Exclusion of Pakistani cricketers from IPL-3 was premeditated: Razzaq

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 3 (ANI): The exclusion of Pakistani cricketers from this year’s Indian Premier League tournament was a premeditated plan, according to all rounder Abdul Razzaq.

Razzaq pointed to his own example as proof that the franchises were under instructions not to bid on any Pakistani players.

“I signed a contract with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in August 2009 so I was already signed up to an IPL team before the 2010 IPL auction took place,” Cricistan.com quoted Razzaq, as saying.

The presence was Pakistani all rounder in the IPL-3 was problematic for those who wanted to ensure that no players from Pakistan took part.

Razzaq was already under contract and they needed to find a way around this. So they convinced him to relinquish his contract with Kolkata and submit his name for the auction, the website reports.

“I had already signed for Kolkata but they told me they wanted to add my name to the auction list. They said that I would be worth a lot more at auction than my current contract. So I signed a waiver on my Kolkata contract and they got what they wanted.

“It was a plan from the start, they didn’t allow any franchises to bid on Pakistani players. You can’t hide these things in the modern world, it’s an open secret that this was a political decision from the Indian government,” Razzaq said.

Razzaq said it’s a shame that the world of sports is being dragged into politics because sport has the power to become a unifying force. (ANI)

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Dalmiya denies important IPL papers were missing

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Describing as ‘most unpleasant’ the Indian Premier League (IPL) controversy that has shaken Indian cricket, Cricket Association of Bengal President Jagmohan Dalmiya Thursday scoffed at allegations that the organisation had received money from questionable sources for hosting the seven IPL matches at the Eden Gardens.

Dalmiya also denied that some of the papers like the Memorandum of Understanding between the CAB and Red Chillies Entertainment which owns Kolkata Knight Riders were found missing during the search and survey operation conducted by the Income Tax Sleuths Wednesday.

‘No paper is missing. We had one duplicate and an orgininal copy of the MOU. Unfortunately, the original of the MOU was not found yesterday (Wednesday). We found it today (Thursday). We will hand it over to the IT people Friday,’ Dalmiya said.

‘A lot of kite-flying and mud-slinging is going on. I will respond to this in three-four days,’ Dalmiya said.

Asked about the IPL crisis, he said: ‘It is most unpleasant. It is the saddest thing to have happened in my entire career as cricket administrator’.

On the CAB receiving cheques of rupees two crore from a Mauritious bank branch, CAB joint secretary Biswarup Dey said: ‘We have received two cheques of Yes Bank, Mumbai branch which we deposited with the SBI, Chowringhee branch here. We have no idea about the source of the money.’

Dalmoya corroborated Dey and countered: ‘When you get your salary from your employers, do you ask where and how they got the money?’

‘We got the money, but we don’t know where it came from. Our parent body is the BCCI. It should know,’ he said.

Dalmiya had a lengthy meeting with a leading tax lawyer at the CAB Thursday evening.

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IT officials search Red Chillies Mumbai office

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, April 22 (IANS) The Income Tax department sleuths Thursday called on Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s company Red Chillies Entertainment to inquire about its dealings and involvement in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

A team of around 10 IT officials Thursday afternoon visited the Khar (western suburb) offices of Red Chillies which has interests in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which Khan co-owns with Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla, an official said.

The search operations Thursday were part of the ongoing IT action against various groups, companies, franchisees and individuals connected with the IPL to trace out suspected financial irregularities in the cricketing event – the third and most controversial season, which draws to a close this week.

Earlier Thursday afternoon, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and IT officials grilled IPL commissioner Lalit Modi on the alleged slush funds from abroad which are believed to have found their way into the IPL.

The IT officials Wednesday evening also questioned Modi briefly after a major action on the IPL’s media partners in north-west Mumbai suburbs.

On Wednesday, the IT raided the premises of Multi Screen Media, Malad, the World Sports Group at Khar and Pat Magnarella Management in Bandra.

This was followed by a top-ranking IT official leaving for New Delhi Thursday to submit a report on the outcome of the investigations into the IPL here over the past one week.

