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Raipur.

All Qualifying Stage matches will be played in Raipur. Both semifinals will be played in Hyderabad on October 2, followed by the final in Bengaluru on October 4.

"The Group stage matches will be played at Mohali, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Raipur. The Qualifier will be played at Raipur. The CLT20 Governing Council has confirmed the teams that will compete for a total prize money of US $ 6 million," Sanjay Patel, BCCI secretary, said in the CLT20 press release.

Full schedule:

Qualifying Stage:

Northern Knights vs Southern Express	September 13, 4:00 PM, Raipur
Mumbai Indians vs Lahore Lions	September 13, 8:00 PM, Raipur
Northern Knights vs Lahore Lions	September 14, 4:00 PM, Raipur
Mumbai Indians vs Southern Express	September 14, 8:00 PM, Raipur
Southern Express vs Lahore Lions	September 16, 4:00 PM, Raipur
Mumbai Indians vs Northern Knights	September 16, 8:00 PM, Raipur

Group Stage:

Match 1, Group A	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings	September 17, 8:00 PM, Hyderabad
Match 2, Group B	Kings XI Punjab vs Hobart Hurricanes	September 18, 8:00 PM, Mohali
Match 3, Group B	Cape Cobras vs TBD*	September 19, 8:00 PM, Raipur
Match 4, Group A	Dolphins vs Perth Scorchers	September 20, 4:00 PM, Mohali
Match 5, Group B	Kings XI Punjab vs CPL Champions	September 20, 8:00 PM, Mohali
Match 6, Group B	Cape Cobras vs Hobart Hurricanes	September 21, 4:00 PM, Hyderabad
Match 7, Group A	Kolkata Knight Riders vs TBD*	September 21, 8:00 PM, Hyderabad
Match 8, Group A	Dolphins vs Chennai Super Kings	September 22, 8:00 PM, Bengaluru
Match 9, Group B	Hobart Hurricanes vs TBD*	September 23, 8:00 PM, Raipur
Match 10, Group A	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Perth Scorchers	September 24, 8:00 PM, Hyderabad
Match 11, Group A	Chennai Super Kings vs TBD*	September 25, 8:00 PM, Bengaluru
Match 12, Group B	Cape Cobras vs CPL Champions	September 26, 4:00 PM, Mohali
Match 13, Group B	Kings XI Punjab vs TBD*	September 26, 8:00 PM, Mohali
Match 14, Group A	Dolphins vs TBD*	September 27, 4:00 PM, Bengaluru
Match 15, Group A	Perth Scorchers vs Chennai Super Kings	September 27, 8:00 PM, Bengaluru
Match 16, Group B	Hobart Hurricanes vs CPL Champions	September 28, 4:00 PM, Mohali
Match 17, Group B	Kings XI Punjab vs Cape Cobras	September 28, 8:00 PM, Mohali
Match 18, Group A	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Dolphins	September 29, 8:00 PM, Hyderabad
Match 19, Group A	Perth Scorchers vs TBD*	September 30, 4:00 PM, Bengaluru
Match 20, Group B	TBD* vs CPL Champions	September 30, 8:00 PM, Bengaluru

Knockout Stage:

Semifinal 1	A1 vs B2	October 2, 4:00 PM, Hyderabad
Semifinal 2	B1 vs A2	October 2, 8:00 PM, Hyderabad
Final	TBD vs TBD	October 4, 8:00 PM, Bengaluru

If MI qualifies it will be Q2 in the main league and other team will be Q1

If only one IPL team qualifies for semifinal then the team will play 8 pm game

If two IPL teams play in one semifinal then they will play 8 pm game

If three IPL teams reach semis then the semi with two IPL teams will be 8 pm game

Upto 50% off on all IPL merchandise here