Indian government distances itself from IPL

The Indian government has distanced itself from the results of the IPL auction, where none of the 11 Pakistan players up for sale attracted any bid. Insisting that the IPL was an independent commercial enterprise, India's sports minister MS Gill told reporters: "IPL is not only a cricket league but it is also a commercial enterprise and the government of India and the sports ministry has nothing to do with them."

Gill's statement was a reaction to claims of "discriminatory treatment" made by his counterpart Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, the Pakistan sports minister. "I have phoned the sports minister of India and recorded a protest over the unjust and discriminatory treatment meted out to the Pakistani cricketers," Jakhrani told AFP. "It is indeed a matter of disrespect of Pakistani heroes, who are the champions of Twenty20 World Cup.

"Pakistani ministries of sports, interior and foreign affairs had given political and security clearance to Pakistani players in time to play."

SM Krishna, India's foreign minister, echoed Gill's comment. "Government has nothing to do with IPL, on selection of players and various exercises that are connected with it. So, Pakistan will have to draw a line between where Government of India is connected and where Government of India is an actor," he said.

Eleven Pakistan players - several of whom have expressed outrage at not being picked - were shortlisted for the IPL auction in Mumbai. Pakistan's players had received NOCs from the PCB to participate in the tournament after the Pakistan government's various ministries had cleared them to tour India. However, the uncertainty over the strained relations between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008 appears to have prompted franchises to wield restraint at the auction.

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IPL to make foray in the US

The IPL is contemplating of bringing the T20 event to the United States of America in near future to expand its global reach.

The Indian Premier League is planning to take the mega event to that country to expand its global reach.

According to a report in the 'London Times', IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi is planning to stage some future matches of cash-rich tournament in the US.

"We hope to be able to provide the fans in the US the live experience of the IPL. We will start with a few matches in the US in the next 18 months or so," Modi was quoted as saying in the newspaper.

The report also predicted that bringing the IPL to the US would be a hugely profitable move for the private league.

"Modi has won plaudits and derision for taking the commercialisation of cricket to new levels. Two years ago, shortly before the inaugural season, he secured USD 1 billion for the television rights to the IPL," the report said.

"His latest plans to extend cricket's ambit are also likely to be motivated by money. America is home to the world's most valuable advertising market and a large population with roots in cricketing regions such as India, Pakistan and the West Indies," the report added.

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Looking ahead to the great Mumbai sale

The buzz is building again, with as many as 66 players ready to go under the hammer in the auction for the third edition of the IPL on Tuesday.

The stakes will be high, as high as they have ever been. Twenty20 cricket has changed its complexion since the lucrative Indian Premier League was first played two years back.

The ICC World Twenty20 has gripped the imagination of cricket followers across the globe, while the emergence of the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 also highlighted the immense charisma the latest format of the game has. It is here to stay.

Teams are slowly but surely learning the art of how to win T20 games, and innovations have become the buzz word for captains and coaches alike.

The IPL team owners, most of them top notch business captains and super stars in the film industry, are, for their part, coming to terms with the needs of their squads.

Glamour and fashion have been incidental to the high quality of cricket played over the last two years in the IPL and not the other way round - players sought after more for their skills than their fan following.

One franchise that has learnt their lessons the hard way has to the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team was, in theory, a dream come true for the faithful cricket buffs in the eastern Indian city.

A Bollywood superstar combined with India’s most successful captain to produce a lean, mean, fighting machine that would not relent until they won. Shah Rukh Khan’s charm and Sourav Ganguly’s doggedness have, however, not paid dividends yet. So far, the side have looked ordinary with every game they have played.

The time for change is now. With a completely new coaching staff (that includes former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram and star coach Dav Whatmore), KKR have a lot to look for in Tuesday’s auctions.

Their batting woes have been compounded by the lack of a stable middle order batsman. Ricky Ponting did precious little in the first year before opting out in the next. Chris Gayle has been good at best. The mantle fell on Victorian ace Brad Hodge, whose blade was wider than most in Cricket Australia ever thought.

With the likes of Kieron Pollard, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Darren Ganga and Umar Akmal up for grabs, KKR have a lot to choose from. With a purse of 750,000 USD attached to each team. SRK’s Riders will be banking on sealing a deal with Pollard and at least a stable all-rounder in Bangladesh skipper Shakib-al-Hasan.

