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IPL-9 kicks off with star-studded opening ceremony

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Mumbai: The ninth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) got off to a colourful start with a star-studded and glittering opening ceremony at the National Sports Club Of India (NSCI) here on Friday.

With a strong number of cricketers from across the globe, stars from the entertainment sector and other dignitaries filling the stands, the 120-minute plus programme saw the country’s Twenty20 tournament take off in style.

The gala started when Bollywood actress and Sri Lankan beauty Jacqueline Fernandez danced to the tunes of some famous numbers “Yaar Na Mile Te Mar Jawan”, ” Party On My Mind ” and “Sooraj Dooba Hain” along young boys and girls.

Then came a young and talented Kings United group and the dancers group from Nalasopara here showcased their skills and body flexibility to have the crowd mesmerised.

The performance was followed by former India cricketer Ravi Shastri inviting all captains of eight franchises in the stage to take the MCC’s Spirit of Cricket pledge. All captains signed the pledge to maintain spirit of the game throughout the tournament.

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla subsequently welcomed all the audience for the ninth edition of the competition.

“On behalf of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) I would like to welcome all for the IPL opening ceremony. IPL 9 will be better and best compared to other editions. IPL is not about just entertainment… it is about cricket all the way. Like the league has brought up young talents, this year will also do so. We will do all is needed to help the Maharashtra farmers and do everything in their interest,” he said.

Next up, Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif danced to the tunes of her famous numbers “Dhoom 3”, “Bang Bang”, “Afghan Jalebi Yaa Baba”, alongside young boys and girls and was followed by a performance by none other than West Indies star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo who danced and sang his song “Champio”. He was later on joined by India’s Ankit Tiwari.

Then came India’s star rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh who entertained the crowd by singing his favourite songs like “Mai Tere Laila O Mere Laila”, “Dum Dum Bum Bum”, “Love Dose”, “Chaar Botal Vodka”.

He gave the stage to star actor Ranveer Singh dancing to his favourite numbers like “Tattad Tattad Ramji Ki Chaal”, “Tune Mari Entry”, and “Malhari” and then the much-awaited performance by musical group Major Lazer.

The last performance of the night was by American singer Chris Brown, who sang his heart out to make the evening a memorable one for the large number of fans and crowd gathered at the venue and seeing it from elsewhere.

(IANS)

Dhoni goes to Pune, Raina heads to Rajkot in IPL draft

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Dhoni-Raina

Mumbai: India’s limited-overs captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni todaye emerged as the top draw in the IPL draft with the Sanjeev Goenka-owned new franchise Pune opting to pick him first for the stipulated price of Rs 12.5 crore here.

Dhoni’s India teammate Suresh Raina was the first preference for the other new team Rajkot, which is owned by Intex Mobiles. He will also get an identical Rs 12.5 crore by virtue of being the first player selected by the franchise.

“Excited to play for the beautiful vibrant city- Rajkot in @IPL. Looking forward to have new teammates and support from the people of Gujarat,” Raina tweeted after the draft.

In-form Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane was the second choice for Pune, while Rajkot opted for Ravindra Jadeja in the same position. Both players will be entitled to a purse of Rs 9.5 crore per year.

The draft process was necessitated following the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL for two years in the wake of the 2013 spot-fixing and betting scandal.

The suspension was ordered by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice (retd) R M Lodha committee, which was formed to decide the quantum of punishment following the investigations.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was picked by Pune as their third choice and will get a purse of Rs 7.5 crore. New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was Rajkot’s choice.

In the fourth spot, both the teams opted Australians with Steve Smith going to Pune and James Faulkner going to Rajkot.

Pune opted for South African batsman Faf du Plessis as their fifth and final player, while West Indian Dwayne Bravo was Rajkot’s pick. Both players will get Rs 4 crore.

The draft pool only included players from Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals,. the two teams which have been barred from participation. The players not picked will now go to the general IPL auction scheduled for February 6.

The next edition of the Twenty20 league will be held from April 9 to May 29.

Teams Pune’s picks: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Steve Smith, Faf du Plessis.

Team Rajkot’s picks: Suresh Raina, R Jadeja, Brendon McCullum, James Faulkner, Dwayne Bravo.

