ICL announces 20-match tournament schedule

The Indian Cricket League (ICL) has announced the schedule for its inaugural Twenty20 tournament, which will kick off with Delhi Jets taking on Chandigarh Lions on November 30.

The tournament will have a round-robin format, with six teams - Delhi Jets, Chandigarh Lions, Mumbai Champs, Kolkata Tigers, Chennai Superstars and Hyderabad Heroes - vying for a place in the semi-finals. The teams which fail to make the final will compete for the third and fourth spot as well as the fifth and sixth spot.

"The match schedule we have announced offers cricket fans great excitement on all days, starting November 30," Kapil Dev, the chairman of the ICL's executive board, said on Friday (November 23). "We look forward to seeing some fantastic cricket action played by combined pool of some of the best players in the world and fresh cricketing talent in India."

Himanshu Mody, the ICL's project head, spoke about the players who decided to sign up with the ICL, including the likes of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Chris Cairns, and Lance Klusener, along with a host of players from the Indian domestic circuit. "We believe that each of these players, represent the best of cricketing talent in the country and internationally. We will continue to search for further talent with killer instinct that can take India to the next level. We now see the teams that will play in the ICL tournament later this year, finally taking shape."

The tournament will be played at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula, a town near Chandigarh.

Schedule
Nov 30: Chandigarh Lions v Delhi Jets

Dec 1: Chennai Superstars v Kolkata Tigers; Mumbai Champs v Hyderabad Heroes

Dec 2: Delhi Jets v Hyderabad Heroes; Chandigarh Lions v Kolkata Tigers

Dec 3: Mumbai Champs v Chennai Superstars

Dec 5: Hyderbad Heroes v Chandigarh Lions

Dec 7: Mumbai Champs v Delhi Jets

Dec 8: Chennai Superstars v Chandigarh Lions; Delhi Jets v Kolkata Tigers

Dec 9: Hyderabad Heroes v Chennai Superstars; Mumbai Champs v Chandigarh Lions

Dec 10: Mumbai Champs v Kolkata Tigers

Dec 12: Chennai Superstars v Delhi Jets; Hyderbad Heroes v Kolkata Tigers

Dec 14: Semi-final I

Dec 15: 5/6 classification; Semi-final II

Dec 16: 3/4 classification; Final