Considering the furious 20 minutes of bidding over Moshrafe Mortaza last year, Shakib would not be a surprise choice in the Kolkata camp.
The most keenly watched biddings will be of the Australians. Phillip Hughes has been on fire for the New South Wales Blues and was a treat to watch in the Airtel CL T20 in India last year.

Luke Pomersbach, who had a successful stint with the Kings’ XI Punjab in 2008, is back under the hammer, while Brad Haddin, Doug Bolliner and Clint McKay are also among some prominent stars from Down Under.

With the Shiv Sena’s threat to Australian cricketers, Mumbai Indians might just feel a little crippled when they need to think of bagging a Baggy Green. Irrespective of how far Mumbai go in this edition, they will need to play seven matches at home and that might be a cause of concern for Mukesh Ambani’s team.

What they will be looking for, though, is a quality seamer to partner Zaheer Khan with the new ball. Kemar Roach of the West Indies, Umar Gul of Pakistan and Shane Bond of New Zealand will go like hot cakes once the hammer comes down at the Trident. Mumbai Indians should settle for either Bond or Roach given their ability to keep it fast and furious.

The King’s XI Punjab might have to take some tricky calls. Simon Katich, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Yuvraj Singh make a dream batting line-up but that was not enough to avoid a nightmare in South Africa last year.

Punjab, much like Mumbai, would want to bolster their pace attack if you look at Sreesanth and Brett Lee’s poor fitness records. Again, for the northern giants, Gul might not be a bad idea with a good back up stacked up in Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla.

The Chennai Super Kings will be ruing Andrew Flintoff’s continued absence from the IPL after he pulled out with an injury last year. With reports of the dashing England all-rounder sure to miss the 2010 razzmatazz trickling in, skipper MS Dhoni will have already pressed his bosses for a solid replacement.

Lendl Simmons of the West Indies should be high on Chennai’s radar and so should Pakistan T20 all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who missed out on all the punch in 2009.

The Deccan Chargers might not want to make too many changes to their winning outfit but would not mind shelling out a few extra dollars for a fine bowling all-rounder that Abdul Razzaq is.

Kamran Akmal will be desperate to make it back to his old franchise, the Rajasthan Royals and get back to keeping wickets for skipper Shane Warne ,and repeat the aura of the 2008, when the rank underdogs stunned the nation by winning the championship.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore turned it around in South Africa under an inspirational Anil Kumble and team owner Vijay Mallya will leave no stone unturned to find a formidable all-rounder just in case Jacques Kallis runs into poor form in India after a fine show at home.

The Delhi Daredevils have little to worry about. Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Tillekaratne Dilshan and David Warner make a formidable batting line-up while New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori will be relishing the prospect of bowling in India again.

Team owners and directors have been obviously non-committal about their strategies and moves going into the auctions.

However, there is reason to believe that the Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals will be more pumped up than any other team to bring in some firepower.

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"IPL one of the most significant of decade"

Former England captain Michael Atherton has hailed the IPL as one of the 10 most significant events that changed the face of cricket last decade.
"The IPL was the inevitable result of India's new-found infatuation with Twenty20 cricket, and the can-do attitudes of Lalit Modi, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and IMG, the sports management company," Atherton wrote in 'The Times'.

"Cricket, suddenly, had changed, with players being bought and sold according to their market value, and owned now, not by national governing bodies, but by private investors. The effects are still being played out with international players retiring early to take up IPL offers and the world game wondering how to cope with this challenge to the established order of things," he said.

Atherton said India fell in love with the Twenty20 format they had initially rejected only after Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men captured the World Championship title in 2007.

"Until its team's victory in the first World Twenty20 competition, India had rather turned its nose up at the newest, shortest, brashest form of the game. At least, the television executives had, feeling that the truncated nature of the game, and shorter advertisement breaks because of the time imperative, threatened revenues.

"The enthusiasm that greeted Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in an over, off Stuart Broad, and India's ultimate victory over Pakistan changed all that," Atherton pointed out.

