IPL to be a grand event : Lalit Modi

 

NEW DELHI: The second edition of the Indian Premiere League would be a much bigger than its previous one, said chairman Lalit Modi in Goa on Thursday.

A total of 17 slots would be available for the different teams to bid for in the auction of the second edition of the Indian Premiere League, said Modi. 

The IPL chairman said apart from the slots available, teams can bid for more players to replace the Pakistani players, who are banned from the Twenty20 league. Whereas he said no replacements would be possible in the mid-session 
He said the IPL will follow new players of conduct in its second edition of the tournament.
In case of tied match, one over eliminator would be used, said Modi 
 He again said the IPL will follow the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) guidelines 
In its second edition Mumbai Indians have three players to bid for, whereas Kolkata Knight Riders have 1 slot available to bid for. 
 The second player’s auction of the DLF Indian Premier League will witness 114 cricketers from abroad under the hammer in Goa on February 6. 
From South Africa’s new batting sensation JP Duminy to England’s Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff, the auction will see an array of stars up for the auction for the second edition of the tournament that will kick off on April 10. 
Australian players will lead the charge with 27 in the fray that include Bradd Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Stuart Clark, Bradd Hogg, Shaun Tait and Jason Krejza among others. However, Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke pulled out citing a busy international schedule. 
England follows next with 21 players including Pietersen, Flintoff, Steve Harmison, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Shaun Udal, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swan and Owais Shah. 
“As per guidelines set by the Governing Council for the IPL 2009, each franchisee will have a maximum purse of $2 million, less any amount spent on signing temporary replacements from last year to select the cricketers best suited for their team’s strategies,” according to a release from the organisers. 
“Clearly the DLF Indian Premier League has set new standards in helping uncover and hone some exciting new talent, that have gone on to gain international recognition, all of which augurs well for development of world cricket. We are extremely happy with the interest the league has garnered globally and look forward to the action at the second player auction in Goa,” Modi said. 
Final list of players and their base prices in USD: 

Australia: Aaron Bird 45,000, Brett Geeves 45,000, Bryce McGain 50,000, Daniel Harris 50,000, Dominic Thornley 50,000, George Bailey 50,000, Jonathan Moss 50,000, Michael Dighton 85,000, Michael Hill 50,000, Phil Jacques 100,000, Shane Harwood 75,000, Shaun Tait 250,000, Steven Smith 75,000 and Stuart Clark 250,000. 

Bangladesh: Mashrafe Bin Mortaza 50,000, Mohammed Ashraful 75,000, Shakib Al Hasan 75,000, Tamim Iqbal 50,000. 

England: Andrew Flintoff 950,000, Pietersen 1,35,000, Luke Wright 150,000, Owais Shah 150,000, Paul Collingwood 250,000, Ravi Bopara 150,000 and Samit Patel 100,000. 

New Zealand: James Franklin 50,000, Jesse Ryder 100,000 and Kyle Mills 150,000. 

South Africa: Gulam Bodi 100,000, J P Duminy 300,000, Morne Van Wyk 100,000, Tyron Henderson 100,000 and Yusuf Abdullah 25,000. 

Sri Lanka: Chamara Kapugedara 150,000, Kaushalya Weereratne 50,000, Nuwan Kulasekera 100,000 and Thilan Tushara 100,000. 

West Indies: Dwayne Smith (To be confirmed), Fidel Edwards 150,000, Jerome Taylor (TBC), Kech 50,000 and Kieron Pollard 60,000.

 

Obama steps to the door of White House

 

Indian help in 26/11 probe welcome: Pak

Asserting that all the “culprits” behind the Mumbai attacks “must be apprehended”, Pakistan on Sunday said Indian investigators will “be more than welcomed” to help in its probe into the terror strikes. 

Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik also said anyone found to be involved in the “heinous” attacks would be prosecuted under the country’s anti-terror laws. 

Malik’s comments came a day after he acknowledged that the evidence about Mumbai terror attacks given to Pakistan by India contained “leads and good clues”. 
“All the culprits (involved in the Mumbai attacks) must be apprehended. Who will support such acts?” he told reporters in Lahore today after a meeting to brief opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, about Pakistan’s probe. 