Simultaneously, the ED Mumbai also registered a case against ‘unknown persons’ under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to probe unauthorised transfer of huge foreign funds without permission of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The ED move was prompted by information that huge funds have found their way into the IPL from international tax havens and it would inquire into the root of the IPL finances from dubious sources, officials said.

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Widened IPL probe takes tax officials to Sahara offices

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Amid search operations at the Sahara group offices in Lucknow Thursday, tax officials probing the financial dealings of the Kolkata franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) claimed ‘incriminating evidence’ of irregularities.

Sleuths of the tax administration also questioned once again IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi over alleged irregularities in awarding the broadcasting rights and media rights for the cricketing extravaganza, officials said.

The search at premises of the Sahara group, the franchise for Pune that has its main office in Lucknow, came a day after similar operations across eight cities, covering the IPL, most of its franchises and three event-management and broadcast firms.

Led by industrialist Subroto Roy, the Sahara group — also the official sponsor of the Indian cricket team – had won the franchise for Pune at the latest auction for $370 million.

‘While we purchased the franchisee for the Pune team for Rs.1,702 crore, our operations will actually begin only with IPL Season-IV in 2011,’ Sahara group spokesperson Abhijit Sarkar told reporters in the Uttar Pradesh capital.

‘It is wrong to describe the operation as a raid — this is a survey.’

In Kolkata, the probe by the sleuths of the Directorate of Income Tax Investigation was on the legality of money transfers from tax havens like Mauritius to buy the franchise and the players through auctions.

‘We’ve found incriminating evidence,’ Indian Revenue Service Deputy Director Akhilendu Jadhav said in Kolkata, after the search operations at the offices of the Bengal Cricket Association and Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders.

‘We needed to have a look at certain transactions and we have found whatever we were looking for,’ Jadhav told reporters in the West Bengal capital in the early hours of Friday.

In Mumbai, meanwhile, Modi was questioned for the second time in two days over various issues, including the process involved in awarding the television broadcasting rights and the media contracts to parties.

The 45-minute enquiry was done a day after a team of 50 officials swooped on the offices of Multi Screen Media, World Sports Group and Pat Magnarella Management in Bandra, Khar and Malad suburbs of northwest Mumbai.

Earlier called Sony Entertainment TV, Multi Screen Media has the telecast rights for the IPL T20 cricketing extravaganza for 10 years from 2008 while World Sports Group acquired the global media rights for 10 years for over $1.5 billion.

Pat Magnarella Management is a full-service management, branding and marketing services company, which in the past specialised in the music business and later made a foray into sports as well, officials said.

At the broader level, the probes follow the selective leak by Modi of the names of the Kochi franchise’s owners, resulting in the resignation of Shashi Tharoor as minister of state for external affairs as his friend was given sweat equity in it.

The 10 franchises under scrutiny are Kochi’s Rendezvous Sports, Pune’s Sahara group, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.

Thursday also saw the president of the country’s apex cricket board categorically stating that the meeting of the IPL’s governing council will go ahead April 26 as scheduled in spite of questions raised by Modi.

‘Under the board constitution, the secretary is the convenor of all meetings. Even today I don’t convene a meeting, being the board president,’ Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar said at the headquarters of the board here.

The meeting was convened by BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan in the wake of charges of financial irregularities by IPL and its franchises and a breach of confidentiality by Modi’s selective leaks.

The IPL commissioner then had questioned the legality of the scheduled meeting Wednesday and said only he had the powers to convene it. His camp said there was conflict of interest as Srinivasan-led India Cements owned the Chennai franchise.

(With inputs from our bureaus at Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai and Chennai)

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What makes IPL a rage with women

April 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kolkata, April 22 (IANS) Glamour, business tycoons, Bollywood, drama and a crisp format! It’s a power-packed combo that has helped the Indian Premier League (IPL) draw women fans in huge numbers – even those who otherwise wouldn’t care too much about cricket.

Gone are the days when cricket stadiums during international matches were frequented mainly by men, with a few women seated here and there in the galleries.

