IPLsutra: The Indian Premier League Blog

Rajasthan Royals needed the glamour quotient: Shilpa Shetty

2009-02-06T02:19:00.002-08:00

In the headlines for buying stakes in the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals with boyfriend Raj Kundra, Shilpa Shetty admits candidly that she has joined in to add glamour to the team and not because of her business acumen.

"Well I am not going to bullshit myself into believing I've been brought in for my business acumen. The team had it all. They needed the glamour quotient and for that I am here," Shilpa told IANS.

"But please, I am not going to be one of the pom-pom girls on the field, if that's what the spectators expect. I'm certainly not going to be the eye candy of the venture," she added.

Shilpa and London-based businessman Kundra Tuesday bought a 12 percent stake in Rajasthan Royals.

Asked her where her glamour quotient will be used, she said: "In the music video, to begin with. Our next move is to shoot a music video. We want it to be the slickest and the best. Of course, I'll be in it. Isn't that a given?"

Excerpts:

Q: Now that you are part-owner of the Rajasthan Royals what plans do you have for the team?

A: If you're asking me this to find out how keenly I'm interested in this new venture then let me tell you I'm hands on into it. When Raj Kundra and and I decided to take the plunge into the IPL, we did it with our eyes open and after much deliberation. In hindsight, it appears uncanny because among all the IPL teams I've always felt the most connected with the Rajasthan Royals.

Q: What would your contribution to the team be?

A: Well I am not going to bullshit myself into believing I've been brought in for my business acumen. The team had it all. They needed the glamour quotient and for that I am here. But please, I am not going to be one of the pom-pom girls on the field, if that's what the spectators expect. I'm certainly not going to be the eye candy of the venture.

Q: So where will your glamour quotient come in?

A: In the music video, to begin with. Our next move is to shoot a music video. We want it to be the slickest and the best. Of course, I'll be in it. Isn't that a given? I've so many commitment in the coming months including my two films Sunny Deol's "The Man" and R. Sarath's "Desire" to complete. I'm not signing films crazily. So I can devote the time I want for the IPL.

Q: So you're ready to bounce again?

A: (Laughs) You could say that. Doing it for my own venture would be a pleasure.

Q: Will Raj direct the music video?

A: Ah, that would be telling. Let's see. Raj is a crazy cricket fan. And why shouldn't he be? He's an Indian who lives in England. All Indian men are crazy about cricket. And everyone knows cricket was born in England. So Raj has a double reason to buy a part of the IPL.

Q: What about you?

A: I love cricket. I've inherited it from my father who's the craziest cricket fan I've ever met. The Rajasthan Royals is my gift to my father.

Q: I thought it was Raj's Valentine gift for you?

A: Please! I'm sure there're other gifts awaiting me for Valentine's Day.

Q: Like a marriage proposal?

A: That's mine for the asking anytime. Now that Raj is shifting business interests in India we just need to find the right moment to take the plunge.

Q: The Bollywood-cricket merger seems to be expanding?

A: It had to be that way. Shah Rukh Khan and then Preity Zinta went for the IPL. For me, the right moment to do so was when Raj was ready for it. Now I must make sure I've enough time to devote to the Rajasthan Royals. I'll be there for their first match in March and all subsequent matches. Yeh mera vada hai (I promise that).

Final list of players sold in IPL auction

2009-02-06T02:19:00.001-08:00

The following is the list of 16 players sold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction here Friday:

Sixteen out of the available 17 slots were bought by the eight IPL franchisees in the auction that lasted a little over two hours.

Players-Country-Team-Price

Kevin Pietersen (England) Bangalore Royal Challengers, $1.55 million
Andrew Flintoff (England) Chennai Super Kings, $1.55 million
Jean-Paul Duminy (South Africa) Mumbai Indians, $950,000
Shaun Tait (Australia) Rajasthan Royals, $375,000
Fidel Edwards (West Indies) Deccan Chargers $150,000
Paul Collingwood (England) Delhi Daredevils, $275,000
Owais Shah (England) Delhi Daredevils, $275,000
Ravi Bopara (England) Kings XI Punjab, $450,000
Tyron Henderson (South Africa) Rajasthan Royals, $650,000
Thilan Thusara (Sri Lanka) Chennai Super Kings, $140,000
Jesse Ryder (New Zealand) Bangalore Royal Challengers, $160,000
Kyle Mills (New Zealand) Mumbai Indians, $150,000
Jerome Taylor (West Indies), Kings XI Punjab, $150,000
George Bailey (Australia) Chennai Super Kings, $50,000
Dwayne Smith (West Indies) Deccan Chargers $100,000
Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh) Kolkata Knight Riders $600,000

Teams: Rajasthan Royals (2 players), Kolkata Knight Riders (1), Bangalore Royal Challengers (2), Deccan Chargers (2), Chennai Super Kings (3), Mumbai Indians (2), Delhi Daredevils (2), Kings XI Punjab (2).

Unsold players: Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Chamara Kapugedara, Samit Patel, Shakib-al-Hassan, Morne Van Wyk, Stephen Smith, Ashley Noffke, Gulam Bodi, Mohammed Ashraful, Darren Powell, Ashwell Prince, Phil Jaques, Andre Nel, Luke Wright, Nuwan Kulasekara, Tamim Iqbal, Jon Moss, Bryce McGain, James Franklin, Aiden Blizzard, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Michael Klinger, Kaushalya Weeraratne, Prasanna Jayawardene, Dominic Thornley, Yusuf Abdulla, Daniel Harris, Kemar Roach, Aaron Bird, Michael Dighton, Michael Hill, Brett Geeves

Bangladesh's Mortaza snapped by Knight Riders for $600,000

2009-02-06T02:18:00.000-08:00

Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders snapped up Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza for a whopping $600,000 after an intense round of bidding, and the longest in the auction of players for the Indian Premier League (IPL), against Preity Zinta's Kings XI Punjab here Friday.