Earlier, during an interview with Geo News channel, Malik said Pakistan’s investigations into the Mumbai attacks are being conducted under the country’s laws and the government will not accept any foreign pressure in this regard. 
He said no assistance would be sought from foreign countries though Indian investigators will “be more than welcomed” to help in the probe. 
“Pakistan is very open and the inquiry officers have been bestowed with full powers to fulfil their task,” Malik said. 

India should reciprocate Pakistan’s gestures in the same spirit and allow Pakistani investigators to travel to the neighbouring country, he indicated. The Pakistani inquiry “cannot proceed without the provision of legally tangible evidence”, he remarked. 

If anyone is found to be involved in the “heinous” attacks, the person would be prosecuted under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act, the interior ministry chief said. 

Malik also told the channel that if India persisted with its demand for the extradition of Pakistani nationals allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan would seek the handing over of persons involved in the 2007 bombing of the Samjhauta Express train. 

After reports appeared in Indian media suggesting a possible link of the Malegaon blast accused with the train attack, political leaders here have been saying that the government should seek the extradition of Indian nationals, including Col S K Purohit, for the bombing of the cross-border train that killed nearly 70 people, including Pakistanis. 

“If the Indian demand for handing over the accused in the Mumbai attacks persisted, then the accused of the Samjhauta Express case might be asked for” by Pakistan, Malik said. 

Replying to a question about Indian fears of Talibanisation of the region, he urged Indian authorities to share their findings in this regard with Pakistan and cooperate with it in its bid to exterminate terrorism and extremism from South Asia. 
He also said Pakistan is part of the world community and a member of various international forums and is thus bound to fulfil its international obligations. 

Malik told the media in Lahore that action had also been taken against outlawed groups like the Jamaat-ud-Dawah by the provincial government of Punjab. 
“Don’t forget, (the Jamaat’s headquarters at) Muridke is in Punjab (and) major action has been taken by the government of Punjab,” he said. 

Malik said he would meet leaders of other political parties soon to brief them on Pakistan’s probe into the Mumbai attacks. 

 

Big Four leave Australian Slam wide Open

Men’s tennis has moved swiftly from one dominant player to two, then the Big Three and now the Big Four, making this year’s Australian Open the least predictable in recent history.

World number one Rafael Nadal is seeded top, Novak Djokovic is defending champion but Britain’s Andy Murray is some bookies’ favourite, rankling three-time winner Roger Federer.

“Murray’s the favourite? Good for him, but it doesn’t help him a lot,” said the Swiss.

Federer heads into the season’s opening Grand Slam without the top seeding for the first time since 2004 but encouraged by his US Open win in September.

The Swiss also lifted the Kooyong Classic trophy on Saturday as he goes in search of Grand Slam title number 14, which would equal the record set by Pete Sampras.

“I’m playing well, I’m feeling well,” he said. “It’s going to be interesting. I think it’s an interesting year ahead of us. That’s why I’m excited.”

However, Federer has already lost twice this year to Murray, whose red-hot form is raising genuine hopes that he may be about to end Britain’s 73-year wait for a Grand Slam title.

Murray has also smashed past Nadal and defended his Qatar Open title in a rip-roaring start to the year after dominating the latter part of last season.

“I’m going into each match confident, not as many nerves,” Murray said.

“In the past I’ve been a little bit erratic with my performances. I feel like now I’ve sort of become more consistent. That’s made a big difference.”

Murray’s physical fragility may be a worry in the 128-man draw, often played in brutal heat, after a back problem flared during the Doha semis. He was also a first-round loser last year to eventual runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“I feel good going into the Australian Open but after what happened last year I don’t want to get too carried away,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nadal has made a slow start to the only season he has begun as world number one, going down to the in-form Gael Monfils in Doha after his loss to Murray at an exhibition event.

The Spaniard, who took an extended break at the end of last year with chronic knee tendinitis, admits he is lacking match practice as he looks to improve on last year’s semi-final appearance.