Perhaps it was actress Mandira Bedi who started it when she hosted the popular show ‘Extra Innings’ in the 2003 World Cup with Charu Sharma, and arguably lured many women to the gentleman’s game. Lalit Modi’s IPL has only taken the process on the fast forward mode.

Several glamorous women own some of the IPL franchises. Bollywood beauties like Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty are owners of franchises Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals respectively.

From Katrina Kaif – who cheers for liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s Bangalore Royal Challengers – to Juhi Chawla – who is the co-owner of Shah Rukh Khan’s franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – women are becoming associated with the game more than ever before.

Bollywood diva Sameera Reddy confessed that she did not have any interest in the game earlier, but after coming to the Eden Gardens for a match between Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils, she was transformed into a cricket fan.

Sohini Bhattacharya, a management student from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, makes it very clear that she prefers IPL matches to One Day Internationals or Tests.

‘If I’m given an IPL ticket and an ODI or Test match ticket, I would obviously go for the first. The reason is IPL is less time-consuming and entertaining at the same time.

‘In every match you can expect a nail- biting finish. I enjoyed a lot when I went to the Eden Gardens. I would love to go for one more match. It’s worth it!’ said Sohini.

Deepasri Bhattacharya, a second year student of Journalism and Mass Communication, sings the same tune.

‘IPL is fast and fun. Look, life has become very fast nowadays and we cannot spend a whole day watching a cricket match. The X-factor is there in IPL. That’s what attracts the masses and women too!’ smiled the college goer, who has watched several IPL games this season.

‘The best part about IPL is that the home teams have a theme song and we get to dance and party! Just like ‘Korbo lorbo jitbo re’ for KKR!’ said Deepasri.

Some say the off-field controversies associated with IPL – be it the Shashi Tharoor saga or the past opposition to cheerleaders – are almost as dramatic as soap operas, igniting the interest of many women.

Sreelekha Mitra, a Bengali actress, loves the glitz and glamour of IPL. ‘IPL as a package has everything. Bollywood stars from Shah Rukh to Preity and Shilpa are all involved. This boosts its commercial side to a great extent,’ she said.

‘SRK is bringing almost the whole of Bollywood to watch KKR matches and that’s great. Perhaps that’s why women are so interested. The glamour quotient is high and that’s what attracts women.

‘Plus, T20 being a very short affair is another reason. The concept of cheerleaders, all women, is also a reason.’

Of course, there are those who still steadfastly refuse to be lured by the game, never mind the glitz. Actress and dancer Rimjhim Mitra said: ‘No I’m not interested in cricket. So the glamour of IPL has not changed my mind.’

(Debayan Mukherjee can be contacted at dbyn.mukherjee@gmail.com)

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IPL franchises to support Lalit Modi

April 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Apr 21 (ANI): Most of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises continue to support IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi despite the controversies surrounding him.

Royal Challengers Bangalore owner Vijay Mallya and Rajasthan Royals co-owner Shilpa Shetty have openly supported Modi.

Shilpa Shetty said the IPL is Modi’s brainchild.

“I support Lalit as someone who has been part of IPL. It is Lalit”s brainchild. Because of Lalit, IPL happened,” Shetty said.

“If there is something murky happening behind the scenes, I am unaware about it, and in that case, let the law take its own course. However, people should not jump to conclusions. Till you are not proven guilty, you are not guilty,” she added.

Shetty further said that Modi should be credited for his effort to make IPL a global event.

“We must not forget that it was Lalit who made IPL successful in the overseas market. We must give him that credit. It is all because of his efforts that the IPL has become successful across the world,” she said.

Shetty’s statement comes in the wake of recent media reports of an income tax department probe revealing Modi’s silent stake in three IPL teams – the Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab.

Shetty claimed that her team has all legal documents.

“I don”t understand what is happening. Every day, new things are coming out. As far as our (Rajasthan Royal) papers are concerned, we have all legal documents. About the remaining teams, I have no idea. I don”t know who is involved and from where has the money come,” Shetty said.