Mortaza's base price was $50,000 and Knight Riders were the first to take the call before Preity pitched in aggressively in what turned out to be a virtual war between two Bollywood stars that continued for 20 minutes.

Actress Juhi Chawla, co-owner of Knight Riders, piloted the bid in the absence of Shah Rukh.

Mortaza has now become the highest paid Bangladeshi cricketer.
The 25-year-old, who hails from Jessore, is the spearhead of Bangladesh bowling and has 135 wickets from 103 ODIS.

The strategy behind buying Mortaza was to increase the catchment area of Kolkata Knight Riders to neighbouring areas like Bangladesh, experts said.

Cricket, barons and Bollywood stars - its all happening in Goa

2009-02-06T02:17:00.000-08:00

Considering the monies at stake, Goa's famed five star facility, the Fort Aguada resort, could well be called Fort Knox for a day with millions of dollars at stake as film stars and industrialists outbid each other at the Indian Premier League's (IPL) second players auction here Friday.

The bidding extravaganza of the glitzy cricket league got off to a crackling start with England players Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen being sold for a whopping $1.55 million each to Chennai Super Kings and Bangalore Royal Challengers, respectively.

Dressed in a flaming red beach shirt, tycoon and Bangalore Royal Challengers owner Vijay Mallya strolled in looking sleepy from his majestic Kingfisher villa nearby into the bidding area, which was out of bounds for the media.

But by the time the first round of bidding was over, Mallya had the widest grin around. His Bangalore Royals, which was trashed by the competition last time, had picked up arguably the most sought after player this year -- English all-rounder Pietersen.

Pietersen was the last cricketer to go under the hammer at the first round of auctioneering and that, according to the flamboyant industrialist, worked to his advantage.

"I would have preferred to pay more," Mallya quipped at a post bidding press conference with high profile pointsman of the IPL Lalit Modi and N. Sreenivas of Chennai Super Kings.

"By the time we came to Pietersen, the others had already spent their money on the others. I was happy," Mallya said. The liqour baron also said he was happy with his purchase and that Pietersen would improve the balance of his team, especially the batting aspect.

Sreenivas, however, was more circumspect, although he spent the same amount of money on the Yorkshire lad and stellar British all-rounder Flintoff.

"We were targeting him. We are glad we got Flintoff," Sreenivas said.

Nearly an hour later, the portly businessmen accompanying Modi on the dais were replaced by svelte Bollywood stars Shilpa Shetty, who recently picked up a stake in the Rajasthan Royals, and Preity Zinta, representing the Kings XI Punjab.

Zinta's prized buy in the third round of bidding was English all-rounder Ravi Bopara, who went for nearly $300,000 above his basic bidding price at $450,000.

Responding to questions from the media, Shilpa admitted that she was quite the novice as compared to her celluloid colleague Zinta, who is co-owner of the team with industrialist boyfriend Ness Wadia.

The other star presence was Juhi Chawla, who co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team with Shah Rukh Khan, and outbid Zinta to snap up Bangladesh fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza for a whopping $600,000 after an intense round of bidding, the longest IPL bid.

Flintoff, Pietersen go for $1.55 mn each in IPL auction

2009-02-06T02:16:00.001-08:00

Top England cricketers Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen became the most expensive players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Friday when were sold for $1.55 million each to Chennai Super Kings and Bangalore Royal Challengers, respectively, at the second players auction here.

Flintoff's base price was $950,000 while Pietersen's was $1.35 million. The duo have overtaken Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was bought by Super Kings last year for $1.5 million.

Former England captain Paul Collingwood and his teammate Owais Shah were bought by Delhi Daredevils for $275,000 each.

South African sensation Jean Paul Duminy, who was the hero in the Proteas' series win against Australia, went to Mumbai Indians for $950,000. The left-hander's base price was just $300,000 and was bought by Mumbai Indians, who finished fifth in the inaugural IPL, after an aggressive bidding.

IPL Champions Rajasthan Royals, made up for the absence of Pakistani bowler Sohail Tanveer, by buying Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait for $375,000. Deccan Chargers bought West Indies medium pacer Fidel Edwards for $150,000.

England players, however, will be available for only three weeks to play in the tournament starting April 10.

Chennai Super Kings owner N. Srinivasan, who is also the secretary of the Indian cricket board, said that Flintoff was always their first choice and they were happy to get him.

"Flintoff is an outstanding all-rounder and he will improve the balance of the team," he said.

Royal Challenger's owner and liquor baron Vijay Mallya said Pietersen would increase the team's batting strength.

"I was always very keen on Pietersen. He is a superb addition to our team. He increases the batting strength of our team," he said.

The Challengers led by Rahul Dravid finished seventh last year in the eight-team tournament. Dravid later stepped down as captain of the team.

"The captaincy is still open and the team management will decide on it," Mallya said.

Kumble registers his best bowling in Twenty20

2008-05-21T20:39:00.000-07:00

Anil Kumble's figures of three for 14 helped his team, Bangalore Royal Challengers, to defeat Chennai Super Kings by 14 runs in their Indian Premier League (IPL) tie here Wednesday night. It was also his best bowling performance in Twenty20, which also won him the Man of the Match award.

Chennai Super Kings' Albie Morkel with his four for 32 was also delivered his career-best bowling figures in Twenty20.

Other statistical highlights of the match:

* Manpreet Gony's figures of 4-1-11-2 are the best in terms of economy rate (2.75) by any bowler from Chennai Super Kings. Muttiah Muralitharan's figures of 4-0-12-0 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Chepauk April 26 were the previous best.

* Gony, with 13 wickets at 26.61 runs apiece is the leading wicket-taker for Chennai.

