Why the IPL teams flopped

Indian Premier League teams simply didn't play well enough to dominate the Champions League T20, or they could be victims of their competition's own success.

That's according to Mumbai Indians batsman Dinesh Karthik and Chennai Super Kings fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus, whose teams were ruled out of the running for the semifinals on Saturday.

With the Kolkata Knight Riders eliminated even earlier, the Delhi Daredevils are the only team in the tournament still flying the IPL flag.

Karthik said the usual excuses did not explain the IPL sides' poor performance.

"If somebody says it's because of a lack of preparation I would say no, because all the teams were here a week before the tournament started," Karthik said.

"We have all acclimatised, so we should put it down to the fact that we haven't played good cricket and that other teams have played better than us.

"SA pitches are a little different to those in India, but the fact that we came a week earlier and got used to them means we shouldn't be complaining.

"They have been good wickets, and good teams should play well on them."

For Hilfenhaus, the rapid spread of T20 events to several countries based on a similar franchise model to the one used by the IPL could be a factor.

"With so many good players around the world and so many good competitions around the world, when you get the best teams together you've got to expect some good cricket and it doesn't matter where those teams come from," Hilfenhaus said.

"Also, it is T20 cricket - results don't necessarily go to the favoured team."

When the Highveld Lions reached the semis by beating Yorkshire by five wickets at the Wanderers on Saturday, the fate of Mumbai and Chennai was sealed and their later match at the same venue was a dead rubber.

"It was disappointing after that result," Hilfenhaus said. "The feeling was probably a little flat during the warm-up, but we had a lot of pride at stake and we knew we would be up for a contest."

CSK won an exciting game by six runs, but all Karthik could think of was Delhi.

"I genuinely believe the Delhi Daredevils are a team well suited to these conditions, and being an Indian team I would love to see them win," he said.

"If Delhi do well it will be a great thing for the CLT20 because you will definitely get a lot of viewers from India watching them pretty keenly, and I will be one of them."