Champions League T20 Betting: Team-by-team guide

Chennai Super Kings 4.131/10
CLT20 win percentage: 58

Strengths: With Srinivasan, their owner, running the world game they are the most powerful franchise . They have twice won the IPL and once the Champions League. Few bat deeper, or better, with McCullum, du Plessis, Raina, Dhoni and Jadeja.

Weaknesses: They haven't won a trophy since 2011. Why? Because their bowling hasn't been strong enough. An injury to Mohit Sharma, top wicket-taker in IPL, is potentially damaging.

Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ashish Nehra, Mithun Manhas, R Ashwin, Ishwar Pandey, Pawan Negi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, John Hastings, Brendon McCullum, Samuel Badree, Faf du Plessis. 

Kolkata Knight Riders 5.39/2
Win percentage: 43

Strengths: IPL winners have twice done the 'double' and Kolkata still have the well-balanced squad which made them such an attractive punting proposition. Robin Uthappa, with 660 runs, was the top runscorer in IPL while Sunil Narine, with 21 wickets, was the second-highest wicket-taker. They have won nine games in a row.

Weaknesses: Motivation. It could be tough for KKR to raise themselves after the pause. With Chennai, Perth and Dolphins in their group it is far from a given they get out of it. No Shakib-al-Hasan, either.

Squad: Gautam Gambhir, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate, Morne Morkel, Pat Cummins, Andre Russell.

Kings XI Punjab 5.49/2
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: This is their first appearance so there should be plenty of enthusiasm. They are also in the easiest-looking group with the Cobras, Hobart, Barbados and probably Mumbai. The Maxwell-Miller-Bailey axis is terrifying for bowlers.

Weaknesses: Kings should probably have won IPL last year but as is often the case, a strength can be a weakness, and they were found wanting when Maxwell lost his form.

Squad: George Bailey, Thisara Perera, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Akshar Patel, Karanveer Singh, L Balaji, Manan Vohra, Mandeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Virender Sehwag, Wriddhiman Saha, Anureet Singh, Parvinder Awana.
 

Mumbai Indians 8.07/1
Win percentage: 59

Strengths: They must qualify and are 1.011/100 to do so, which is ludicrously short. Surely that's a negative? Nope. Mumbai, the holders, have an advantage that they can build momentum and spirit, something lacking in the early rounds of IPL this year. Lasith Malinga is one of the finest death bowlers in the world.

Weaknesses: Rohit Sharma's fractured finger means they are light on batting. Mumbai did not turn their season around until they introduced Lendl Simmons and it now appears they're back to square one.

Squad: Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar, Aditya Tare, Jalaj Saxena, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Gopal, Michael Hussey, Kieron Pollard, Corey Anderson, Lasith Malinga, Marchant de Lange, Lendl Simmons.

Cape Cobras 13.525/2
Win percentage: 50

Strengths: The Cobras were edged out by three runs in the domestic final in South Africa by the Dolphins. They bristle with batting power in Amla, Duminy and Kemp and have wily international stars like Peterson and Philander. 

Weaknesses: Jacques Kallis has chosen to represent KKR and left-armer Beuran Hendricks is out with a back injury. Hendricks was top wicket-taker domestically with 28 victims. 

Squad: Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Justin Kemp, Rory Kleinveldt, Charl Langeveldt, Richard Levi, Aviwe Mgijima, Justin Ontong, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Zakhele Qwabe, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas.

Hobart 13.525/2
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: The runners-up to Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash are a side which leave no stone unturned for success. They are unfashionable but organised, committed and streetwise. Dunk, with his beefy bat, was player of the tournament, and in Hilfenhaus and Bollinger they have two fine pacers.

Weaknesses: It doesn't say much for Hobart's chances that Bailey has decided to represent Kings XI instead. It leaves them with a huge hole to fill at No 4. Hilfenhaus bats way too high at No 7 also. Inexperienced given it's their first CLT20.

Squad: Tim Paine, Jon Wells, Evan Gulbis, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Dom Michael, Sam Rainbird, Travis Birt, Doug Bollinger, Aiden Blizzard, Cameron Boyce, Joe Mennie, Ben Laughlin, Ben Dunk, Shoaib Malik.

Perth 14.013/1
Win percentage: 17

Strengths: Two of the top four runscorers in the Bash in the form of Katich and Simmons. Coulter-Nile, if he can stay fit, is a threat.

Weaknesses: Do they struggle because they find Indian pitches alien to the fast surface at the WACA? Probably.

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

Barbados 17.533/2
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: As underdogs they have an opportunity to create a spirit, or siege mentality, that counts for an awful lot. They will be loved by the crowds, too, who remember Trinidad and Tobago's fine record in the tournament. They are in Group B, too, so will feel they are in with a shout.

Weaknesses: It's wrong to compare them to T&T because they don't have their quality. If only Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Smith had picked them instead of Mumbai and Chennai respectively.

Squads: Shane Dowrich, Jeevan Mendis, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Jonathan Carter, Neil Mckenzie, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul, Rayad Emrit, Raymon Reifer, Kyle Mayers, William Perkins, James Franklin, Elton Chigumbura, Dilshan Munaweera.

Dolphins 19.537/2
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: You might not have heard much about Cody Chetty, Morne van Wyck and Cameron Delport  but they all hit big runs at strike rates of 120 or more. 

Weaknesses: They have lost the services of Miller to Kings. Miller was instrumental in their run to the title in South Africa. 

Squad: Daryn Smit, Daryn Dupavillon, Cody Chetty, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Khayelihle Zondo, Robbie Frylinck, Morne van Wyk, Kyle Abbott, Craig Alexander, Jonathan Vandiar, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Cameron Delport, Andile Phehlukwayo, Sibonelo Makhanya
 

Northern Districts 22.021/1
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: They look underrated for the simple reason that they are unfashionable Kiwis. Boult, Southee and Williamson are serious players and they should qualify.

Weaknesses: They have lost Vettori this last week due to family problems. Anderson also left them for Mumbai. A great shame as they could have been stonking value.

Squad: Ish Sodhi, Jono Boult, Brad Wilson, Kane Williamson, Daniel Flynn, BJ Watling, Graeme Aldridge, Anton Devcich, Tim Southee, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Daniel Harris, Scott Styris, Trent Boult.

Southern Express 24.023/1
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: The quality is there in the form of Mubarak, Maharoof and Dilshan to get them out of qualifying. 

Weaknesses: Malinga has chosen to play for Mumbai - a savage blow. 

Squad: Kusal Perera, Danushka Gunatilake, Angelo Perera, Jehan Mubarak, Niroshan Dickwella, Dilruwan Perera, Seekuge Prasanna, Ishan Jayaratne, Farveez Maharoof, Kasun Madushanka, Yasoda Lanka, Charith Jayampathi, Sachith Pathirana, Sandaken Lakshen, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Lahore Lions 25.024/1
Win percentage: n/a

Strengths: Well, they've been allowed into the country, which is a first. Mohammad Hafeez is a wily campaigner and Nasir Jamshed an exciting opener when he fancies it. 

Weaknesses: Have to qualify and they lack players with the x factor.

Squad: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Umar Siddique Khan, Mohammad Umar Akmal, Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Salman Ali, Asif Raza, Mohammad Mustafa Iqbal, Wahab Riaz, Aizaz Cheema, Imran Ali, Saad Naseem, Adnan Rasool, Mohammad Saeed, Ali Manzoor