* Rahul Dravid completed his 300 runs in the competition - 329 at an average of 29.90 in 12 games. He is the leading run-getter for Royal Challengers and the only one from the team to amass 300 runs in the IPL.

* Parthiv Patel (24) registered his best score in the IPL.

* Praveen Kumar, with 11 wickets at 31.36 runs apiece is the second highest wicket-taker for Royal Challengers, next only to Zaheer Khan (13 at 27.46 runs apiece).

* Stephen Fleming (45) posted his best score in the IPL.

* Super Kings have now won seven and lost five of their 12 outings. Their net run rate is minus 0.209.

* Royal Challengers have won three and lost nine out of their 12 ties.

* After 44 games, Super Kings are now placed at third position, behind Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, in the IPL tally.

* Royal Challengers' 126 for 8 is the lowest score by any team batting first in full 20 overs in the IPL.

* Super Kings' 112 for eight is the lowest score by any team in full 20 overs.

IPL takes step to allow Shah Rukh's presence in dug-out

2008-05-20T03:25:00.000-07:00

A day after Kolkata Knight Riders' owner Shah Rukh Khan made public his displeasure at not being allowed to sit in the team dug-out, Indian Premier League (IPL) authorities issued fresh guidelines allowing a franchise owner in the team dug-out during the Twenty20 matches.

IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi said Monday that the organisers would issue an all-area accreditation card to one franchisee member each of the eight teams following the removal of Shah Rukh from the dug-out by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officials of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday.

Modi defended the ACSU officials' action in asking Shah Rukh to leave the team dug-out during the IPL tie against Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens, but said that suitable measures have been taken so that such incidents are not repeated.

"There have been reports in the media about denial to a team owner access to the dug-out and dressing room. The IPL is conducted as per the rules and regulations of the ICC, whose ACSU officials were just doing the job entrusted (to them)," Modi said.

"They go strictly by the colour code. A red badge issued by the ACSU, on approval of the team manager, will help the person holding it access to all areas," he said.

Ntini, storm blow away Knight Riders' hopes

2008-05-19T04:10:00.001-07:00

Makhaya Ntini's fiery spell and a duststorm handed Chennai Super Kings a three run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders through Duckworth-Lewis method in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Eden Gardens here Sunday.

Electing to bat, Knight Riders were first rocked by Ntini (4-21), who took the third hat-trick of the IPL and restricted the hosts to 149/5. A duststorm later dashed their hopes of making a match of it.

Duststorm accompanied by showers took centrestage at Eden Gardens just when Parthiv Patel (19 not out) and Stephen Fleming (32 not out) had seen off dangerous Shoaib Akhtar to setn up the run chase.

Super Kings were 55 for no loss in eight overs when play was interrupted. And for the second successive match in the IPL, after Delhi Daredevils' defeat to Kings XI Punjab Saturday, Duckworth-Lewis came into play.

Super Kings just edged Kolkata by three runs in D/L charts. The packed Eden Gardens crowd, who braved the thunderstorm to stay back, fell silent when the visitors were declared the winners.

Super Kings consolidated their position for a semifinal berth, but Knight Riders, who have three matches left, have a stiff road ahead and might have to depend on the results of other matches as well.

Earlier, the phantom of the their previous match against Mumbai Indians - who bundled the Knight Riders out for a paltry 67 - seemed to haunt the Kolkata team as they once again got off to a poor start.

Opener Salman Butt (73) played fluently at one end, but his compatriot Mohammad Hafeez, who has not quite struck form in the tournament yet, became Ntini's first victim in the second over. Hafeez mistimed his flick to get caught by Manpreet Goni at the fine leg.

Hafeez's fall brought on skipper Saurav Ganguly, who was given a roaring welcome by the crowd of around 90,000. Much was expected from Ganguly who though did not live up to the promise. Ganguly played early a good length Ntini delivery only to find his middle stump blown off.

Butt stuck to his task at one end and batted sensibly, hitting his shots with power and grace. Butt and Debabrata Das (27) brought Knight Riders back on track after the initial jolts. While Butt shifted to attacking mode, Das played a second foil and the duo added 76 runs for fourth wicket.

Ntini came back to rattle Kolkata once again. He bowled both Das and David Hussey in succession to complete an amazing hat-trick, separated by 11 overs and that began with the wicket of Ganguly in the last ball of the third over.

Just when Kolkata were looking to accelerate, the twin strikes forced them on the backfoot. The Super Kings bowled tight in the death overs, allowing batsmen no room as Knight Riders were folded for 149.

In reply, Super Kings got off to a solid start with openers Parthiv Patel and Flemming going great guns.

All eyes were on Shoaib Akhtar, but the Pakistani spearhead twisted his ankle while bowling the first delivery and thereafter he was erratic. Super Kings raced to 55 runs without losing any wicket before duststorm accompanied by rain, halted the match.

Pathan joins McGrath to bowl two maiden overs in a match

2008-05-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

Kings XI Punjab's fast bowler Irfan Pathan Monday became the second bowler after Delhi Daredevil's Glenn McGrath to bowl two maiden overs in a match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) .

Pathan, however, picked up one wicket as Kings XI defeated Bangalore Royal Challengers by nine wickets here at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

The following are the other statistical highlights of the match:
Kings XI Punjab's nine-wicket win is their biggest victory margin in the IPL, eclipsing their seven-wicket win against Deccan Chargers at Hyderabad on May 1,2008.
Kings XI have now won 6 and lost three out of 9 played.

Bangalore Royal Challengers became the second team after Deccan Chargers to lose 7 games in the IPL.

In the last three games, Bangalore Royal Challengers have failed to post a total of even 150.

Misbah-ul-Haq posted the 1,000th four of the competition.

Haq (21) registered his highest score in the IPL. He has averaged 10.66 in the competition - 32 runs in three innings.

Cameron White has averaged 11.50 in the competition - 46 runs in four innings.

