The Champions League T20 in photos
Moments of the Champions League T20
Six editions on, the Champions League T20 continues to polarise opinions. Some steer clear, seeing it as an unwelcome addition in an already packed calendar. Others welcome it, citing more exciting cricket and last-over finishes.
What is undisputed, though, is that the competition has its memorable moments. As early as in the rain-interrupted opening game, Southern Express' Danushka Gunathilaka struggled getting to grips with the frantic pace, and lost his bat in the process•BCCI
Despite coming in as defending champions, Mumbai Indians' fourth-place finish in IPL 2014 meant they had to go through the qualifiers to make the main draw. That task got harder when an 18-ball 38 from Umar Akmal handed Lahore Lions a surprise six-wicket win in Raipur. Mumbai eventually failed to make the main draw•BCCI
Cape Cobras had absolutely no answer to Kane Williamson, who, two months after being banned from bowling in international cricket due to an illegal action, slammed eight fours and five sixes to raise a 48-ball hundred, his first in T20 cricket. Knights' margin of victory could have been well over 33 runs had rain not cut Cobras' innings to just 7.2 overs•BCCI
Their diverse, yet attacking, spin-bowling line-up has been one of the pillars of Knight Riders' winning streak and Lions got a taste of that when they were choked by the likes of Sunil Narine, Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla. Here, Wahab Riaz tries to keep his wicket intact amidst a swarm of close-in fielders•BCCI
Another memorable fielding effort came from Hobart Hurricanes' Ben Laughlin against Knights. Laughlin flew to his right at point and held on to a chance off Anton Devcich. Hurricanes' 86-run thrashing kept their chances of a play-off spot alive•BCCI
Hashim Amla pulled out a sparkling cameo for Cobras against Kings XI Punjab, coming out to open the innings with all guns blazing. He scythed, walloped, thumped, smacked and sliced for five consecutive boundaries but fell at an inopportune time for the side, which eventually lost by seven wickets•BCCI
Having played his part in Knight Riders' unbeaten streak, Andre Russell had plenty of reasons to leap with joy when his side beat Hurricanes to storm into the final and make it 14 consecutive wins•BCCI
Raina produced another audacious innings, smacking an unbeaten 109, his third T20 century, to steer Super Kings to the Champions League title. The chokehold known as the Knight Riders' spin attack, but without Narine, was treated almost disdainfully as the batsman carved sixes down the ground at will to help his side chase down 181 with more than an over to spare•BCCI
While the tournament will rightly be remembered for some stunning grabs, the qualifiers were marked by some dismal fielding. Despite throwing themselves all over the field, the Northern Knights fielders dropped five catches in six overs against Southern Express, but still ended up winning by seven wickets
•BCCI
The next day, though, the team from Pakistan collapsed dramatically. Chasing 171 against Knights, Lions were bundled out for 98 in 18 overs. Saad Nasim top-scored with 58, as none of the other batsmen could make more than 8. However, Lions secured a big win against Express and eventually made it to the main draw along with Knights•BCCI
Most teams wouldn't back themselves to win when they need 12 off two balls, with an economical Robbie Frylinck attacking the blockhole. But not Perth Scorchers. And certainly not Mitchell Marsh.
The Australia allrounder first hit the penultimate ball, a waist-high full-toss, over the leg-side boundary for six, before sealing the game with another big hit over long-on. An unseen Marsh is mobbed in this picture by his delirious team-mates right after that winning blow•BCCI
Dolphins came into the Champions League as South Africa's domestic T20 winners. But like the other team from South Africa, they too struggled. Against them, Suresh Raina's 43-ball 90 lifted the side to 242 for 6 and a 54-run win•BCCI
The first, and only, Super Over of the tournament came between Barbados Tridents and Cobras. Sybrand Engelbrecht was a hero for Cobras despite a fluffed chance in the outfield. His unbeaten 19 took the game into a tie and he then managed to keep himself calm enough and defended Cobras' score of 11 in the Super Over•BCCI
Robin Uthappa unleashed some beautiful drives against Dolphins but wasn't shy of bringing out the lap shot into play during a dominant batting performance that helped the Knight Riders juggernaut chug along to 13 wins•BCCI
A gap of more than 10 overs between his spells meant that Parvinder Awana's hat-trick against Super Kings slipped under the radar for a bit. The bowler got Raina, Pawan Negi and MS Dhoni but a Kings XI batting collapse denied them the chance to set up a repeat of the IPL 2014 final•BCCI
Hunting 158 against Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders were down and out at 51 for 5. Andre Russell and Ryan ten Doeschate, however, had other ideas. The pair clobbered 80 runs from 45 deliveries with such brutality and assertion, that the IPL champions eventually won with an over to spare•BCCI
Two days after being stunned by Williamson, Cobras were blown away by another batting masterclass. Aiden Blizzard hammered 78 off 48 to steal a six-wicket win for Hobart Hurricanes. Cobras, too, had a role to play, having shot themselves in the foot - Blizzard looked to have been caught in the 18th over with Hurricanes still needing 38 from 17, but Vernon Philander had stepped over the line for a no-ball. Blizzard made full use of the reprieve, whacking 26 off eight deliveries to guide the team home with six balls to spare•BCCI
That game between Dolphins and Super Kings, however, is likely to be remembered more for Brendon McCullum's stunning save at the boundary. Trying to save a slog, McCullum jumped up, grabbed the ball but realised he would fall outside the boundary. Almost parallel to the ground, and turning mid-air, McCullum released the ball back over the rope with a flick of his right wrist and then landed smoothly, the left arm taking the weight of his body
For a look at the tournament's Hokey Pokey catches, click here.•BCCI
For a look at the tournament's Hokey Pokey catches, click here.•BCCI
Jonathan Carter went through the full gamut of emotions in that match - the high of an unbeaten century, the nerves of a tie and the utter despondency of failing to see his side through at the end. Tridents lost their next game to Hurricanes, ending their chances of a semi-final spot•BCCI
Like the qualifying stage, Lions left things a bit late as the race for a semi-final spot got tighter. Against Perth Scorchers, they were restricted to 124 for 6, but they almost forced their way into the semi-final when they reduced the opposition to 40 for 6. Mitchell Marsh and Brad Hogg joined hands to thwart the side and no amount of pleading from Mohammad Hafeez helped•BCCI
With relay catches and boundary leaps dominating the Champions League T20, Faf du Plessis took the more rustic, backward tumble while taking a catch against Kings XI•BCCI