Dolphins vs. Perth Scorchers: CLT20 Date, Live Stream, TV Info, Preview

The Perth Scorchers from Australia and the Dolphins of South Africa begin their Champions League Twenty20 campaign in Mohali on Saturday.

Venue: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Dates: Saturday, September 20

Start time: 11:30 a.m. BST (4 p.m. local time)

TV and live stream: STAR Cricket (India), Ten Sports/PTV Sports (Pakistan), SuperSport (South Africa), Eurosport (UK/Europe), Sky TV (New Zealand), Network Ten/Fox (Australia), CSN/Star Cricket (Sri Lanka), Star Cricket (Bangladesh), ESPN (USA and Caribbean), Willow Cricket (USA)

Weather:  It's going to be hot and humid in Chandigarh on Saturday, and, as it stands, there's no chance of a thunderstorm, according to AccuWeather.com. That's good news for the players since rain is common this time of the year in India.

Overview

The Dolphins are the quintessential underdog of the Champions League T20. With very few international players in their midst and having lost their gun player, David Miller, to his IPL franchise, the South African side are in for a bumpy ride.

The Perth Scorchers don't have it much better. Adam Voges, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Brad Hogg are the most recognised names, but they also lack a real "star" player.

It’s precisely these kinds of matchups that make the Champions League T20 so much fun. The Dolphins feature a plethora of domestic talent who have never had the opportunity to play on a stage this big. Because both teams are so heavily dependent on their domestic talent, they are fairly evenly matched.

Perth do have the advantage of having taken part in the last three editions of the Champions League T20, though. Two of those have been played in India, so their players have had a taste of what it’s like to have played on these tracks.

However, Mohali is far more friendly to pace bowlers than other venues in India, which is something that puts both teams back on level pegging. With the weather having been given an all clear, it should be a tight contest between the two sides.

Key players

Dolphins

Kyle Abbott's ability to swing and seam the ball will be a key part of the Dolphins' strategy. His international experience and his experience at keeping the run-rate tidy will be crucial.

Scorchers

Brad Hogg might be in his 40s, but he remains one of the most reliable bowlers in the T20 format. He's fresh off a stint in the Caribbean Premier League, so he's not short on match practice, something that will be a massive advantage. 

Squads

Dolphins

Morne van Wyk (c&wk), Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Jonathan Vandiar, Kyle Abbott, Cody Chetty, Daryn Smit, Daryn Dupavillon, Khaya Zondo, Andile Phelukwayo, Cameron Delport, Robbie Frylinck, Keshav Maharaj, Sibonelo Makhanya, Prenelan Subrayen, Craig Alexander

Scorchers

Adam Voges (c), Cameron Bancroft (wk), Brad Hogg, Mitchell Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Craig Simmons, Ashton Turner, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Yasir Arafat, Sam Whiteman (wk), Hilton Cartwright, Joel Paris, Michael Beer, Simon Mackin