Among other events of significance, Atherton said the England's 2005 Ashes triumph, the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March last year and the doomed Twenty20 all-star match sponsored by American billionaire Allen Stanford, were some moments that were not just significant but also challenging for international cricket.

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IPL: Deal directly with us

The IPL has asked all international overseas players wishing to take part in the auction to deal directly with it.

The International Premier League has asked the players to avoid dealing through agents or managers for the purpose.

IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi has also set December 31 as the deadline for the players, who have represented their country in Test, ODIs or T20 Internationals, and are interested in taking part in the March-April edition of the Twenty20 event, to register themselves for the auction.

"They have been requested to register their interest directly with IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi and refrain from using agents or managers for the purpose. The number of overseas players that a franchise may have in its squad is capped at 10," said IPL in a media release on Tuesday.

As per the procedure decided, an interested player who has represented his country in Tests, ODIs or T20 internationals, will have to send a personal e-mail directly to Modi at playerauction@iplt20.com and request that their names be placed on the "IPL Auction Register".
The player should confirm he has received an NOC from his home cricket board to take part in the March 12-April 25 event and also specify whether he is available for the full 2010 season (from March 2 till April end), the release said.

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Oz players ready to dump contract

Despite being the best-paid cricketers in the world, 67 per cent of Australian players are ready to reject national contract.

And turn freelancer to play in cash-awash events like the Indian Premier League, according to a survey.

"About two-thirds of players (67 per cent) said they could envisage an Australian player rejecting a CA contract to play their trade in leagues such as the IPL in the short to medium term," the 'Sydney Morning Herald' said, quoting the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) survey.

"Asked if they would consider knocking back a CA contract to turn freelance, 22 per cent of national players and 18 per cent of state players answered yes," it added.

It was a rude shock for Cricket Australia to learn that so many players are ready to follow in the footsteps of Andrew Flintoff.

Flintoff retired from Test cricket this year and then rejected a contract from the English and Wales Cricket Board worth USD 54,658 to maximise his earning power with the Chennai Super Kings in IPL.

Australian temperamental all-rounder Andrew Symonds is also currently having a freelance career after his contract was terminated by CA after a series of misconduct.

"I think Andrew Flintoff's decision is a sign of the times and is reflective of what a number of players around the world are currently thinking," ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said.

"The reality is that the national boards no longer have a monopoly over the players' services. There are new, exciting and lucrative options available to players, and not surprisingly many are giving serious consideration to their futures.

"Our players are well paid, but a competition such as the IPL in many cases provides a package of more money for less work and therefore less time away from home. Tell me that's not a proposition any person would consider," he added.

CA chief executive James Sutherland agreed that the scenario has changed but was confident that it would not sway the national cricketers.

"There is no doubt the labour market has changed in that there are broader options now than there were before," Sutherland said.

"I am really pleased at the way in which our players continue to value the honour of representing their country and have a real focus on achieving things as an Australian cricket team.

"It's also about making sure we offer a rewarding career for Australian cricketers, whether they are representing their state and their country, and we're very proud of the fact that we're running a business that can afford to ensure Australian cricketers are the best paid cricketers in the world," he said.

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Modi rubbishes media reports

The IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi rubbished reports that he is being eased out of the Indian Premier League.

According to IANS, Modi pooh-poohed reports circulating in a section of the media that he faces a crisis with a very powerful lobby within the BCCI plotting to remove him from IPL commissioner's post.

The IANS reported that Modi clarified there was no truth in "these planted stories" as he was appointed by the Board's general body for five years to run the mega-event.

"Also, there's no truth in the report that the post of IPL commissioner is being abolished," he said.

Even the IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah, indignantly refuted the so-called move, saying that someone was trying to play a prank and the media fell hook, line and sinker for the bait.

"How can anyone believe such trash without giving it a thought?" he asked.
Another senior board official, not wanting to be dragged into the unsavoury controversy nor wishing to be identified, said that there was not even discussion on the subject at any of the recent Board meetings.

"Yes, some months ago, there was some loud thinking whether the chairman and commissioner's posts be delinked but there was no serious discussion. One suggestion was that the Board president should be the IPL chairman," said the Board insider.

