Indian Cricket League announces the Team Composition for ICL 20s Grand Championship

Indian Cricket League announces the Team Composition for ICL 20s Grand Championship

Mumbai, March 03, 2008: The Indian Cricket League (ICL) today announced the team composition for ICL 20s Grand Championship. The overwhelming response that the ICL has received from the cricket fraternity around the world, has resulted in addition of two new teams, Ahmedabad Rockets & Lahore Badshahs. The eight international standard sides for ICL 20s Grand Champsionship, have the right combination of international & domestic players in all departments of the game.

Announcing the team composition, Mr. Kapil Dev, Chairman-Executive Board, Indian Cricket League (ICL) said, "There has been a significant increase in the player base (both domestic and international players) to strengthen the teams in all departments of the game. A thorough thought process has gone in the selection of the players and the objective has been to strengthen the existing teams and not merely carry out the process of star assortment. The ICL still remains firm in its commitment of providing a platform to promising domestic players to play the game at the highest level and with players who have done the same at the international level of the game."

The eight teams would be led by the following internationally acclaimed players:

1. Mumbai Champs: Brian Lara

2. Chennai Superstars:Stuart Law

3. Kolkata Tigers: Craig Mcmillan

4. Hydrebad Heroes: Chris Harris

5. Delhi Giants: Marvan Attapatu

6. Chandigarh Lions: Chris Cairns

7. Ahmedabad Rockets:Damien Martyn

8. Lahore Badshahs:Inzamam Ul Haq

About the Indian Cricket League (ICL)

The ICL aims to achieve the right combination of international and promising domestic players for every regional team to make ICL as the most competitive domestic league in the country. It involves identifying talented young players from all over India and providing them a platform to harness their cricketing skills to the best of their potential. Another forthcoming initiative of ICL will be to set up a nation-wide infrastructure (cricket academies) equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. These academies will be headed by international & domestic coaches who have revolutionized the game.

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THE INDIAN CRICKET LEAGUE (ICL)'s TEAM PROFILE

Mumbai Champs:

The home of Indian cricket is represented by the Mumbai Champs in the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Led by the legendary Brain Lara, the Champs would look at improving their performance in comparison to their two previous outings at the Indian cricket league. The batting department for the Champs has clicked so far with some high scores in both the inaugural ICL 20s championship & the ICL 50s but it's their bowling which has led them down.

With the inclusion of the fiery West Indian pacer Tino Best and the accurate Michel Kasprowicz, the bowling looks beefed up to take on the competition. With promising all-rounders Robin Morris and Kiran Powar & the inform batsman Dheeraj Jadhav in their line up, the Champs look all set to restore their supremacy in the Indian Cricket League.

Ahmedabad Rockets:

The Rockets represent one of the important cricketing regions (Gujarat) in the ICL. They will look to display their rich cricketing legacy on the ICL platform. The Rocket's batting will be lead by world class stylish batsman Damien Martyn ably supported by the explosive opening bat Wavell Hinds, Murray Goodwin & promising domestic batsmen like Sachin Dholpure, Sriram Sridharan & Anshu Jain.

The Pace battery with Jason Gillespie, Heath Streak & India international Rakesh Patel would surely earn the respect of any batting side. The presence of John Emburey (former England spinner) as coach of the Rocket side will help the spin duo of Abhishek Tamarkar & Sumit Kalia

Chennai Superstars:

Undoubtedly the Kings of league cricket in India, Chennai Superstars have defined new parameters in the twenty over format. The batting revolves around the impressive Ian Harvey, ably supported Hemang Badani, Russel Arnold & Stuart Law. With the inclusion of the internationally acclaimed wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Parore, it will further strengthen the already formidable superstar batting line up. The bowling for the Superstars has been a critical weapon for their winning the first two editions of the ICL in the inaugural ICL20's & the domestic ICL 50's.

A success story of the ICL philosophy, the Superstars bowling firepower displays the successful paring of an international Shabbir Ahmed with the impressive Indian players T Kumran & G Vignesh. In Michael Bevan, the Superstars have a coach who arguably was the best One-Day cricketer of his time. The ICL 20's Grand Championship in March will see the Chennai Superstars trying to maintain their supremacy in the ICL.

