CLT20 2013: As it happened - Otago Volts beat Faisalabad Wolves by 8 wickets

Otago Volts beat Pakistan T20 champions Faisalabad Wolves in the first qualifier of the Champions League Twenty20. (Scorecard | Commentary)

19:20 (IST): QUOTES -

Faisalabad Wolves skipper Misbah-ul-Haq: They bowled really well. We didn't start well and we were 25-30 runs short. We will have play better than this.

Otago Volts captain Brendon McCullum: It is great to get such a result. We were able to stand up in some of the key moments. It was a good opportunity for everyone. All of them contributed in the win.

18:55 (IST): Brendon McCullum leads from the front to help Otago Volts beat Faisalabad Wolves within 18 overs in the first qualifier in Mohali. McCullum remained not out on 83 while Derek de Boorder scored an unbeaten 30 to see Otago home. Hamish Rutherford chipped in with a useful 25. Earlier, James McMillan, Ian Butler and Jimmy Neesham bagged two wickets apiece to restrict Faisalabad to 139/8.

18:40 (IST): FIFTY! Brendon McCullum slams his sixth half-century in T20s - his first in Champions League Twenty20. Otago Volts 102/2 (14.2 overs) against Faisalabad Wolves (139/8).

18:27 (IST): Brendon McCullum and Derek de Boorder have added 26 runs for the third wicket. Saeed Ajmal keeping things tight but lacks support. Otago Volts 67/2 (11 overs) against Faisalabad Wolves (139/8).

18:05 (IST): WICKET! Saeed Ajmal strikes in his first over. Ajmal keeps it short of length and Hamish Rutherford (24) tries to go over the top but mistimes it to long on and Asif Ali takes a good catch. Otago Volts 41/2 (5.2 overs) against Faisalabad Wolves (139/8).

18:03 (IST): New Zealanders have recovered well after early loss of their opener Neil Broom. Otago Volts 39/1 (5 overs) against Faisalabad Wolves (139/8).

17:42 (IST): WICKET! Just the kind of start Misbah-ul-Haq expected from his strike bowler. Samiullah Khan bowls a good length delivery which nips back in. Neil Broom pokes at it and gets a healthy edge to Khurram Shehzad at first slip. Otago Volts 0/1 (0.2 overs) against Faisalabad Wolves (139/8).

17:30 (IST): That's it! Otago Volts pacers Ian Butler, James McMillan and Jimmy Neesham bag two each to restrict Faisalabad Wolves 139/8 in 20 overs. Misbah-ul-Haq top scored with 46, while Khurram Shehzad hit 27. Khurram and Misbah were involves in a 61-run stand for the fourth wicket.

17:26 (IST): WICKET! Faisalabad lose their seventh wicket. Mohammad Salman makes room to play but eges it to keeper de Boorder off Neil Wagner. Faisalabad Wolves 127/7 (18.5 overs) against Otago Volts.

17:21 (IST): WICKET! Another one bites the dust and this time it's Imran Khalid. Khalid makes room to clear extra cover but fails to go past Wagner. Faisalabad Wolves 117/6 (18 overs) against Otago Volts.

17:14 (IST): WICKET! Ian Butler strikes again to get get the big man Misbah-ul-Haq. The skipper makes room to drive but misses it completely. Middle stump gone! Faisalabad Wolves 108/5 (17 overs) against Otago Volts.

17:06 (IST): WICKET! Ian Butler removes Khurram Shenzad to break the 61-run partnership. Khurram looks to drive it through covers but plays uppishly and straight to Wagner at mid off. Faisalabad Wolves 95/4 (15 overs) against Otago Volts.

17:00 (IST): Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is not letting Nathan McCullum settle. Again he hits the Kiwi bowlers for two sixes and a four. McCullum gives away 18 runs in his second over. Faisalabad Wolves 88/3 (14 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:51 (IST): Faisalabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq takes on Nathan McCullum and sweeps him over mid wicket to hit the first six of the match. Faisalabad Wolves 61/3 (12 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:45 (IST): Faisalabad captain Misbah-ul-Haq has joined Khurram Shehzad in the middle. Spinner Nick Beard comes into the attack. Faisalabad Wolves 45/3 (10 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:33 (IST): WICKET! Faisalabad have lost their third wicket in form of Asif Ali (22). Ali looks to slog Jimmy Neesham but mistimes to long where Nick Beard completes the catch. Faisalabad Wolves 34/3 (7.2 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:31 (IST): Khurram Shehzad and Asif Ali are looking to rebuild Faisalabad innings. The duo has added run-a-ball 22 runs for the third wicket. Faisalabad Wolves 34/2 (7 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:15 (IST): WICKET! James McMillan strikes again and this times he gets rid of Ali Waqas (4). This time McMillan bowls in good length area and Waqas looks to go over the top but ends up top edging it to Hamish Rutherford at mid on. Faisalabad Wolves 12/2 (3.1 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:05 (IST): WICKET! Ammar Mahmood (5) departs. James McMillan keeps it on off and Mahmood drives it uppishly. Neil Broom takes a good low catch. Faisalabad Wolves 5/1 (1.1 overs) against Otago Volts.