(Agencies)

Pune, Rajkot become interim IPL franchises to replace CSK, RR

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New Delhi: Pune and Rajkot on Tuesday became the new franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), replacing the suspended teams of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for a period of two years.

The Pune franchise was bought by Kolkata-based business tycoon Sanjeev Goenka’s company New Rising, while the Rajkot bid was won by Intex Mobiles.

The new IPL teams will be called New Rising Pune and Intex Rajkot.

While Goenka will shell out Rs 10 crore per year to the BCCI, Intex Mobiles will pay Rs 16 crore for the two-year deal.

“They won’t take a single penny from the BCCI. In fact they will pay the BCCI,” Board Secretary Anurag Thakur told reporters after a meeting of the IPL Governing Council here.

The teams were sold through the reverse bidding process for which the base price was set at Rs 40 crore and bidders had to quote an amount less than that. The lowest bidder was given the franchises.

IPL welcomed two new teams after the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) opened tenders for the same in the national capital.

The two new teams will get to buy 10 players on December 15.

The process was necessitated by the suspension of CSK and RR for the involvement some of their officials and co-owners in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal, which was probed by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice (retd) R M Lodha committee.

However, both the CSK and RR will be allowed back in the league after serving out their suspension.

The interim franchises, which have been picked on Tuesday, will participate in a draft to first retain their share of players.

Players from CSK and RR will be divided into two groups of capped and uncapped and the top names will be sold through the draft system. The two new teams will have a minimum of Rs 40 crore and a maximum of Rs 66 crore to buy their players.

The other three bidders in fray were Harsh Goenka of RPG properties, Axis Clinical and Chettinad Cement, all of whom quoted higher bids than New Rising and Intex Mobiles.

(Agencies)

Compiling suggestions done, IPL working group to submit report

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IPL-BCCI

New Delhi: The working group, formed to study the Justice Lodha panel’s verdict relating to the IPL 2013 corruption scandal, has “compiled suggestions from all stakeholders” and will submit its final report to the BCCI’s working committee before it meets in Kolkata on August 28.

“We have compiled all the suggestions from stakeholders and we will be submitting the final report to BCCI working committee, which will meet in Kolkata on August 28,” IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla said on Wednesday after the working group’s final meeting in the capital.

The group comprises Shukla, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, IPL governing council member Sourav Ganguly, and is assisted by Usha Nath Bannerjee, the board’s legal counsel.

“There are a number of suggestions but we can’t divulge the findings of the meeting,” Shukla added.

On Preity Zinta’s reported comments about some Kings XI Punjab players being allegedly involved in suspicious activities, Shukla said nothing was discussed in that regard.

“I think Preity Zinta has already clarified in her statement. Nothing of this sort has been discussed.”

Citing anonymous sources, the story claimed that Zinta pulled up players who she thought weren’t playing fair, dropped them from games and even put them up for auction.

Zinta denied the claims.

Today’s meeting was also attended by controversial IPL COO Sundar Raman and BCCI’s Anti Corruption Unit chief Neeraj Kumar.

The working group will submit its report to the IPL governing council, which in turn will report to the BCCI working committee

Meanwhile, Thakur said that the proceedings of the working group are confidential and whatever have come out are nothing but speculations.

“We have completed our work before time. We have discussed all suggestions and will submit report to the governing council and working committee on 28th.

“The proceedings of the working group are confidential. All speculations that have come out are media speculations,” said Thakur.

On Zinta’s comments, Thakur said: “I think she has categorically issued a statement in this regard.”

(PTI)

Lalit Modi reveals blueprint of breakaway cricket body to rival ICC

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Lalit Modi

London: He is living in exile and facing arrest but that has not stopped sacked IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi from preparing the blueprint for a breakaway governing body for cricket to rival the ICC — a plan which he claims is the future “world order”.

Modi, who faces allegations of financial impropriety and is currently based here, said the new body would be affiliated with the Olympic movement and oversee Test and T20 competitions, while scrapping the ODI format altogether.

“We’re talking about another cricketing system. There is a blueprint out there, it’s got my rubber stamp on it,” Modi told the ‘Australian Broadcasting Corporation’.