Kolkata Tigers:

The city of joy is represented by the spirited Kolkata Tigers. Led by the combative Craig Macmillan who led the Tigers by example during the inaugural tournament held in Panchkula. The Tiger's batting will revolve around captain Macmillan & the two impressive domestic players, Rohan Gavaskar & the prodigal Abhishek Jhunjhunwala.

Their impressive all-rounder player list with the likes of Lance Klusner & Deep Dasgupta will receive a shot in the arm with the inclusion of the hard hitting bowling all-rounder Andre Adams from New Zealand. The bowling attack for the Tigers will be lead by the pacy Nantie Hayward & spinner Upul Chandana ably supported by the impressive domestic left arm pacer Eklak Ahmid .

Delhi Giants:

The Giants boast of maximum players from their lineup in the Top rankings of the ICL stats for both the batting and bowling departments in the recently concluded ICL 50's. Their impressive performance in the previous editions makes the capital city team one of the main contenders for the March edition of the ICL 20s Grand Championship. The Delhi Giant's batting revolves around the Sri-Lankan maestro, Marvan Attapatu ably supported by the impressive JP Yadav, MD Mishra & Abhinav Bali.

The inclusion of attacking left hand opener Avishka Gunawardane & wicket keeper batsman Nic Pothas makes the giant batting lineup the most inform lineup leading to the tournament. Shane Bond's entry into the ICL with the Delhi Giants side will surely stir & shake a few opposition batsmen at the Grand Championship. Bond's partnership with Abid Nabi & spin sensation Ali Murtaza ably supported by the off breaks of the experienced Dale Benkenstien gives the Giant's bowling attack all the right ingredients to breakthrough any opposition batting. With the team at their disposal, the Giants would look to lay their hands on the Grand Championship trophy which they have narrowly missed in the two previous editions.

Lahore Badshahs:

Led by the legendary batsman Inzamam Ul Haq & coached by the combative Mohin Khan, the Badshahs are all set to induct the great India-Pakistan rivalry into the ICL.The batting line up with the explosive opening batsmen Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat & Imran Nazir revolving around the great Inzi makes it a world class spectacle of batting prowess on display for the ICL fans at the ICL 20s Grand Championship.

The pace attack led by the talented MD Sami & Riyaz Afridi , supported by the internationally acclaimed spin trio of Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed & Arshad Khan will present challenge for every opposition batsman. Every time the Badshahs step on the field at the ICL 20s Grand Championship, the fans will surely be treated to the great India-Pakistan rivalry at its best.

Chandigarh Lions:

After a dominant performance in their own backyard in the inaugural ICL 20s tournament at Panchkula, the Lions are one of the formidable sides in the forthcoming Grand Championship. Dinesh Mongia, TP Singh & Chetan Sharma ably supported by their charismatic captain Chris Cairns forms the batting backbone for the Lions.

The inclusion of the solid opening Australian batsman Mathew Elliott into their batting fold is expected to bring consistency to the Lion's bating line up. The bowling led by the accurate Daryll Tuffy, Andrew Hall backed by the all round skills of Cairns & Dinesh Mongia, gives the Lions side a well balanced look.

Hyderabad Heroes:

With a history of producing some of the most stylish batsmen in the game, the Hyderabad Heroes is represented at the ICL by the supremely talented prodigal batsman Ambati Raydu. The strength of the side lies in the internationally acclaimed all-rounders of the likes of Abdul Razaq, Chris Harris & Nick Boje & ideally suited for the twenty over format. The signing of South African international Justin Kemp known for his explosive batting in crunch overs in the international circuit makes him one of the most exciting players plying his trade at the ICL.

With domestic players like left hander Shashank Nag & medium pacer Kaushik Reddy coming good in the recently concluded ICL 50s , the Heroes will prove to be tough opponents for rival sides at the Grand Championship.

Coach: Balvinder Sandhu

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH: JOCK CAMPBELL©

PHYSIOTHERAPIST: TIM BRENNAN

MASSAGE THERAPIST: SUNNI HUGHES

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