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South Africa and NZ associations want IPL window

The South African and New Zealand players' associations have pushed for a separate window for the annual IPL and the Champions League, in such a way that it does not disrupt other international fixtures.

"Yes, there is a need for an IPL and Champions League window but then they must not expand outside this window," Tony Irish, CEO of South African Cricketers' Association (SACA), told PTI. "International cricket, IPL and Champions League must co-exist and not compete. Players should not be put in a position of having to choose between playing one or the other."

Two editions of the IPL have been completed, but not all international players have been able to participate, owing to their international commitments. The England players in particular have found it hard to take part because the IPL coincides with the start of their county and international home season.

Heath Mills, the CEO of the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association (NZCPA), said players in his country could be tempted into opting for cash-rich Twenty20 leagues if there is a constant clash of schedules.

"It is absolutely essential that there are windows created for the IPL and the Champions League," Mills said. "If they do not create a window for the IPL then I am certain our best players in New Zealand will not sign central contracts in the future so they can choose to play in the IPL ahead of any clash that may occur with the Blackcaps' schedule."

The ICC said in July that it wasn't considering the proposal for a permanent window for the IPL. The president David Morgan said that only players in the brink of retirement were likely to opt for such domestic leagues over their international commitments. Shane Warne, who captains the Rajasthan Royals, had earlier called on the ICC to create a window going by his rewarding experience in 2008.

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No IPL, no problem!

KARACHI: Shahid Afridi is widely regarded as the most destructive Twenty20 player, having proved his class in back-to-back ICC World Twenty20 championships in South Africa (2007) and England (2009).

But the 29-year-old all-rounder will be missing the world’s most lucrative Twenty20 spectacle — the Indian Premier League (IPL) — for the second consecutive year along with his other Pakistan teammates.

It’s not that Afridi or other leading Pakistani cricketers are not good enough for the IPL because several of the league’s franchises were interested in them. It’s just that they’ve become victims of the strained Pakistan-India relations.

Is Afridi disappointed after learning that he won’t be featuring in the IPL? “Not really,” he told ‘The News’ in an interview on Tuesday. “I mean it would have been good to make our IPL comeback next year but it is now clear that we won’t be able to do that. It’s like we can’t do anything about it,” he said.

Afridi, who is Pakistan Twenty20 captain, sees Pakistan’s omission from the IPL as a blessing in disguise as it will allow him and his teammates to completely focus on the preparations for the 2010 World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

The next season of the IPL will precede the World Twenty20 to be held next May when Pakistan will be defending their world title. “Now that it has been decided that we are not playing (in the IPL) we will have a perfect window to hold a proper camp and get ready for the Twenty20 World Cup,” said Afridi, who was Pakistan’s biggest star in their successful World Twenty20 campaign in England last June.

Afridi is looking at the bright side of things but in the meantime he is also aware that he and other Pakistani players have been deprived of a chance to feature in what is one of world cricket’s most glamorous events.

He believes that the Indian cricket authorities fell short of doing their bit to confirm the participation of Pakistani players in the Twenty20 league. “I think Pakistan have always been supportive of Indian cricket in the past which is why I was expecting them (India) to be more positive towards us,” he said.

“But it seems that’s not the case. I personally believe that sports promote harmony and it would have been good for both Pakistan and India if our players would have been allowed to play in the IPL.

“I think the absence of our cricketers will not be good for cricket or the IPL,” he stressed. Afridi, who played for Deccan Chargers in the inaugural IPL last year, was approached by 2008 champions Rajashthan Royals for the next season.

Other Pakistani players who were looking forward to featuring in the competition include Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq. Several other of their teammates were also approached by different franchises, who were eager to have members of the team that won the World Twenty20 title less than six months back playing for them in the IPL.

On Monday, IPL chairman Lalit Modi ruled out the participation of Pakistani players in the third IPL edition beginning in March next year due to an ongoing delay in obtaining visas for the event.

The Pakistan Cricket Board was keen on its players participating in the third edition in India next year and, although the government has this time cleared the team to participate, the players have not yet been furnished with visas.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who had last month extended the deadline to December 7 for Pakistan’s players to get clearances in order, said the league could not permit more extensions.

The Pakistan government barred its players from travelling to India for the second edition of the IPL this year and they stayed at home even after the Twenty20 tournament was shifted to South Africa.