Rahul Dravid is just two runs short of 200 runs in the competition - 198 runs at an average of 22.00 in nine innings, the most by any batsman from Bangalore Royal Challengers. Mark Boucher - 190 runs at an average of 38.00 - has the next best tally.

Praveen Kumar has averaged 13.50 in the competition - 81 runs in eight innings.

Sreesanth (3/29) produced his best bowling performance in the IPL/Twenty20.

Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth, with 13 wikets each, are now the leading bowlers in the competition.

Shane Marsh, with 295 runs at an average of 98.33 in five games is the leading run-getter for Kings XI Punjab.

Marsh has been the most consistent batsman in the competition, scoring 35-plus in all the five innings played by him - 84 not out, 40, 39, 58 & 74 not out.

Marsh became the seventh batsman to register three fifty-plus innings in the IPL, joining Gautam Gambhir, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Watson and Yusuf Pathan. Gautam Gambhir is the only one to have recorded four fifties.

Marsh and Luke Pomersbach put on (unbroken) 102 runs - a second wicket record for Kings XI Punjab, eclipsing the 73 between Karan Goel and Kumar Sangakkara against Mumbai Indians at Mohali on April 25.

Anil Kumble has failed to take a single wicket in five games in the IPL, conceding 162 runs at 8.83 runs per over.

Indo-Asian News Service

Shahrukh Khan Launches the First Reebok Knight Riders Store in Kolkata

2008-05-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

Reebok India, the leading sports brand today made history of sorts by creating a moment that brought sports and stardom together. The official merchandise partner for Kolkata Knight Riders, the IPL team owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, Reebok struck a chord with all enthusiastic cricket fans, as it invited Shahrukh to open its first Knight Riders store on Sarat Bose Road in Kolkata. Knight Rider’s fanatics were bowled over at this unexpected treat.

Up for grabs at the store is the specially designed Knight Riders footwear and apparel fan gear. The line is complete with accessories like caps, head bands, wristbands, bag packs etc. The merchandise is also available at Reebok stores across the country at a price band of Rs 149 to Rs 1899.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Subhinder Singh, Managing Director, Reebok India Company said: “It’s pure passion and zeal which drives Reebok as a brand and we see a parallel in Shahrukh’s Knight Riders with their courage, captivating spirit and endearing attitude coming in to play. As a sports brand we believe in fulfilling potential and we strive hard to provide the best to our athletes and our consumers. With this store which embodies the spirit of Knight Riders we invite everyone to be a part of this astonishing fervor and be the 12th man.”

Shahrukh Khan’s message to his fans was clear “Be a Knight with Reebok.”

At the store opening Shahrukh said, “In Reebok I see a perfect fit. They embody the spirit of fulfilling potential, they have the passion to nurture talent and the aggression to take sports to the next level. I am excited that Reebok has created a benchmark by opening an exclusive Reebok Kolkata Knight Riders store for the fans. Launching a Knight Riders special fan gear is an initiative to inspire the fans to wear their emotions on their sleeves thereby taking the “Real Knight” into their homes.”

About Reebok India

Reebok started its operations in India in 1995. Headed by Managing Director, Mr. Subhinder Singh Prem, Reebok India has a pan-India presence with branch offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore and is the market leader with 700 exclusive stores. The Company's brand vision is fulfilling potential, its mission – ‘Always Challenge and Lead Through Creativity. Reebok’s brand values are authentic, individualistic, courageous, empowering, innovative and real. Reebok sponsors four IPL teams and 33 IPL players. It also sponsors worlds top 70 cricketers and is the official partner of the ICC. Reebok has introduced its internationally acclaimed fitness programmes in India, conducted under the banner of Reebok Instructor Alliance, which is dedicated to fitness instructors, personal trainers and health club owners. Reebok has trained and certified more than 900 trainers to date.

Kings XI move up to second spot in IPL standings

2008-05-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

Kings XI Punjab registered their fifth consecutive victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL), outplaying Bangalore Royal Challengers by six wickets and moved up to the second position in the points table Monday night.

With five wins and two losses, Kings XI have 10 points in their kitty, while Rajasthan Royals lead the table with the same points but have played one match less than Kings XI.

Royal Challengers are at the seventh spot with four points, while Deccan Chargers reel at the last spot with two points.

The standings after Monday's match have been tabulated under matches played, won, loss, points and net run rate:

Teams P W L Pts NRR
Rajasthan Royals 6 5 1 10 +0.873
Kings XI Punjab 7 5 2 10 +0.442
Delhi Daredevils 6 4 2 8 +0.761
Chennai Super Kings 6 4 2 8 +0.176
Kolkata Knight Riders 6 2 4 4 +0.482
Mumbai Indians 6 2 4 4 -0.889
Bangalore Royal Challengers 7 2 5 4 -1.426
Deccan Chargers 6 1 5 2 -0.200

Indo-Asian News Service

IPL 'incredible experience', has helped mend ties: Hayden

2008-05-05T04:07:00.001-07:00

After experiencing a fortnight of glitz and glory in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australian cricketers say playing on the same side with Indian players has helped mend strained relations.

"It's been an incredible experience. It's been one that's broken down the cultural barriers that perhaps existed through the course of this summer but also, more than anything, it's been a hell of a lot of fun to play in," Australia's star batsman Matthew Hayden, who played for Chennai Super Kings, told reporters in Brisbane.

After a summer of discontent which led to souring of ties between players from the two sides, Hayden was not having the last laugh at Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh's suspension for slapping India team mate S. Sreesanth.

"I think it was a pretty disappointing thing. I just think we've all tried to move on from anything to do with taking a backward step in the way last summer went on," Hayden said.

Hayden was charged with a breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Behaviour for calling the controversial spinner “obnoxious little weed”.