“As an Indian, I think we all should be proud of IPL. It has generated not just a lot of revenue, but also pride in the sporting space and created job opportunities. IPL has been good in a lot of ways,” she added.

The IPL franchise owners are reportedly, not too keen on the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar taking over as the league”s commissioner.

Owners believe that Manohar may not be the right choice for the post of IPL Commissioner, as matters need to be conducted professionally in the league. (ANI)

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Rampant ball-tampering on in IPL-3 : Akram

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Apr.17 (ANI): Former Pakistan captain and incumbent Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Wasim Akram has said that rampant ball tampering is on in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season- three.

Akram said he has seen many bowlers deliberately rubbing the ball with soil, so that it is difficult to spot for batsmen under lights.

“I won’t name anyone but I have seen quite a few cricketers who have been rubbing mud on the ball and that is also tampering,” Akram said.

“Around the 18th, 19th over in places like Rajasthan, Mumbai or Ahmedabad where there is red soil it is difficult to see the ball under lights and by putting the mud on the ball these players are trying to contain the batsmen or get wickets,” he added.

He also questioned as to how such acts are not noticed either by on-field or television umpires.

“If umpires are not watching then I don’t know who is. In this IPL, umpires should look for players who are putting mud on the ball because you can’t alter the state of the ball with anything,” The News quoted Akram, as saying.

Akram, arguably one of the greatest swing bowlers of his time, however, said that rubbing soil on the ball would not help bowlers to get reverse swing, and also clarified that the act of spinners rubbing their hand in soil before bowling can not be seen as tampering.

“That is different, that is just to get some grip on the ball but here someone is just going berserk rubbing the mud on the ball,” he said. (ANI)

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Harris reminds selectors of T20 worth

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australian paceman Ryan Harris has sent a reminder to selectors about his worth in the Twenty20 arena with a three-wicket man-of-the-match performance for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League.

Left out of Australia’s squad for next month’s ICC World Twenty20 for struggling veteran Brett Lee, Harris claimed a stunning 3 for 18 from his four overs as the Chargers chased down Chennai’s 8 for 138 to win by six wickets with five balls to spare.

Former Test star Andrew Symonds also played his part, finishing with the miserly bowling figures of 1 for 23 before hitting 27 not out off 22 balls, including two sixes, to guide Deccan home.

Among the other Australians, Matthew Hayden made 19 off 18 and Mike Hussey just 8 off 11 for Chennai, with Test paceman Doug Bollinger notching figures of 0 for 31 from three overs.

For Deccan, Adam Gilchrist could manage just 7 from 8 balls.

Deccan’s Tirumalasetti Suman (55) smashed a second straight half-century to lead the Chargers to a second win on the trot after five straight losses.

“Doesn’t happen often (a bowler getting man of the match), does it?” Harris said.

“We have talked about our last five-six overs, our batsmen should have been chasing 35-40 runs less in many matches.

“We have been a bit predictable so we have to mix it up, and the main thing for me is I wasn’t executing the yorker well.

“So that’s something we are still working on.”

Chargers captain Gilchrist said putting back-to-back wins together had been crucial for his seventh-placed side’s finals chances.

“We had to,” he said.

“That’s been an accusation, or suggestion, that we have relied too much on big-name players, and they haven’t done well this time.

“But they have lifted their games, and also the others around them.

“We can win three out of three, we have got to believe we can do it.”

In Saturday’s other match, Royal Challengers Bangalore made 3 for 164 to chase down Kolkata Knight Riders’ 9 for 160 and win by seven wickets with 17 balls to spare.

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Tendulkar steers Mumbai to IPL victory

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

An unbeaten 71 by Indian veteran Sachin Tendulkar has led Mumbai to a seven-wicket win over Kolkata in Monday’s sole Indian Premier League fixture.

Tendulkar smashed 71 off just 48 deliveries, as Mumbai chased down the target of 156 with nine balls remaining in the match.

