Everything you need to know about the 6 MCL teams

The stage is set for the legends of the game to take each other on one more time with the inaugural edition of the Masters Champions League getting underway in the UAE on 28 January 2016. The 6-team event features a host of retired players including some of the true greats of the game.Each of the six teams will take on the other five in the round robin stage and the top four will qualify for the semi-finals. The two venues where the teams will be playing their matches are the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium.The franchises, which have been named after 6 zodiac signs, picked their respective squads at the auction which took place last month. Here’s everything you wanted to know about the different MCL teams:

#1 Gemini Arabians

Owned by: Nalin Khaitan, the captain of Interface cricket team that plays in UAE’s domestic cricket

Captain: Virender Sehwag

Icon Player: Muttiah Muralitharan

Strengths: The Arabians have a batting line-up to envy with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Kumar Sangakkara, Brad Hodge and Richard Levi bolstering their ranks. They also boast of a spin attack of epic proportions with 800-man Muttiah Muralitharan and Pakistani great Saqlain Mushtaq leading the way for them.

Weaknesses: Allrounders may be an area of concern for Gemini Arabians with Justin Kemp and Brad Hodge being the only primary options in the team. Their pace attack also does not look up to the mark.

Opening Game: vs Libra Legends, 28 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Virender Sehwag (c), Brad Hodge, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Jacques Rudolph, Richard Levi, Justin Kemp, Saqlain Mushtaq, Kyle Mills, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan

#2 Capricorn Commanders

Owned by: Sohail Khan, film producer and brother of Bollywood actor Salman Khan

Captain: Paul Collingwood

Icon Player: Paul Collingwood

Strengths: The Capricorn Commanders have some terrific allrounders in their team such as Abdul Razzaq, Andrew Symonds, Ryan McLaren and the skipper himself. The pace attack is also very decent with bowlers like Rory Klienveldt and Ben Laughlin receiving support from the allrounders.

Weaknesses: A very obvious weakness is the fact that they don’t have a strong spin attack with the only spinners being Jeetan Patel, Sunil Joshi and Upul Chandana. Also, the presence of a wicketkeeper with limited batting skills in Geraint Jones may be a slightly worrying factor.

Opening Game: vs Leo Lions, 29 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Andrew Symonds, Paul Collingwood (c), Michael Vaughan, Abdul Razzaq, Ashwell Prince, Ryan McLaren, Geraint Jones (wk), Jeetan Patel, Upul Chandana, Rory Klienveldt, Ben Laughlin

#3 Sagittarius Strikers

Owned by: Ashfaq Sheikh of Orange Limited

Captain: Adam Glichrist

Icon Player: Adam Gilchrist

Strengths: The presence of specialists across all departments is one of the major strengths that the Sagittarius Strikers possess. With batsmen like Jayawardena, Petersen and Trott, wicketkeepers like Gilchrist and Mustard, spinners like Vettori, Hauritz and Mushtaq and pace bowlers like Best, Santokie and Bond, they have quite a brilliant combination.

Weaknesses: The biggest weakness for the Strikers is the absence of a genuine allrounder with Kiwi spinner Daniel Vettori being perhaps the closest option.

Opening Game: vs Virgo Super Kings, 29 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Adam Gilchrist (wk) (c), Mahela Jayawardena, Alviro Petersen, Jonathan Trott, Yasir Hameed, Daniel Vettori, Mushtaq Ahmed, Khurram Khan, Krishmar Santokie, Shane Bond, Tino Best

#4 Leo Lions

Owned by: Manyata Dutt, wife of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt

Captain: Brian Lara

Icon Player: Brian Lara

Strengths: One of the greatest strengths for Leo Lions is the presence of some fine allrounders in the likes of Heath Streak, Scott Styris, James Franklin and Robin Peterson. The batting also has a settled look to it with Brian Lara, Herschelle Gibbs, Brendan Taylor and Hamish Marshall leading the way.

Weaknesses: The Leo Lions spin attack does not pose an impression at least on paper due to the lack of a world-class spinner with Botha, Powar and Peterson being the primary options.

Opening Game: vs Capricorn Commanders, 29 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Herschelle Gibbs, Brian Lara (c), Brendan Taylor (wk), Scott Styris, Hamish Marshall, Heath Streak, Johan Botha, Robin Peterson, Ramesh Powar, Fidel Edwards, Darren Gough

#5 Virgo Super Kings

Owned by: Rhiti Sports, MS Dhoni’s sports management firm

Captain: Graeme Smith

Icon Player: Brett Lee

Strengths: Like a few of the other franchises, the Virgo Super Kings roster also includes a number of proven allrounders such as Azhar Mahmood, Jacob Oram and John Mooney. The pace attack is also quite formidable with Brett Lee and Dirk Nannes being its leaders.

Weaknesses: The lack of quality spinners may turn out to be a major worry for the Super Kings as their best option is former Indian spinner Murali Kartik. Also, both their wicketkeeping options, James Foster and Humayun Farhat, are slightly weaker compared to some other teams.

Opening Game: vs Sagittarius Strikers, 29 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Graeme Smith (c), Neil McKenzie, Mohammad Yousuf, Jonty Rhodes, Owais Shah, Azhar Mahmood, Jacob Oram, James Foster (wk), Brett Lee, Murali Kartik, Dirk Nannes

#6 Libra Legends

Owned by: Popcorn Sports and Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Captain: Sourav Ganguly

Icon Player: Jacques Kallis

Strengths: The Libra Legends have a few quality allrounders in their squad in the likes of Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate and Sean Ervine. Their spin attack can prove to be quite a handful with Graeme Swann and Brad Hogg playing in the same team.

Weaknesses: There is a visible lack of quality in the Libra Legends pace attack with Sidebottom and Butler being the best available for them. They also do not have a formidable wicketkeeper batsman as Chris Read and Ajay Ratra are their two options.

Opening Game: vs Gemini Arabians, 28 January 2016, Dubai

Predicted XI: Sourav Ganguly (c), Michael Lumb, Jacques Kallis, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Taufeeq Umar, Chris Read (wk), Sean Ervine, Graeme Swann, Brad Hogg, Ryan Sidebottom, Ian Butler