“I have been involved in it. I say it for the first time, I’ve been involved in putting that blue print together. We could take on the existing establishment, no problem. It requires a few billion dollars, I don’t think it would be a problem to get that … into action,” he said.

“The plan that I have put together is a very detailed plan, it’s not a plan that’s come off the cuff, it’s been taking years and years and years in the making,” he added.

Modi, a pariah in cricket after he was sacked in 2010 as commissioner of the very league he conceptualized, has an arrest warrant against him based on the Enforcement Directorate’s allegations.

Modi, on his part, has vehemently denied all charges against him. The controversial administrator said his plan would only fail if the ICC, currently headed by his nemesis and former BCCI President N Srinivasan, carries out reforms.

“I hope that print [the blueprint] doesn’t take off. But if the people can’t continue, then that print will take off and that blueprint will become the world order tomorrow. I guarantee you that, sitting here today,” he said.

Modi said his blueprint comprises a calendar of events to rival the ICC’s schedule in Tests and T20 games. “The plan conceives only of Test cricket and T20; it doesn’t take into account one-day at all. I think that is completely redundant in today’s day and age. I think it should just be T20 and Test matches that should be played,” he said.

Modi said the ICC should look to get the International Olympic Committee’s affiliation. “I have been proposing that. The ICC will never agree to that; never means never. It is a plan that one day, if I ever implement it, will re-write history in sport. “IPL has re-written history in sport in the way it’s marketed. I think this will re-write history once again.”

(PTI)

Delhi court dismisses allegations against Sreesanth, two others

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Sreesanth

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday discharged three accused cricketers, including S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan.
All the 36 accused persons including former India capped cricketer S Sreesanth were discharged in the IPL-6 spot fixing case by a Delhi court.

Other two prominent IPL players -Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan who were on bail were also discharged in the case in which six persons including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel were declared proclaimed offenders.

All are discharged (from the case), Additional Sessions Judge Neena Bansal Krishna said while pronouncing the order. The case was today put for order on framing of charges against the 36 accused persons who were on bail.

Sreesanth, 32, broke down on hearing the order while the other accused including the players present in the courtroom started hugging each other.

Sreesanth said “at last justice has been done to him, adding, God willing, I will be able to return to cricket. I have no regrets, no complaints.

The court had on May 23 reserved for today the order on framing of charges in the case. Special Cell of Delhi Police had named 42 accused in the case in its charge sheet out of whom six are absconding.

Police had told the court that properties of Dawood and Shakeel in Mumbai have already been attached in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and that they have not visited India since 1993.

Police had informed the court that Dawood had properties in his name at Dongri in Mumbai whereas Shakeel owned properties in Nagpada there.

The court had earlier issued non-bailable warrants against Dawood and Shakeel, Pakistan-based Javed Chutani, Salman alias Master and Ehteysham, who all are considered to be Dawood’s associates.

The police had filed a 6,000-page charge sheet against various accused in the case. It had also filed supplementary charge sheet later on. The court had granted bail to Sreesanth, Chavan and other accused for lack of evidence against them under the provisions of stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Other accused, including Chandila, were also granted bail later on by the court. The police, in its charge sheet, had claimed that Dawood and Shakeel, who have been controlling the fixing and betting market in cricket in India, were behind IPL spot-fixing.

(Agencies)

Betting scandal: CSK, Rajasthan Royals suspended for two years from IPL

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Meiyappan-Kundra

New Delhi: Chennai Super Kings, the most consistent team in the IPL, and Rajasthan Royals were today suspended from the cash-rich cricket league for two years for betting activities of their key officials Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra during the 2013 season.

The punishment was handed down by a Supreme Court- appointed three-member committee headed by former CJI R M Lodha which held that the betting activities of the two officials, Meiyappan, considered the face of CSK owners, and Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, have brought the game of cricket, BCCI and IPL into disrepute.

The Committee also imposed sanctions including life suspensions for Meiyappan and Kundra from being involved in any cricket matches conducted by BCCI.

The Comnmitte was constituted by the Supreme Court in January this year with oits terms of reference being to announve the quantum of punioshment against Meiyappan, Kundra and the two franchisees — India Cements Ltd, owner of CSK and Jaipur IPL, owner of Rajasthan Royals.