Earlier, Harbhajan was banned for three Tests after Australian players gave evidence that he called Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds a 'monkey' during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in early January. His charge was reduced on appeal.

As Australians switch to the Test mode, training at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane, Hayden said he needed to make "big adjustments" to be prepared for the West Indies tour that will have three Tests and five One-Day Internationals.

Besides Hayden, other Australians who played in the IPL include Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, Symonds and retired greats Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and spin wizard Shane Warne.

Australian opener Phil Jaques is also hoping to one day play for the glamorous competition. He told reporters: "I would have loved to be a part of it."

Indo-Asian News Service

Dhoni hopeful Super Kings will bounce back

2008-05-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

Regarding his own team's overall performances, Dhoni said he was quite happy with his bowlers while marking out off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for special mention.

"Tonight's defeat would give us time to think as to where we went wrong and how we can correct our mistakes. I am very confident that we will bounce back in time for our next game (against Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur, Sunday)," he said.

On opener Stephen Fleming's early dismissal, Dhoni asserted: "Fleming is a class player and he should not be judged on the basis of just one innings, and I am sure he will get among runs soon."

About his team's strategy, the skipper said there might not be major changes. "We will continue to play aggressively. Perhaps, we might push Suresh Raina up the order," he said.

Meanwhile, representing the Daredevils, Glenn McGrath, the former Aussie fast bowler, complimented the bowling attack saying they made good use of the bounce and carry that the pitch afforded to restrict the Super Kings.

"Overall, we did a good job in both bowling and batting. The target was pretty decent, but Gambhir and Sehwag stuck to their task to give us a solid start. We have four quality pace bowlers and that provides us an edge," he said.

Man of the Match Sehwag, on his part, admitted that the pitch was tailor-made for strokeplay. "It was a fantastic pitch and the ball was coming on nicely. We could afford to play our shots," he said.

Indo-Asian News Service

IPL makes South Africans' itinerary tighter

2008-05-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

The South African cricketers will not get much rest at home before the national team embarks on a tour of England next month, largely due to some of them playing in the lucrative Indian Professional League (IPL).

But the South African team management is not unduly concerned about this as all but four of the players who drew the recent three-match Test series in India continue with their IPL commitments. They include captain Graeme Smith.

The South African players will return home at the end of the IPL final June 1 and will get just a few weeks' rest before they meet for a training camp in Durban prior to their departure to England in June end. South Africa will play four Tests, five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches against England.

But while the South Africans vie for attention in the IPL, the English will, in the same period, have played three Tests and five ODIs against New Zealand. Commentators here feel that the series against the Kiwis would give England an edge against the Proteas.

South African assistant coach Vincent Barnes did not agree.

"You play so much that you can't, as in the past, play a few practice games," Barnes told the Afrikaans daily Beeld here Thursday.

Confirming that South Africans would play two three-day warm-up matches, against Somerset and Middlesex, Barnes said it would be easier for the visitors to get used to the cold English conditions than the hot weather of the Indian subcontinent.

"Although one has to get used to the pitches, the climate (in England) is at least not so much a problem as on the subcontinent, so one can adapt quickly," Barnes said.

Indo-Asian News Service

Kings XI Punjab move up to fourth position

2008-05-02T03:21:00.000-07:00

Kings XI Punjab, who registered their third win here Thursday, moved up to the fourth position with six points in the Indian Premier League (IPL) points table, while Kolkata Knight Riders have dropped to the fifth spot with four points.
Chennai Super Kings continue to lead the table with an all-win record, while Bangalore Royal Challengers reel at the bottom.
The standings have been tabulated under matches played (P), won (W), lost (L), tied (T), points (P) and net run rate (NetRR):

Teams P W L T Pts NetRR

Chennai Super Kings 4 4 0 0 8 +1.054

Rajasthan Royals 5 4 1 0 8 +0.452

Delhi Daredevils 4 3 1 0 6 +1.431

Kings XI Punjab 5 3 2 0 6 +0.372

Kolkata Knight Riders 5 2 3 0 4 +0.259

Deccan Chargers 5 1 4 0 2 -0.088

Mumbai Indians 5 1 4 0 2 -0.654

Bangalore Royal Challengers 5 1 4 0 2 -1.487

Indo-Asian News Service

Knightriders come to Mohali in controversial, trying times

2008-05-02T03:18:00.000-07:00

With three straight losses and charges of not playing in the 'spirit-of-the-game', Kolkata Knightriders skipper Sourav Ganguly leads his squad to face home team Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 encounter here Saturday.

Ganguly and his team will have to lift their game to take on the Yuvraj Singh-led Kings XI Punjab who come here after having vanquished Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad Thursday night.

The Knightriders will have to contend with the fact that a few of their top names will not be available for Saturday's encounter at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium.

While Australian captain Ricky Ponting and New Zealander Brendon Mccullum have left to play for their respective countries, West Indian Chris Gayle continues to be on the injured list and Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar's career in IPL remains a question mark.

The Knightriders will have to put up a real stunning performance here to prove to owner Shah Rukh Khan that they are real "baazigars" who will pull out a win even from a loss.

The spat with Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne and Ganguly's teammate Umar Gul casting aspersions on his captaincy after the Knightriders' latest defeat in Jaipur Thursday are likely to put Ganguly under added pressure to perform and deliver.

But the 'Prince of Kolkata' is unlikely to let the controversy bog him down in this crucial game.

The Mohali team will also be without Australian fast bowler Brett Lee but have the services of Irfan Pathan, the temperamental S. Sreesanth and V.R.V. Singh to fill that slot in the pace bowling department. The team has two quality spinners in Piyush Chawla and Romesh Powar to fall back on.

With the Mohali track likely to support fast bowling, the encounter between is expected to be interesting. The Knightriders will rely on pacemen Ishant Sharma, Umar Gul, Ajit Agarkar and Ashok Dinda to keep the Mohali batting line up in control.