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IPL will boost England in T20 WC: Vaughan

London: England stand no chance in next year's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies if their players are not allowed to play the entire Indian Premier League next season, believes former captain Michael Vaughan.

"We should be making our players available for the whole of the IPL window. We are not great at Twenty20 cricket. We've got a Twenty20 World Cup in May and at the minute we've got no chance," Vaughan said.

"If it was my England team I'd be looking at the first-team players and thinking that I want them to experience playing in those IPL games, I'd want to have them playing in those packed stadiums and picking the brains of all those great players. That will give us a better chance of winning the Twenty20 World Cup," Vaughan was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Asserting that IPL would do a world of good to the English players, Vaughan said, "We have to give our players as much opportunity as possible to try and win a trophy. England should take the guys who could do with a rest from Test cricket and send them to play in the IPL to develop their Twenty20 skills.

Vaughan's argument notwithstanding, English players' participation in the third IPL would be restricted from March 12 to April 25 because the cash-rich event clashes with their tour to Bangladesh.

Vaughan went on to the extent of saying that key players should skip the Bangladesh tour and compete in IPL.

"I don't have any quibble with senior players missing the Bangladesh tour. That tour is not going to be about developing the team for the Ashes. This winter will be about developing a side for the Ashes. Bangladesh is a very different kind of cricket," Vaughan said.

"Sending players to the IPL would produce a few good performances and help develop a good network of players to come back and play for us in the Twenty20. One thing our Twenty20 players don't have is experience," he added.

Besides Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Paul Collingwood, who are contracted with IPL teams, Vaughan thinks England should also allow players like Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann and James Anderson to get the exposure to the shortest version of cricket.

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Only five Pakistani players in IPL-III

Not all the Pakistani players are welcome in the next IPL as the organisers have sought clearance for only five players from the PCB.

According to sources IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi had asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to provide NOC's from their government for Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Misbah-ul-Haq and new signing, Abdul Razzaq.

"That is what we have heard that the IPL is not asking for a blanket clearance for all Pakistani players. They have specifically taken names of players they want clearances for the next IPL season," the source told PTI.

While Razzaq is a new signing for Kolkatta Knight Riders, the other four appeared in the first edition of the mega Twenty20 IPL in 2008 for different teams.

The foreign ministry has already given political clearance to the players, the sports ministry is now awaiting security clearance from the interior ministry.

Salman Ahmed of Portfolio international, the sports management company that represents the majority of the Pakistani players, said efforts were being made to get more players get the opportunity to play in the IPL next year.

"It is not fair that the IPL is asking for NOC's for only a handful of players. We don't know what is the status about the other players and when they would be considered," he said.

Salman, who is in New Zealand to discuss the IPL issue with the players, said the PCB should make it clear to the IPL that they can't be selective in picking players from Pakistan.

He said so far there was no inquiry for Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Salman Butt, Muhammad Hafeez all of whom played in the inaugural tournament.

The IPL has given a deadline of December 7 to the PCB to submit NOC's for the players and Salman said some solution would be found out before this deadline.

He said under the present system the franchises could not directly sign on players from other countries and only those players, cleared by IPL, could be available for the auction.

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Cricket-Pakistan government clears players to take part in IPL

KARACHI, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Pakistan's government has given the go-ahead for the country's players to take part in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) next year, a cricket board spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday.

The ministry of interior had followed the sports and foreign ministries in giving security clearance for players to travel to India for the IPL, said PCB media manager Nadeem Sarwar.

"The sports and foreign ministries had already given their clearance and we were awaiting security clearance from the interior ministry which we have got now," he added.

The PCB had approached the government for clearance to issue Non-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to its players because the government did not permit players to visit India for the second edition of the IPL held in the middle of this year.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been at a low ebb since November, 2008 when Islamist militants killed at least 166 people in a three-day attacks in Mumbai.

The bloodshed led to the Indian government cancelling a test tour to Pakistan set for early 2009 and freezing bilateral cricket ties with their neighbours.

The Pakistan government retaliated by stopping its players going to India on security grounds for the IPL, which was later shifted to South Africa.