Addressing the media after pronouncing their verdict, the three-member committee was asked whether they have contemplated action IPL COO Sundar Raman, who was also accused of wrongdoing.

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Justice Lodha said it will be some time before his fate is decided.

“About Sundar Raman, we examined the material about him and we believe it requires further investigation. Vivek Priyadarshi has been appointed by the Supreme Court to look into it and he is examining the matter, we are awaiting his report. After that we will decide what will be the action,” he said.

The committee said its observations with respect to the much-talked about conflict of interest in the BCCI would be given after completing interactions with various stakeholders of the game.

“Conflict of interest questions have been raised, once we complete the process of interacting with all the stakeholders, we will take a view on that. That exercise is not complete. This order is confined to determining the quantum of punishment to the two individuals and the franchises,” he said.

“We have interacted with 40-45 people, we are yet to meet a few others. Once that is done we will decide what guidelines are to be given.

Our idea is to get inputs from all stakeholders. It is not confined to cricket administrators and politicians,” he added.

He also refused to comment on the criminal cases pending against the suspended officials, saying, “No aspect touching criminal liability has been decided by us.”

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On whether the two franchisees would be allowed to participate in case their is a change in ownership, Justice Lodha that aspect is for the BCCI to decide.

“This question was brought to us. But the BCCI has to take a call and whatever the legal course is there, it is available. You must appreciate that we cannot address every aspect of the matter,” he said.

Asked whether the committee took a considered view of the impact this ruling will have on the players attached with the two suspended franchises, Justice Lodha said the game is bigger than the individuals.

“Players will not be attached to a franchisee which has been suspended. We thought that if cricket is bigger than individuals then financial loss to players and franchises is not of significance,” he said.

(Agencies)

Bribery allegations: BCCI gives 'clean chit' to three players

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BCCI

New Delhi: The BCCI today gave a clean chit to three international cricketers, who were accused of accepting bribes from a Mumbai-based businessman by ousted IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said “there is nothing in it” when asked about the ICC acknowledging a letter from Modi in June 2013, claiming that two cricketers from India and a West Indian were paid in cash and kind to the tune of Rs 20 crore each.

“Lalit Modi had written a letter to ICC, so they informed BCCI about the letter. The three players are international players and fall under the international jurisdiction. There is no information on these players from ICC so far, so it is in a way a clean chit for them to play,” said Thakur here today.

“The ICC has sent a press release, they had informed BCCI about the three players. When somebody plays international cricket, the ICC is responsible. Only the ICC can answer as per their investigations. It falls under ICC’s purview. They have said that they are enquiring, so only they can answer on this. If there was anything, they could have reported back to us,” he said further on the controversial issue.

The acknowledgement of Modi’s letter came only yesterday from the ICC. “The ICC confirms that Mr Modi’s confidential e-mail, which was received in June 2013, and which has recently been published on Twitter, was provided to the ACSU at that time. The ACSU handled that information in accordance with its standard operating procedures, which included sharing it with the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit,” the ICC had said.

On IPL, Thakur was asked about the identity of the player who was approached for spot-fixing ahead of the 2015 edition.

“We don’t disclose the name of the players. If a player has been approached, we report it to the anti-corruption unit. We have to look at the detailed report. Once the final report comes in then we will take action. As of now, enquiry is still not over,” Thakur added.

(PTI)

Modi praises Modi: Ex-IPL chief seeks to mend fences with PM

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New Delhi: The man who is instrumental in inviting the wrath of the opposition on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leader Narendra Modi now appears to be seeking to make amends, after the party said it would seek an interpol ‘red corner notice’ against him.

Lalit Modi, sitting in London, tweeted on Saturday that Prime Minister Modi was a “most savy (sic) man”.

The former chief of the Indian Premier League, embroiled in several controversies and whose passport was revoked by the Indian government, said that “when he (Modi) bats, he will hit the ball out of the park”.

Lalit Modi, who has been putting out reams of information through tweets and other media, was apparently helped by External Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje, at a time when he was being sought by the Enforcement Directorate during the previous United Progressive Alliance regime.

Modi’s tweet praising the prime minister came on the day Raje was in Delhi, for an official meeting, but was planning to meet the BJP brass to give her side of the story. According to sources, she was expected to meet the prime minister, but latest reports said that the meeting had not come through.

