Openers Lendl Simmons and Mike Hussey struck commanding fifties to hand Mumbai Indians a resounding 9-wicket win over Sri Lankan outfit Southern Express and keep their team in the hunt for the main draw of the Oppo Champions League Twenty20 in Raipur.
Muhammad Hafeez led from the front with a blazing 67 as Lahore Lions trounced Sri Lanka's Southern Express by 55 runs in their penultimate Oppo Champions League Twenty20 qualifier, in Raipur on Tuesday, to keep alive their chances of making the main draw of the tournament.
Premier New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson showed his prowess in shortest format as his smashing innings powered Northern Knights to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka's Southern Express in a rain-curtailed opening game of the Champions League T20 in Raipur.
Buoyed by their spectacular win over Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of this season's campaign, Kolkata Knight Riders will take on spirited qualifiers Lahore Lions in their second game of the Champions League Twenty20 in Hyderabad on Sunday.
It is time again to return to the shortest format of cricket as leading players, including India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, get ready to represent their respective franchises in the sixth edition of the Champions League T20.
Check out the points table of 2014 Champions League T20 tournament.
Having started their campaign in the Champions League Twenty20 with a loss, Mumbai Indians captain Kieron Pollard conceded that pressure would be on his side as they will have to win their next two matches to make it to the tournament proper.
Riding high on a comfortable win over Dolphins in their last encounter, Chennai Super Kings will look to keep the momentum going when they lock horns with Lahore Lions in the Champions League T20.
After registering a win against Dolphins in the last encounter, Pakistan champions Lahore Lions will go a for the kill to qualify for the semi-final when they lock horns against a formidable Perth Scorchers in the Oppo Champions League T20 in Bangalore.
Defending champions Mumbai Indians paid the price for an indifferent showing and crashed out of the Champions League T20 after being beaten by New Zealand's Northern Knights by six wickets in the final qualifying round match in Raipur, on Tuesday.
On this one issue that touches the raw nerve of Tamil Nadu, Modi had better heed M Karunanidhi's sage words conveying "the desire and appeal of all well-wishers of the nation that Prime Minister Modi should focus on accelerating economic growth and social development" and not, let me add, let his ministers embark on disruptive escapades, says B S Raghavan.