Mahela to lead Daredevils in T20 Champions League

New Delhi, Sep 14: Virender Sehwag Friday stepped down from captaincy of the Delhi Daredevils and Mahela Jayawardene will now lead the team in the Champions League Twenty20 beginning October 9 in South Africa.

Delhi Daredevils mentor T.A Sekar said that Sehwag's request to relieve him of captaincy for the Champions League has been accepted by the team management.

"Viru told us a few months ago that he wanted to bat freely and suggested that we make Mahela the captain of the side," Sekar said.

Delhi Daredevils have been drawn in Group A with Kolkata Knight Riders, Perth Scorchers, Titans and a qualifier.

Group B has Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Sydney Sixers, Highveld Lions and a qualifier.

The two qualifiers will be spotted from among Trinidad and Tobago, Sialkot Stallions, Uva Next, Yorkshire, Hampshire and Auckland Aces.

The Delhi Daredevils squad includes six overseas cricketers, among them Jayawardene.

Explosive batsmen David Warner, Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor, IPL 2012 Purple Cap winner, paceman Morne Morkel and exciting West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell complete the set of overseas players in the squad of 15.

The squad: Mahela Jayawardene (captain), David Warner, Kevin Pietersen, Ross Taylor, Morne Morkel, Andre Russell, Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Umesh Yadav, Venugopal Rao, Pawan Negi, Naman Ojha (wicket-keeper), Ajit Agarkar, Unmukt Chand and Aavishkar Salvi (as replacement for Varun Aaron).