The Indian great’s innings overshadowed Chris Gayle’s 75 for the Knight Riders as the visitors made 3 for 155 in their 20 overs.

-AAP

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Royals break IPL drought

March 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals have finally won a match in the new Indian Premier League season, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 34 runs at Ahmedabad overnight.

AA Jhunjhunwala top-scored with 45 runs from 36 balls and Adam Voges an unbeaten 37 from 22 as the Royals made 7 for 168 and restricted the Knight Riders to 5 for 134.

In Mumbai, Jacque Kallis struck an unbeaten 66 off 55 balls to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore to a seven-wicket win over the Indians.

Mumbai made 9 for 151 and Bangalore passed the target with five balls remaining.

- AAP

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Delhi Daredevils to lock horns with Chennai Super Kings at Kotla

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar 19 (ANI): Delhi Daredevils will take on Chennai Super Kings at the Feroze Shah Kotla here on Friday in the third edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament.

Both sides will take the field without their respective captains.

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of IPL for 10 days due to an elbow injury. He was hurt by a Shane Bond delivery during their match against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Delhi Daredevils captain Gautam Gambhir too is nursing a hamstring injury that makes him a doubtful starter for today”s match.

Suresh Raina will lead the side in Dhoni”s absence and Dinesh Karthik will lead the Delhi Daredevils. (ANI)

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Injured Dhoni ruled out of IPL-3 for 10 days

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kolkata, March 17 (ANI): Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the skipper of the Chennai Super Kings has been ruled out of the third edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament for ten days due to an elbow injury.

Dhoni was hit on his elbow by a Shane Bond delivery during the match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, which they won convincingly.

However, the team”s coach Stephen Fleming ruled out any major injury adding, “He has gone for an X-ray. I hope that everything is well and it”s just a bruise and nothing more than that.”

Suresh Raina has been appointed the stand-in-skipper for the time Dhoni is out of the squad. He will lead the side in their next match against the Delhi Daredevils to be played at the Ferozshah Kotla on March 19. (ANI)

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Gilchrist, Symonds lead Deccan’s charge

March 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Blazing knocks from Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds have helped the defending champion Deccan Chargers to a 31-run Indian Premier League win over the Chennai Super Kings.

Gilchrist belted 38 off just 17 balls before Symonds cracked 50 from 43 balls to lift the Chargers to 4 for 190 from their 20 overs.

The Super Kings could only manage 9 for 159 in reply, with Symonds completing a fine all-rounder’s display by taking 2 for 29 from three overs.

The convincing victory atoned for the Chargers’ 11-run loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening fixture on Friday night.

- AAP

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Hodge bests Gilly to help upset Chargers

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Brad Hodge made two key plays to help the Kolkata Knight Riders to a shock 11-run win over the defending champion Deccan Chargers in the opening match of the Indian Premier League in Mumbai.

Twenty20 cricket’s all-time leading runscorer, Hodge did the damage with the ball on Friday night.

With Adam Gilchrist in full flight, the Chargers looked good things to reel in the Knight Riders’ 4 for 161 from their 20 overs.

Gilchrist blasted a quickfire half-century – including three fours and three sixes – while sharing a 61-run opening stand with VVS Laxman (22 off 14 balls) to have Deccan cruising at 1 for 99 after 11 overs.

But Hodge made a telling breakthrough in the 12th over, dismissing his former Australian Test team-mate for 54 from 39 balls to slow the Chargers’ run chase.

Then, just as the Chargers looked to be getting back on top, Hodge caught Rohit Sharma at mid-off for 12 to leave the champions at 5 for 128 in the 17th over.

Their momentum stalled, the Chargers could only manage 7 for 150 from their 20 overs, leaving last year’s wooden spooners comfortable winners in the first of 60 IPL matches this tournament.

Earlier, Kolkata – after Gilchrist won the toss and sent them in to bat – recovered from a poor start to post their competitive total.

From a precarious 4 for 31 in the sixth over, Owais Shah (58 off 46) and Angelo Mathews (65 off 46) shared an ultimately match-winning unbeaten 130-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

With the bat, Hodge made 13 off nine balls for the Knight Riders.