"We have been told we can issue NOCs to the players now," Sarwar said. "We had asked for clearance as the IPL has set a deadline of December 7 for our players to submit relevant documents."

About a dozen Pakistani players -- including Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir -- took part in the first edition of the IPL in March-April, 2008 in India.

The third edition of the IPL is scheduled to be held in India in March-April next year.

Pakistan's hockey team is also due to take part in the World Cup in New Delhi early next year.

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No invitation from IPL yet - Wasim Bari

Pakistan's return to the IPL remains on hold with the national board (PCB) confirming it has not received any letters of invitation from the tournament organisers to its players to initiate the visa process. The deadline set by the IPL for receiving No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and visa paperwork was November 20, but a day after that PCB COO Wasim Bari has said he received no intimation about a step forward.

"As far as I am concerned not a single player, who is interested in the IPL gave me an invitation letter of the IPL," Bari told Dawn. "Though the PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has already been in contact with the government to seek guidelines on this issue, whether to allow the players to play in the IPL or not, an invitation from the IPL is nevertheless mandatory.

"I only want an invitation letter from the players and the guideline of the government and that is all from my side."

Pakistan's players were absent from the second IPL, held earlier this year in South Africa, after their government did not allow them to travel to India - where the tournament was originally to be held - for security reasons.

The PCB and the league have been in contact to clear the paperwork required for players to return after a one-year gap. Last week Bari told told Cricinfo that the PCB had sent NOCs to the IPL and requested the management to sent invitation letters.

The third edition of the IPL will held in March-April next year.

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No Icon Player in teams from 2011 IPL

New Delhi: Two new teams, four fielding substitutes instead of the lone 12th man, pink balls in practice matches and abolishing the 'Icon Player' status are some of the innovations which the Indian Premier League would embrace from its 2011 edition.

From next year onwards, IPL would also be played under the supervision of the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, while players who skip the tournament despite not having any national assignment might have their contracts terminated, organisers of the event said in a statement.

The recent three-day franchisee workshop in Bangkok had threadbare discussions on player regulations, commercial aspects, logistics, hospitality, ticketing, licensing and merchandising.

"I am certain now that we are poised to bring a significantly enhanced IPL experience back home to the Indian fans in Season 2010," IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said.

It has been decided that teams would be allowed four fielding substitutes, rather than the lone 12th man.

Any ball bowled above waist height, regardless of the speed, will be declared a no-ball, while pink balls would be used in practice matches.

Apart from availing ACSU service, IPL will follow the BCCI Anti-Doping policy for Season 2010.

Another issue that the IPL Governing Council plans to take up is non-availability of players after signing of contracts.

"Measures discussed revolved around the initiation of stringent action including termination of player contracts and barring from future participation in the IPL, of players that have signed contracts, but fail to make themselves available for playing in the IPL," the organisers said.

"It was agreed that in the event any of the Member Boards not issuing an NOC to their players for participation in the IPL - on pretext of domestic engagements - IPL could make a representation to the Governing Council of the Champions League for taking appropriate action against the members boards participation in the League," the organisers said.

On the decision to expand the league, they said, "A discussion for the addition of two new franchises in Season 4 was held with the same being adopted with seven of the eight Franchises being in favour of increasing the number of Teams to 10."

Among other things, it was finalised that trading of Players will be permitted between franchisees for the season 2010 onwards.

Meanwhile, Pakistani players' participation will have to be confirmed by their Cricket Board through an NOC and clearance from their government.

On January 19 next year, IPL would conduct an auction, adding new players into the league and a fresh purse of $750,000 will available to each franchisee.

The League will also have a cap on the maximum players in a squad while all franchises agreed to do away with the Icon Player status.

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IPL sets trading dates for 2010

The Indian Premier League's trading window for the 2010 season has been set between November 23 and January 5.

The window allows the eight teams to buy and sell players already contracted with IPL teams.

Pakistan players, who were barred from participating in the second season in South Africa this year - a result of the terrorist strikes in Mumbai last year - will be allowed to participate subject to the Pakistan Cricket Board issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and the government granting visas.

Following a three-day workshop in Bangkok, the IPL has also decided to do away with the 12th man and instead permitted the use of fielding substitutes.