16:00 (IST): Faisalabad openers Ammar Mahmood and Ali Waqas are at the crease. Otago pace bowler Ian Butler takes the new ball.

15:50 (IST): Teams -

Faisalabad Wolves: Ali Waqas, Ammar Mahmood, Asif Ali, Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Khurram Shehzad, Imran Khalid, Mohammad Salman (wicketkeeper), Ehsan Adil, Saeed Ajmal, Asad Ali, Samiullah Khan

Otago Volts: Hamish Rutherford, Neil Broom, Brendon McCullum (captain), Aaron Redmond, Jimmy Neesham, Nathan McCullum, Derek de Boorder (wicketkeeper), Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, Nick Beard, James McMillan

15:30 (IST): TOSS! Faisalabad Wolves skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has won the toss and has opted to bat against Brendon McCullum-led Otago Volts at Mohali.

15:15 (IST): The 2013 Champions League Twenty20 will showcase some established stars and some who will play T20s for one final time. Here is a look at the top-10 players to watch out for in the cash-rich tournament.

15:00 (IST): Otago would be desperately hoping that Ravi Bopara, the England all-rounder, does them a favour and turns up for Essex in the English county championship, because that will then mean Ryan ten Doeschate, the Dutch all-rounder, will be available to play for Otago from the second qualification fixture on.

14:45 (IST): Otago are a strong all-round side under Brendon McCullum, inarguably one of the most destructive batsmen in T20 cricket. Experienced and unconventional, McCullum can single-handedly alter the course of a game, but there is more to Otago than just their captain. Aaron Redmond and Hamish Rutherford are equally adept in the shortest version, while there is quality in the bowling department in the shape of Ian Butler, Nathan McCullum and Neil Wagner.

14:25 (IST): Faisalabad Wolves have arrived in a blaze of controversy, none of which is of their own making. Initially denied Indian visas on grounds of security, then hastily moved from Chandigarh to Mohali because they didn't have a Chandigarh-specific visa, they haven't allowed these developments to weaken their spirits. (Read: Faisalabad get all-venue visas)

14:10 (IST): STAT - Most wins and most games in the tournament -

(A) Trinidad and Tobago have won the most number of games in the tournament -- nine games. Indian Premier League giants Chennai Super Kings stand next with eight wins.

(B) IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore have played most games in the tournament -- 15 games and are followed by Trinidad and Tobago. Mumbai Indians and CSK have played 14 games each.

14:00 (IST): The Otago Volts represent the Otago, Southland and North Otago regions in New Zealand. They have been knicknamed Volts since the 1997-98 season. (Team profile)

13:50 (IST): Faisalabad are the second team from Pakistan, after Sialkot Stallions to take part in the Champions League Twenty20. Sialkot played the 2012 tournament in South Africa. (Team profile)

13:36 (IST): Most wickets in the tournament -

Lasith Malinga (24), Moises Henriques (22), Doug Bollinger (22), Dwayne Bravo (21), Ravichandran Ashwin (21) and Alfonso Thomas (20) are the six bowlers who have captured 20-plus wickets in the tournament. Malinga, with 24 wickets, owns the record for most wickets in the tournament. (For more stats, click here)

PREVIEW
The fifth edition of the Champions League Twenty20 is still a few days away - the tournament proper begins only on September 21 - but for the four teams vying for the two remaining slots in the main draw, the six-match qualifying phase beginning today at the PCA Stadium in Mohali is every bit as crucial as the matches in the main tournament.

Not only does making it past the qualifiers mean enhanced financial riches, it also serves to improve the profile of the franchise concerned, both at home and on the global stage.

As such, there is plenty at stake for Otago Volts, the New Zealand domestic Twenty20 champions, their Pakistani counterparts Faisalabad Wolves and Sri Lanka's Kandurata Maroons, as well as Sunrisers Hyderabad, who finished fourth on their IPL debut this year.

Each of the four sides will have to play three matches over four days. Consequently, there is little scope for slip-ups and even lesser time to brood and fret; teams that hit the ground running will always find themselves in a better space, which is precisely why in a format of this nature, it is imperative to get off to a winning start.

Eight teams have earned automatic berths - the top three finishers in the IPL (Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals), the first two in the Australian Big Bash League (Brisbane Heat and Perth Scorchers), the top two in the South African domestic tournament (Highveld Lions and Titans) and Trinidad & Tobago, the Caribbean domestic T20 champions. The top two from the qualifiers will earn the right to challenge the big boys following the round robin, all-play-all league that should throw up exciting action.