- AAP

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Ponting retires from T20 cricket to prolong Test, ODI career

September 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, Sep.7 (ANI): Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from Twenty-Twenty cricket on Monday, citing his desire to keep playing Test and 50-over internationals as the main reason.

Cricket Australia revealed he will remain the captain of the Australian Test and one-day sides but will step away from the international T20 scene.

A formal decision regarding Ponting’s replacement as captain of the Twenty20 side will be made later in the year.

“After much thought and careful consideration I have advised Cricket Australia of my decision to retire from international Twenty20 cricket,” Ponting said in a statement.

“I have also spoken to Andrew Hilditch, Tim Nielsen and Michael Clarke and I feel this decision provides me the opportunity to prolong my Australian Test and one-day career, an opportunity I am extremely determined about.

“As I said after the fifth Test in London, I am hoping to continue playing Test cricket for as long as possible and retiring from the Twenty20 format gives me the best chance of doing this.

“I will now have set periods of rest throughout the Australian summer and while touring which I feel will be very beneficial.”

Ponting said he still intended to play the shortest form of the game for Tasmania in the KFC Big Bash team and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said CA supported Ponting’s decision.

“Needless to say he will be a huge loss to the Twenty20 side but it does present opportunities for the other players and leaders within Australian cricket to gain further experience,” Sutherland said.

“While we have not seen much of Ricky in Australia’s Twenty20 matches in recent times, his innings in the first ever Twenty20 International against New Zealand at Auckland was probably the best innings I have ever seen in the Twenty20 form of the game.” (ANI)

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KKR hunt for new coach: Akram meets SRK in Mumbai

August 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 30(ANI): Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders’ hunt for a new coach continues as former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram met team co-owner Shahrukh Khan at his residence in Mumbai on Sunday.

Akram is one of the leading contenders for the job, while earlier in the day, former India coach Sandip Patil had met Shahrukh.

It is also believed that former India coach John Wright will also take part in franchise’s final round of interviews, and will make a presentation to Shahrukh.

Lalchand Rajput, Ashok Malhotra, Richard Pybus and Michael Bevan have already met the owner.

Akram is known to be close to prospect Knight Riders captain Sourav Ganguly and it is said that a good rapport between the two may seal the deal for Akram. (ANI)

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Pak hypnotist vows to change KKR’s fortunes, writes letter to SRK

August 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Aug.30 (ANI): After having helped the Pakistan cricket team win the ICC World T20 Championship, famous psychotherapist and hypnotist Maqbool ‘Max’ Babri has expressed his interest in holding training sessions for the troubled Indian Premier League (IPL) team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to change its fortunes.

Babri has written a letter to KKR owner Shahrukh Khan and the team’s former captain Sourav Ganguly’s brother, Snehashish Ganguly, expressing his desires to be KKR’s ‘mental’coach and ‘thought manager’ for the third season of the IPL.

“I will very much like to be a part of your team as a thought manager and mind coach. People think I am a magician, but I must confess that I am not a magician but certainly what I do appears to be like magic and transforms people to really excel in what they do and makes them happy and buoyant,” Babri stated in his letter.

Interestingly, Babri had predicted that Pakistan, which was considered underdogs in the tournament, would win the T20 World Cup after spending six days with the team ahead of the event.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had appointed Babri to help players cope up with pressure and perform well in the T20 World Cuo after the team’s dismal show in previous events and lack of international exposure due the refusal of foreign teams to visit Pakistan citing security reasons, The Nation reports.

Babri is regarded highly in the Pakistan team, with former coach Geoff Lawson describing him as a ‘terrific asset’ for the squad. (ANI)

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Oz cricketers Clarke, Johnson may get smaller IPL pay packets

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Aug.29 (ANI): Australian stars such as Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson have been warned that as and when they decide to join the Indian Premier League (IPL), they can expect far smaller wage packages than they would have received by joining for the inaugural tournament.