An auction will be conducted in Mumbai on January 19 next year to bring in fresh players with each franchisee granted a purse of USD750,000 and the IPL, in participation with the MCC, will also trial the use of pink balls in practice matches to advance the cause of day-night Test cricket.

The council has also decided the International Cricket Council's Anti Corruption and Security Unit will have officers deployed at each venue while matches are in progress to enhance security.

The workshop had threadbare discussions on player regulations, commercial aspects, logistics, hospitality, ticketing, licensing and merchandising.

"I am certain now that we are poised to bring a significantly enhanced IPL experience back home to the Indian fans in Season 2010," IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said.

It has been decided that any ball bowled above waist height, regardless of the speed, will be declared a no-ball.

Apart from availing ACSU service, IPL will follow the BCCI Anti-Doping policy for Season 2010.

Another issue that the IPL Governing Council plans to take up is non-availability of players after signing of contracts.

"Measures discussed revolved around the initiation of stringent action including termination of player contracts and barring from future participation in the IPL, of players that have signed contracts, but fail to make themselves available for playing in the IPL," the organisers said.

"It was agreed that in the event any of the Member Boards not issuing an NOC to their players for participation in the IPL - on pretext of domestic engagements -- IPL could make a representation to the Governing Council of the Champions League for taking appropriate action against the members boards participation in the League," the organisers said.

On the decision to expand the league, they said, "A discussion for the addition of two new franchises in Season 4 was held with the same being adopted with 7 of the 8 Franchises being in favour of increasing the number of Teams to 10."

The League will also have a cap on the maximum players in a squad while all franchises agreed to do away with the Icon Player status.

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IPL theatrical rights for Rs 330 crore

Entertainment and Sports Direct (ESD) bagged the theatrical rights of the IPL matches for the next 10 years for Rs 330 crore.

ESD, promoted by investment advisory and private equity firm DAR Capital Group, made the highest bid for the IPL's theatrical rights for matches to be played in seasons 2010 to 2019, the IPL announced today.

The deal would give ESD the exclusive exhibition rights for audiences in cinema halls, stadia, water-borne vessels, buses, trains, armed service establishments, hospitals, bars, hotels, restaurants, airports, railway stations, shopping malls, offices, construction sites, oil rigs, clubs, auditoriums, spas, salons and other similar public venues.

Two bids were received for the theatrical rights tender from Triplecom Media and ESD and the bid by ESD was the higher of the two offers, the IPL said in a media statement.

Expressing delight at the deal, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said the deal was subject to final approval of the Twenty20 league's governing council and if approved, the agreement "will help us take the IPL action direct to the fans on the large screen.

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IPL to trial pink balls in practice games

The IPL will use pink balls at practice games ahead of the third season of the Twenty20 Indian domestic league starting on March 12, Lalit Modi, the tournament chairman, has said. The IPL will also experiment with four fielding substitutes instead of just the twelfth man.

"IPL teams to test pink ball in their practice matches and sessions in partnership with MCC," Modi posted on his twitter site. "Four fielding substitutes rather than 12th man."

Modi is currently in Bangkok where the IPL is holding a workshop to discuss the third season, to be held across India.

The MCC had suggested using pink balls as an alternative to white ones, which often get discoloured and can be difficult to spot in day-night matches. Although this suggestion was rejected by the ECB in county cricket, the IPL had shown interest in trialling them.

The introduction of pink balls is considered essential if Test cricket is to be played in the day-night format - an idea that the BCCI has supported to increase spectator interest.

"The IPL are quite interested in using pink balls and I am waiting to hear back from them", John Stephenson, MCC head of cricket, told the Daily Telegraph last month. "We will continue to use pink balls because we believe that they retain their colour longer than white balls. If we are going to play day-night Test cricket in the future then we are going to have to find a solution."

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Mohanlal may bid for IPL team

Kochi: Malayalam actor Mohanlal might soon follow the footsteps Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty by bidding for an Indian Premier League team.

"Yes, it will be through bidding. You will come to know some good or bad news in the coming days," Mohanlal said. There were media reports saying Mohanlal, along with renowned film Director Priyadarshan were trying to have a team in the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament, since the BCCI looking to increase number of IPL teams.

