Masters Champions League

Masters Champions League (MCL) was a Twenty20 cricket league held in the United Arab Emirates and contested by former international cricketers. It consisted of six teams and the only season of the competition which took place was held in January and February 2016[2] and won by the Gemini Arabians.[3] The MCL received approval for a 10 seasons from the Emirates Cricket Board but faced difficulties before its first season over the status of "retired" international players who were still contracted to other domestic competitions and folded after just one season.[4] Problems were experienced by the league with delays in player payments which almost led to players abandoning the tournament mid-season.[5]

Masters Champions League
Countries United Arab Emirates
AdministratorEmirates Cricket Board
FormatTwenty20
First edition2016
Latest edition2016
Tournament formatRound-robin and knockout
Number of teams6
Current championGemini Arabians
Most runsKumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians) (386)
Most wicketsMuttiah Muralitharan (Gemini Arabians) (15)
Websitewww.mcl2020.com
Masters Champions League 2016
Dates28 January 2016 (2016-01-28) – 13 February 2016 (2016-02-13)[1]
ChampionsGemini Arabians (1st title)
Matches played18
Player of the seriesKumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians)
Most runsKumar Sangakkara (Gemini Arabians) (386)
Most wicketsMuttiah Muralitharan (Gemini Arabians) (15)

2016 Masters Champions League was the Twenty20 cricket tournament that took place from 28 January to 13 February 2016 in Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.[1] The tournament was contested by six teams of fifteen players, all former international cricketers,[2] with the Gemini Arabians defeating the Leo Lions in the final by 16 runs.[6]

History

The tournament was announced by the league's CEO Zafar Shah in June 2015.[7] The league generated some support in the United Arab Emirates, including the official approval from the Emirates Cricket Board. The company operated under the umbrella of the Grand Midwest Group.[8][9]

MCL Governing Body

The MCL governing body included the Chief Operating Officer, Sean Morris (COO), President Abdul Rahman Falaknaz and six others including former international cricketers Allan Border and Graham Gooch and businessman Zafar Shah.[10]

Player auction

Former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis achieved the top bid of the player auction, joining the Libra Legends for US $175,000. Former Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was the second-highest signing, purchased by the Sagittarius Strikers for $170,000. Other players with high bids included former England captain Paul Collingwood ($140,000), Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka ($120,000), West Indies' Brian Lara ($100,000) and Brett Lee of Australia ($100,000).

Teams

The following six franchises participated in the tournament:[11]

Team Captain Icon player
Libra Legends Jacques Kallis Jacques Kallis
Gemini Arabians Virender Sehwag Kumar Sangakkara
Sagittarius Strikers Adam Gilchrist Mahela Jayawardene
Virgo Super Kings Graeme Smith Brett Lee
Capricorn Commanders Paul Collingwood Paul Collingwood
Leo Lions Brian Lara Brian Lara

Venues
United Arab Emirates
Dubai Sharjah
Dubai International Cricket Stadium Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium
Capacity: 25,000 Capacity: 27,000

Standings
Team [12] Pld W L T NR Pts NRR
Gemini Arabians 5500010+1.419
Leo Lions 532006+0.200
Virgo Super Kings 532006-0.280
Sagittarius Strikers 523004+0.716
Capricorn Commanders 523004-0.162
Libra Legends 505000-1.955

Knockout phase
Semifinals Final
      
1 Gemini Arabians 191/5
4 Sagittarius Strikers 181/6
1 Gemini Arabians 130/7
2 Leo Lions 114
2 Leo Lions 139/7
3 Virgo Super Kings 122/9

Semi Finals

The top four teams from the group stage qualified for the semi finals.

Semifinal 1
11 February
19:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Gemini Arabians
191/5 (20 overs)
v
Sagittarius Strikers
181/6 (20 0vers)
Virender Sehwag 83 (50)
Tino Best 3/24 (4 overs)
Mahela Jayawardene 65 (52)
Graham Onions 3/37 (4 overs)
Gemini Arabians won by 10 runs
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Umpires: Peter Hartley (Eng) and Jeremy Lloyds (Eng)
Player of the match: Virender Sehwag (Gemini Arabians)
  • Gemini Arabians won the toss and elected to bat.
Semifinal 2
12 February
19:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Leo Lions
139/7 (20 overs)
v
Virgo Super Kings
122/9 (20 overs)
James Franklin 65* (48)
Brett Lee 3/31 (4 overs)
Graeme Smith 39 (32)
Kyle Jarvis 3/17 (4 overs)
Leo Lions won by 17 runs
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Umpires: Jeremy Lloyds (Eng) and Billy Taylor (Eng)
Player of the match: James Franklin (Leo Lions)
  • Leo Lions won the toss and elected to bat.

Final

The winners of the 2 semi-finals qualified for the final:[13]

Final
13 February
19:30 (D/N)
Scorecard
Gemini Arabians
130/7 (20 overs)
v
Leo Lions
114 (19.3 overs)
Justin Kemp 32* (29)
Scott Styris 2/18 (4 overs)
Hamish Marshall 46 (40)
Naved-ul-Hasan 4/9 (4 overs)
Gemini Arabians won by 16 runs
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Umpires: Steve Davis (Aus) and Graham Lloyd (Eng)
Player of the match: Naved-ul-Hasan (Gemini Arabians)
  • Leo Lions won the toss and elected to field.
  • Gemini Arabians remain undefeated throughout the tournament (won 7 out of 7 matches).

Statistics

Most runs
PlayerTeamInnsRunsAveSRHS100504s6s
Kumar Sangakkara Gemini Arabians738664.33148.4686053417
Virender Sehwag Gemini Arabians631853.00183.81134123218
Mahela Jayawardene Sagittarius Strikers629949.83162.50124123015
James Franklin Leo Lions722055.00118.2765*01610
Ryan ten Doeschate Libra Legends517142.75158.33670299
Source: ESPNcricinfo.com, last updated 13 February 2016

Most wickets
PlayerTeamInnsWktsAveEconBBISR4WI5WI
Muttiah Muralitharan Gemini Arabians61511.066.914/199.610
Kyle Mills Gemini Arabians71215.757.562/1312.500
Kyle Jarvis Leo Lions51113.907.653/1710.900
Fidel Edwards Leo Lions71121.098.924/3314.110
Malinga Bandara Virgo Super Kings61015.206.904/1613.210
Source: ESPNcricinfo.com, last updated 13 February 2016

References
  1. "Masters Champions League 2016 Schedule". mcl2020.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  2. "UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  3. "Masters Champions League - Final". Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  4. Gollapudi, Nagraj; Farooq, Umar (21 January 2016). "ICC weighs in on MCL retirement issue". ESPN cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  5. Dobell, George (3 February 2016). "Payment agreement saves Masters Champions League". ESPN cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  6. "Masters Champions League - Final". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  7. name=launch>"UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. ESPN. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  8. "UAE to host T20 tournament for retired players". Cricinfo. ESPN. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  9. "All you need to know about Masters Champions League (MCL) T20". One India.
  10. "MCL". www.mcl2020.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  11. "Masters Champions League". Archived from the original on 21 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  12. "MASTERS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Point Table". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  13. scorecard
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