Clarke has expressed a desire to enter the IPL next year, after refusing to enter the player auction for the first two years – as did Johnson – to focus on their international careers.

But the IPL sides have all filled their international quotas, and new players can only join if the franchises buy out the contracts of rostered players to sign them.

Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharya told the Herald: “Every team has a cap. If I buy out a player, I only have the cap of the player I buy out.”

Teams will hardly be buying out the contracts of their highest-paid stars, therefore Clarke and co. must settle for vastly smaller sums.

“It should be interesting,” Bhattacharya said. “But let’s not forget that a new auction will be held the following year, because the initial one was for three years only. If I were a player, I would give it a good whack [next] year and think I’m going to get a really nice price [the following] year.

“I don’t think a smart player like Michael Clarke would see this on a one-year basis,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bhattacharya, as saying.

Clarke earned the ire of IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for pulling out of the auction last year, and hopes there will be no repercussions.

“I’d definitely like to take part in it at some stage, I just need to work out when’s the right time, and hopefully Lalit will let me play, more importantly,” Clarke said. (ANI)

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Salman Khan ‘interested’ in buying new IPL team

August 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug. 26 (ANI): Salman Khan is reportedly in talks to a stake in the Indian Premier League.

The actor on Wednesday met IPL chairman Lalit Modi here to understand the bidding process.

“Yes, Salman came to see me with the possibility of buying an IPL team. We were just exploring the possibility of what the process would be. And he has been interested for quite a while. He is interested in a new team. He talked to me in the past. I think he is a serious buyer,” Modi said.

Two new IPL teams are to be introduced in 2011. Early reports say Khan is interested in bidding for the Nagpur or Kochi team.

Last year, the average bid was 150 million dollars per team, so Salman will need a serious amount of cash.

Bidding for the new teams will take place in January. The big IPL players will also be back on the market next year.

Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta are the other star owners of IPL teams.

Shah Rukh Khan owns Kolkata Knight Riders, a team that has been at the bottom of the table in both the IPL seasons. The team is co-owned by Juhi Chawla.

Shilpa Shetty took over as co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals in the second season. Preity Zinta was seen cheering her team Kings XI Punjab through both the seasons. (ANI)

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Loss of Zaheer will weaken Indian cricket team, says Ishant Sharma

May 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 28 (ANI): The loss of fast bowler Zaheer Khan could diminish India’s chances of retaining the Twenty20 World Cup.

Such was the view of his team mate and fellow pace bowler Ishant Sharma and he said this while interacting with media persons at a school which he visited here on Wednesday.

This visit to Modern School also happened to a promotional campaign for the ensuing Twenty20 World Cup tournament.

However, the 20-year-old Sharma exuded confidence by contending he can help make up for the absence of an injured Zaheer if he misses the Twenty20 World Cup cricket tournament in England, starting on June 5.

“Obviously, Zaheer Khan would have helped us. I don’t think its good news for the Indian cricket team. He is the senior most of bowlers of the side and he has helped me quite a lot and other fast bowlers in the side. It is going to be a tough time for the Indian fast bowlers,” said Sharma.

Meanwhile, Indian cricket team selectors are waiting for a favourable word from Zaheer who injured his left shoulder while playing in the second edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). He has stayed in South Africa for treatment.

The 30-year-old Zaheer Khan was in superb form alongside Sharma when they helped India win last year’s home Test series against Australia and England and also later in the series in New Zealand in April, this year.

Ishant Sharma also refused to blame captain Brendon McCullum or coach John Buchanan for the debacle of Kolkata Knight Riders in the recent IPL tourney. On the contrary, he attributed it to the team clicking as one.

“I feel it all depends upon the team which plays, be it with any captain or coach. I feel the whole team (Kolkata Knight Riders) didn’t play good cricket and that’s why we lost,” said Sharma.

Yet, the lanky Sharma seemed to be confident of leaving the nightmare behind and look ahead for the Twenty20 World Cup. He had sealed his slot in the Indian squad after he was chosen for the home Test series against Pakistan in late 2007. (ANI)

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