Mohanlal was speaking to reporters at a function here last night after being made 'Goodwill Ambassador of Kerala State Athletics' by the Kerala State Athletics Association (KSAA).

On being made brand ambassador for athletics, Mohanlal said he was happy to be part of the sport in a state which had produced international stars like former sprint queen PT Usha, Shiny Wilson, Beenamol and TC Yohannan.

Mohanlal himself is a former wrestling champion in inter-college level. The actor promised that said he would involve himself in ensuring the progress of athletics in Kerala, despite a busy shooting schedule.

KSAA President Baby Mathew Somatheeram hoped that having Mohanlal as brand ambassador would encourage youngsters to take to the sport.

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CL flop: IPL teams had 'no time to prepare and bond'

NEW DELHI: With the three IPL teams - Deccan Chargers, RCB and Delhi Daredevils - getting knocked out in the Champions League,the event has lost a lot of zing and popularity stakes.

Critics are now also questioning the standard of the lucrative IPL which is part of the Indian domestic calendar. Has the Champions League exposed IPL in some ways?

One of the main reasons for the flop show of IPL teams, according to some players and officials of IPL teams, is the fact that while many foreign teams are playing like cohesive units because they spend a lot of time together, the IPL teams didn't have the advantage of being together for sufficient time.

"In an IPL team, players hardly get time to get used to their teammates so team bonding is difficult. For the Champions League, many key members of the three teams were busy attending national duty and were not available till one or two days before the matches started," a Daredevils player told TOI.

"To play as team, you have to develop an understanding of what the team exactly needs from you and how one can perform as a team. If we are not spending enough time together, then it's a problem. In the IPL it doesn't show because all the teams are more or less at the same level, but that's not the case in the Champions League," the player added.

That also explains to some extent why the IPL teams were looking less than prepared for CL. Several top players did not get enough time to plan and prepare for the T20 event.

Daredevils were also undone by injuries to key men like Daniel Vettori and AB de Villers. Meanwhile, RCB's bowling was weak while Deccan depended too much on a few individuals, like skipper Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds. Another reason was that some leading lights of IPL teams opted to play for teams from their own country, thus weakening the IPL units. All this negated the home advantage that the teams had.

The lacklustre show of the IPL teams have also surprised teams from abroad. "It's a big surprise. It's one of those things which no one thought when we came here," said Jean-Paul Duminy, the Cape Cobras batsman. But he added, "You got to give other teams the credit too. They have shown good form in this tournament."

Meanwhile, Cobras coach, Shukri Conrad opined, "We thought the IPL teams were going to be the favourites at home. So, obviously it's big surprise but T20 is such a game that no one is really favourite. I think the massive crowd added to the pressure of the Indian teams."

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BCCI feeling the heat over IPL from within

Mumbai: So far it was said only in hushed tones, but now the BCCI has itself admitted it. In a shocking indictment of the IPL, the Board's chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty has stuck to his guns, questioning the attitude of the new age Indian cricketer.

It's the BCCI's billion dollar baby, the tournament that allows the Board to flex its financial muscle and virtually run world cricket. But now, voices within the same board are worried about its impact.

Ratnakar Shetty's comments came at a private gathering in Mumbai and were picked up by a news agency. "One of the senior players called up after the Champions Trophy and said youngsters did not feel the loss as much as him. He said there was no feeling whether we won or not. There is no sadness after losing," he was quoted as saying.

The comments quite expectedly raised a storm, forcing Shetty to offer this clarification, although he didn't really backtrack from his position.

"They have to take the hurt feeling when we don't do well in international tournaments," Shetty said. "Winning bilateral tournaments and having a ranking in the ODIs or Tests is one thing, but going on to win international tournaments is extremely important. That is where the focus and commitment would actually come into play."

This is not the first time that voices within the establishment have been critical of the IPL. Coach Gary Kirsten had blamed the league for India's early exit from the World T20 in England.

"A lot of those niggles were picked up during the IPL and we lose contact with our players during the IPL, because they are connected and responsible to their franchises. The players take a lot of pride in playing for their franchises as well," Kirsten had said.

Will this open a can of worms within the BCCI? Will these voices of dissent against the IPL only get louder if India continue to flounder?

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