Given's Shaun Marsh's exploits in the Hyderabad game Thursday and the Mohali team batting line-up in Yuvraj Singh, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardane and Ramnaresh Sarwan, the Knightriders have an uphill task.

The Mohali side not only has the home advantage but also the fact that they have won three out of the five games played compared to Ganguly's team that has won only two matches out of five.

Indo-Asian News Service

Warne to complain against Ganguly; questions Sourav's spirit

2008-05-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne criticized his Kolkata Knight Riders counterpart Sourav Ganguly for wasting time and said he complain against the southpaw for refusing to accept the fielder's word on a "clean catch" during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match here Thursday.

“I was disappointed at the start. While batting we waited for five minutes under the hot sun and the Knight Riders were not anywhere to be seen,” Warne told reporters in the post-match press conference after the Royals beat the Knight Riders by 45 runs.

Asked if he would lodge a formal complaint, Warne said: “It is on the way.

“I was really disappointed, Sourav was really running the time,” he said.

“We just waited for Sourav to come out. When we were out on the field, we all stood there waiting. I don't know what he was doing. He wanted extra time,” he added.

Warne said Ganguly's time wasting tactic stretched the match from the stipulated one hour and 20 minutes per side.

He also lashed out at Ganguly for doubting South Africa skipper Greame Smith's integrity. The Knight Riders skipper asked for a third umpire referral on his catch, which Smith had taken.

“When in Bangalore we signed the Spirit of Cricket pledge we meant to play the tournament in the right spirit. When an international captain like Graeme Smith says he caught him and it was a clean catch, then there is no point doubting his integrity,” said Warne.

“(Umpire) Rudy Koertzen at square leg said it was a clean catch... players are not allowed to ask the umpire but Sourav asked the umpire to go to the third umpire. This is not allowed and it was a clean catch,” he added.

Indo-Asian News Service

Rajasthan Royals dream run continues, beat Knight Riders

2008-05-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Rajasthan Royals continued their winning streak, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 45 runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here Thursday.
Chasing 197, the Knight Riders were bowled out for 151 in 19.1 overs and slumped to their third consecutive defeat in the tournament.
After losing their first match against Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals have managed four wins in a row.

Knight Riders started their run chase shakily. Pakistani Salman Butt, who made his IPL debut, was the first wicket to fall as he inside-edged a delivery from Sohail Tanvir onto his stumps in the second over of the match.

Ajit Agarkar, promoted to number three in the batting order, made a quick-fire 20 off 13 balls before he was caught behind while trying to cut a straight delivery from Shane Watson.

Australian David Hussey (42 off 30) shared a crucial 68-run stand with skipper Sourav Ganguly (52 off 39) to bring the Knight Riders' run-chase back on track.

Rajasthan Royals' captain Shane Warne (1/20) got rid of Ganguly in the 14th over, and then Siddharth Trivedi (31/2) went through Hussey's defence. It was all over for the Knight Riders as no other batsman could make any valuable contribution.

The Knight Riders were ultimately bowled out with five balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, debutant Swapnil Asnodkar (60 off 34) and Yusuf Pathan (55 off 33) powered Rajasthan Royals to 196 for the loss of seven wickets. The duo put on 53 runs for the third wicket.

Asondkar's dream outing came to an end when he was picked up by Pakistani pacer Umar Gul in the 12th over.

Pathan was at his dangerous best, standing back and slogging most of the deliveries. In his fiery innings, he hit six boundaries and two sixes.

Youngster Ravindra Jadeja scripted the perfect finish for the Royals with a cameo of 33 off 19 balls.

For Knight Riders, Gul was the best bowler, picking up three wickets for 31 runs, while Ishant Sharma, Agarkar and Laxmi Ratan Shulka got one each.

Indo-Asian News Service

Kings XI rout Deccan Chargers by seven wickets

2008-05-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

An unbeaten 81-run stand between debutant Shaun Marsh and Mahela Jayawardena powered Kings XI Punjab to a comprehensive seven-wicket victory against Deccan Chargers here Thursday night.
Chasing a modest target of 165, Marsh hit a classy 84 off 62 balls and shared a match-winning stand with Jayawardena (45 off 23 balls) to romp home with seven balls to spare.
Kings XI's new opening duo of Marsh and Ramnaresh Sarwan (15 off 15) gave a perfect start to the visitors' chase, putting up 41 runs.

However, Sarwan was runout in the sixth over and then Doddapaneni Kalyankrishna (34/1) picked up the all-important wicket of Kumar Sangakkara (three off four balls) in the very next over to bring Chargers back in the game.

A 41-run stand between Marsh and skipper Yuvraj Singh (14 off nine balls) kept Kings XI on the track before Nuwan Zoysa took an easy catch off his own bowling to send Yuvraj packing.

That was all Deccan Chargers' bowlers could manage on the day, as some sensible batting display from Marsh and Jayawardena ensured Kings XI's third win in the tournament.

Marsh hit 11 shots to the fence against a lone over-boundary, while Jayawardena's hit six fours and a six.

Earlier, powered by Rohit Sharma's blazing half century, Deccan Chargers piled up a competitive score 164 for eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Sharma was the star for the Chargers as he hit a quickfire 75 off 40 balls to give the hosts' bowlers a competitive score to defend. The other two Chargers batsmen to have made double figures were captain V.V.S. Laxman (48 off 34 balls) and Shahid Afridi (13 off seven balls).

Sharma's magnificent knock was studded with 10 boundaries and two sixes.

Sent into bat, Deccan Chargers was stunned early by Irfan Pathan when he bowled Adam Gilchrist (six runs in as many balls) in the fourth over. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla who struck the second blow sending Herschelle Gibbs (seven off nine balls) home in the seventh over.