Raje has accepted that she had signed a document supporting the application of Lalit Modi for a residence visa in Britain. The opposition parties say that at best this points to an impropriety by a leading BJP leader when the IPL chief was wanted by the authorities in India.

Lalit Modi, who has been staying in London for several years, is sought by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged financial irregularities when he was the IPL head.

He has been tweeting regularly, often implying nothing more than a meeting with political figures.

On Friday he said that he and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal had chatted over three days during a wedding in Istanbul.

Earlier the same day, Modi tweeted that he “bumped into” Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka and her husband Robert Vadra in a London restaurant last year.

He did not imply any wrongdoing or impropriety on their part. But the BJP, under attack for “supporting a fugitive”, immediately reacted asking the Congress president to explain what the meeting between the three was all about.

(Agencies)

Mumbai Indians lift second IPL title with a 41-run win over CSK

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Mumbai Indians second IPL

Kolkata: A far too superior Mumbai Indians crushed Chennai Super Kings under the weight of a daunting asking rate on Sudnay Ato lift the coveted Indian Premier League title for the second time, in a virtual replay of the final between the two sides in 2013 at the same venue Eden Gardens.

Put in to bat, Mumbai gave an awesome batting display to plunder 202/5, and then restricted Chennai to 161/8, finishing with a 41 run victory before a capacity 66,000 plus crowd at the iconic ground.

Chasing the tough target, Chennai Super Kings lost an early wicket and never quite seemed like taking up the challenge,virtually choking Aunder pressure as the asking rate kept mounting. In the end, the battle seemed quite one-sided.

Two years back, Mumbai had defeated Chennai by 23 runs to annex their maiden title at the Eden.

Mumbai now have evened with Chennai and Kolkata Knight Riders – each having been crowned champions twice.

Chennai began their reply on the wrong note, as Mike Hussey (4) departed cheaply, but Dwayne Smith (57; 48b, 9×4, 1×6). and Suresh Raina (28; 19b, 3×4, 1×6) set out to repair the damage and take the battle into the opponent camp with a 66-run second wicket stand.

However, veteran office Harbhajan Singh – on a high after his recall to the Indian team – showed the door to Smith, and that proved to be the turning point of the game, as CSK never got going after that.

Wickets tumbled, as Raina became Harbhajan’s victim in the tweaker’s next over, while Dwayne Bravo (9) and skipper M S Dhoni (18) also could not do much.

The dye was cast, and once Dhoni went back in the 16th over, with the score reading 124/5, it was all over. AA

For the winners, Mitchell Mcclenaghan (3/25), Lasith Malings (2/25) and Harbhajan Singh (2/34) were the main wicket takers.

Earlier, , the Mumbai Indians built their innings around two partnerships, as they set an asking rate of 10.15 for Chennai on a flat strip.

A rollicking 119-run second-wicket stand between opener Lendl Simmons (68; 45b, 8×4, 3×6) and skipper Rohit Sharma (50; 26b, 4×6, 6×2) took the team to a position of solidity after the loss of opener Parthiv Patel in the opening over itself.

Kieron Pollard (36; 18b, 2×4, 3×6) and Ambati Rayudu (36; 24b, 3×6) then forged a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket off only 40 balls to pile on the Chennai Super Kings bowlers’ misery.

Rohit, who has always found Eden a happy hunting ground, went on the offensive from the word go, smacking Mohit Sharma for 16 runs in the second over, before unleashing some exquisite strokes during his stay in the middle.

Caribbean Simmons also played with his characteristic flamboyance, but reached his half century with a somewhat lucky shot, an edge, as Pawan Negi only managed to get his hands to the leather before it slipped out. The batsmen ran two, and Mumbai were 98/1 at the halfway stage.

Dwayne Bravo finally broke the partnership by foxing Rohit with a slower ball. Mumbai were 120/3 in 12 overs.

Simmons returned in the very next delivery, yorked by Dwayne Smith.

Rayudu then joined Pollard, who belted Nehra for 23 runs in the 17th over, that included three sixes and one boundary.

For Chennai, Dwayne Bravo (2 for 36) was the most successful bowler.

(IANS)

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