Chawla picked up the crucial wicket of Laxman to put the hosts under pressure at 67 for three in the ninth over.

Sharma carried on his attacking game as wickets continued to tumble at the other end.

Chawla was the pick of the Kings' XI bowlers, taking three wickets for 28 runs in his four overs. Pathan (30/2), Sreesanth (33/1) and Gagandeep Singh (37/1) were the other wicket-takers.

Indo-Asian News Service

We will win the IPL trophy, says Shah Rukh

2008-04-30T04:08:00.001-07:00

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, owner of Kolkata Knight Riders, says he is confident that his team will win the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 trophy.
A day after Kolkata Knight Riders faced their second consecutive defeat losing to Mumbai Indians on their home ground Eden Gardens here Tuesday, Shah Rukh Wednesday reposed his trust in the team.
"We Knight Riders are positive. We know that we will win some matches and lose some. But ultimately the IPL trophy will be ours," Shah Rukh said before leaving the city.

After starting their campaign on a high note winning their first two matches - against Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers, the Sourav Ganguly-led Knight Riders lost to Kings XI Punjab and then a resurgent Mumbai Indians Tuesday night.
Is the team not at all affected by the defeats?
"The seniors like Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting know that to achieve success you have to understand and accept failure. But the youngsters in the team were feeling a bit low. So I decided to stay back with them here a little longer. We even arranged for a private get-together and danced till 4 a.m," said Shah Rukh.
And how does he personally see this defeat at the home ground?
"Kolkatans know that Knight Riders will never let them down. As for me, I have been successful for the last 20 years because I know how to ride over failure. Kabhi kabhi jeetne ke liye haarna bhi parta hai aur haarkar jeetne wale ko baazigar kehte hai. And we are beyond baazigars, we are the Knight Riders," Shah Rukh said recollecting his famous dialogue from the film "Baazigar".
Is the team suffering from captain Sourav Ganguly's off-form?
"You can't question ace players like Sourav Ganguly. He is aware of his form more than even coach John Buchanan and will sort out things himself.
Will Kolkata see Shahrukh in all the Knight Riders matches?
"I don't know about other cities. But I have worked out my calendar in a way that I don't miss a single match in Kolkata. This city is our hub, it's like being home."
Indo-Asian News Service

Knight Riders face a tough tie against Rajasthan Royals

2008-04-30T02:40:00.000-07:00

Stung by two consecutive defeats, Kolkata Knight Riders will have to regroup themselves when they take on a recharged Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here Thursday.
After starting their campaign on a high note winning the first two matches against Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned, Sourav Ganguly-led Kinght Riders witnessed lost two consecutive matches against Kings XI Punjab and then a resurgent Mumbai Indians Tuesday night.
To add to their woes, Knight Riders will miss the services of Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and dashing Kiwi wicketkeeper batsman Brendon McCullum for the rest of Twenty20 tournament this season, as they have already left for national duty, while West Indian Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a groin injury.

The contest to watch out for in the match would be the battle between Knight Riders' skipper Ganguly and his counterpart Shane Warne.
Ganguly will be hoping for Pakistani opener Salman Butt to fire at the start, while local lad Debabrata Das too showed promise in his debut match against Mumbai Indians Tuesday night.
Ganguly has some worries with his bowling department as the Knight Riders' bowlers looked ordinary in their last two games against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. However, with Pakistani Umar Gul available for selection, they will look to put in an improved showing against a starless Royals batting line-up.
On the other hand, after their opening match disaster against Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals have torn apart their 'also-rans' tag in the inaugural IPL with three consecutive big wins and have crawled up to the second position in the points table. They will be hoping to carry on the momentum in their next encounter against a beleaguered Knight Riders' side.
Led by the charismatic Warne, the Jaipur outfit suddenly looks like a formidable side. They silenced their critics when they defeated a strong Kings XI team by six wickets. Warne himself played a crucial role and picked up three wickets. In their next outing, Royals came out determined to prove that the win against Kings XI was not a fluke and stunned star-studded Deccan Chargers by chasing 215 in a thrilling match and beating them by seven wicket in their backyard.
Unlike Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals have no worries with the availability of their foreign imports. A buoyant Royals team, already with its tail up with the inclusion of South African skipper Graeme Smith, is further bolstered by England all rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas' arrival.
All in all, it will turn out to be a test of nerves for the Knight Riders and especially their high profile coach John Buchanan, who has to get his strategy in place against the Royals who undoubtedly will be out there with an extra advantage in the home crowd to back them up.
Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai Indians move out of last spot in IPL

2008-04-30T02:38:00.000-07:00

After registering a much-needed win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Tuesday night against Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians moved out of the last spot in the Twenty20 cricket tournament.
Mumbai Indians now have one win from the five matches they have played so far in the league. Bangalore Royal Challengers slipped to the bottom in the eight-team league.

Chennai Super Kings are still at the top followed by Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils.

Team M W L T Pts Net RR
Chennai Super Kings 4 4 0 0 8 +1.091
Rajasthan Royals 4 3 1 0 6 +0.067
Delhi Daredevils 3 2 1 0 4 +1.712
Kolkata Knight Riders 4 2 2 0 4 +1.453
Kings XI Punjab 4 2 2 0 4 +0.294
Deccan Chargers 4 1 3 0 2 -0.090
Mumbai Indians 5 1 4 0 2 -1.396
Bangalore Royal Challengers 4 1 3 0 2 -2.231

IPL Points table

2008-04-22T04:18:00.000-07:00

Kolkata Knight Riders are the only team to have won both their matches and have four points, while Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers, Bangalore have two points each, though Daredevils and Super Kings have played only one match each in the Indian Premier League.

The standings after Monday's match have been tabulated under matches played, won, loss, points and net run rate:

Kolkata Knight Riders 2 2 0 4 +3.764
Delhi Daredevils 1 1 0 2 +2.253
Chennai Super Kings 1 1 0 2 +1.650
Royal Challengers 2 1 1 2 -3.423
Mumbai Indians 1 0 1 0 -0.191
Deccan Chargers 1 0 1 0 -0.395
Rajasthan Royals 1 0 1 0 -0.692

IPL is a hit in Australia

2008-04-22T02:50:00.001-07:00

When sports fans talk of cricket during winters in a football loving nation, something has definitely made an impression - the Indian Premier League's Twenty20 extravaganza has Australians entranced.

"IPL will move cricket into the stratosphere that has already consumed football to global celebrity status," says Gilbert Arnold, who would like to describe himself as "a fan of national cricket with a passion for the excitement that India, the West Indies and Sri Lanka bring to the game and elation when England is beaten by any team!

"One certain outcome is a move from competition between national teams to band teams with international fans," Arnold told IANS.

In Australia, Channel 10 has signed an exclusive five-year deal to broadcast IPL matches. This has been great news for cricket fans Down Under.

"My absolute favourite is Michael Hussey and it was good to watch his smashing century. I also like West Indian Chris Gayle and everyone's favourite Sachin Tendulkar. Retired greats Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have added another level of competition to the game," says Dominic Bowes, a keen cricketer from the Sydney Boys High School.

Bowes, 17, who stayed up with his friends Friday night to watch the billion-dollar tournament kick off, says: "It was worth keeping awake till the early hours as the IPL opening ceremony and the game were both captivating. Young cricket fans, especially young women fans, prefer the Twenty20 format."

Channel Ten is telecasting all 59 matches over 44 days from April 18 to June 1 with starting times varying from 9.30 p.m. to 1.30 a.m. (Australian Eastern Standard Time).

"Over the first weekend, the coverage of the IPL in Australia has been very popular. Sunday night's match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Hyderabad Deccan Chargers has been the most popular match so far. An average audience of 360,000 tuned into the game. The audience peaked at 800,000," says Channel Ten's Sport Marketing and Publicity Manager Gus Seebeck.

"These are very encouraging figures given the relatively late start times for the matches in Australia. The matches featuring prominent Australian players such as Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds have rated well," Seebeck told IANS.

As "a convert to cricket via the One-Day version of the game", Karen Grega said, "Its Hollywood meets Bollywood. I see it as a new, cricket product for the time-poor that hopefully attracts a wider audience, as did the One-Day, limited over version of the game. If it converts the uninitiated and grows the market rather than decimating it, then it's got to be good for the game in today's 'instant' society.

"Only time will tell if expectations will be met. It won't replace the strategic, thinking man's version of the game that Test match cricket offers us purists," Grega added.

As the changing face of the game gains momentum, Cricket Australia has increased the number of Twenty20 internationals in the Australian summer from two to three -two against New Zealand and one against South Africa.

CA's general manager of cricket operations, Michael Brown, told the Sydney Morning Herald that a franchise system would be considered in Australia if it could help attract new fans to the game.

Brown told the newspaper: "We will look at it and consider it. The idea is to bring new customers to the game rather than those who already attend Test and One-Day matches. We have been watching the new concept with interest - the IPL has been exciting and looks like a fantastic television spectacle.

"I think someone described it as like the Olympic Games. It's fantastic for cricket - we're here in Melbourne in an incredible AFL (Australian Football League) environment, yet people are talking up cricket," Brown added.

Even as a survey of Australian players revealed that almost half would consider early retirement to maximise their earnings in India, Brown said: "The bread and butter of cricket is based around the Future Tours Program, and we need to make sure that is protected."

With players and fans from cricket loving nations giving themselves with abandon to the glitz and glory, it can only spell success for the 'Gentlemen's game'.

Indo-Asian News Service

High voltage cricketing action on cards in Hyderabad

2008-04-21T04:14:00.000-07:00

Cricket lovers are expected to be treated to a feast as the floodlit Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here is all set to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between hosts Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils Tuesday.

Deccan Chargers led by the stylish V.V.S. Laxman take on Daredevils in the new avatar of the game in what promises to be a fantastic ambience under the lights at the 40,000-capacity stadium.

It will be wholesome entertainment for the fans. The cheerleaders will add more glitz and glamour.

With the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Shahid Afridi from Deccan Chargers and Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir from Daredevils in action, the fans can't ask for more.

The stadium has so far hosted only two One-Day Internationals when India took on South Africa and Australia in 2005 and 2007 respectively. India lost on both encounters.

However, with the IPL rendering the national boundaries irrelevant, the fans are looking for an exciting stuff from some big guns of the world cricket.

As the local boys will also be in action, the hosts will get fan support at the stadium.

It will be interesting to see what strategy the Deccan Charges come up with after losing their opening game against Kolkatta Knight Riders Sunday.

The stadium, which claims to have the facilities on par with international cricket grounds, has added six towers with floodlights. This will be the first-ever match under floodlights.

Each tower has more than 70 bulbs and each bulb is of 200 watts. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) claims that the lighting facility at the stadium is the first of its kind in the country.

"The venue is all set to host the seven IPL matches. The ambience will be fantastic. It will be as good as playing in the day time," said HCA secretary N. Shivalal Yadav.

The HCA authorities have also arranged power back-up facility to prevent a blackout as it happened at Kolkatta Sunday, which led to the match being held up for 20 minutes.

It is not just the blackout but also a substandard pitch, which proved a dampener at Eden Garden. Shivlal Yadav promises that the pitch here would be a batting feast. Rickey Atkin, an Australian curator, has prepared the pitch.

For the first time, the spectators will also have medical facilities at their disposal.

Keeping in view the inconveniences caused to spectators in the past, the organisers will even be running a shuttle service between the parking place and the stadium for senior citizens and children.

Indo-Asian News Service