“You never know, no? Hopefully yes,” he said, when asked if he was ready for the Open. “But I was two months out of competition, so maybe I need a few more matches to get my rhythm.”

Djokovic is breathing down Federer’s neck for the second ranking but also has made an unedifying start to the season.

The Serb blamed a change of racquet after losing to Ernests Gulbis in Doha, and was then ousted in the Sydney International semis by Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen.

“(My game’s) not 100 percent, but it’s getting there,” Djokovic said.

Sixth-ranked Tsonga dazzled Melbourne with his run to the final last year, but his build-up has been hit by a back injury which forced him out of the Sydney International.

Czech player Radek Stepanek is buoyed by his Brisbane International win over Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, while Marin Cilic was victorious in Chennai and ex-number one Lleyton Hewitt may be a dangerous floater on home soil.

Federer opens his campaign on Monday against Andreas Seppi while Djokovic is playing Andrea Stoppini. On Tuesday, Nadal faces Christophe Rochus and Murray plays Andrei Pave

 

KPMG, Deloitte replace PwC as Satyam’s auditors

 

Fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services Ltd’s new board has appointed KPMG and Deloitte as the company’s new auditors, replacing PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“Yes, they have been appointed,” said Deepak Parekh, a senior Indian banker, who is one of the newly appointed member said.

Meanwhile, PricewaterhouseCoopers has said that its office in south India had not been raided and it was assisting agencies investigating the outsourcing firm.

“There is no raid at the Pricewaterhouse Hyderabad office. We are in discussion with different agencies for providing information requested by them,” a statement from the firm said.

“We are fully cooperating with the agencies and providing whatever information/documents/materials that have been asked for.”

The government dissolved Satyam’s board and installed a three-man board on Sunday as it rushed to contain a fallout from India’s biggest corporate scandal, after Satyam’s founder last week revealed massive accounting fraud and quit.

 

Top industrialists bat for Modi as the next PM

Two years ago, Ratan Tata had said that one would be stupid not to invest in Gujarat. And now with foreign investors and others in India Inc also heading there, Brand Gujarat is shining bright. 

“If one Narendrabhai can be so much for Gujarat, imagine what is the possibility of India by having Narendrabhai as the next leader of India?” said Anil Ambani, group chairman of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

High praises have come from top industrialists for the Gujarat Chief Minister and with due reason, too. While an economic slowdown has hit global markets, Gujarat seems to have become immune.

In just two days of the Global Investors’ Summit, the state managed to get investment commitments worth Rs 12 lakh crore.

Not surprisingly, India’s top industrialists showered the Gujarat CM with abundant praise. 

Praising Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said, “Modi has a magnetic personality, which has attracted several companies to the state. I have had the opportunity to observe him closely during work and I must say that we run only companies and earn money but if there is one person who can run not only a company, a sector, but a whole nation as a CEO, it’s Narendra Modi.” 

Apart from large Indian corporates, more than one-third of the investment came from foreign players, whether it was the Japanese implementing a metro rail project or the Koreans aiming for a share in the telecom market. 

“I really noticed that this state provides very good environment for business and I can see the real success story of private partnership projects in Gujarat,” said Joon Yun Kim, project head at S K Telecom.

The state government is naturally pleased.

“Today Gujarat is the ideal destination for investments in India,” said Gujarat Industries Minister Saurabh Dalal.

On day two of the global investors’ summit, it is evident that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is desperate to make it a point that there is no recession in industries and investments as far as Gujarat is concerned.

 

Pak’s ISI inducting women into terrorism

In a startling revelation, security forces in Jammu & Kashmir have learnt that Pakistan’s ISI is reportedly inducting women into militancy.

The plans came to light during the interrogation of a woman named Asiya Malik who was arrested by the J&K police last week.

According to reports, the ISI is adopting a new strategy and recruiting women for carrying out terrorist attacks.

The woman, who is alleged to be an ISI agent, confessed that she was trained by the ISI in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’s (PoK) Bhiber and Kotli.

Asiya also disclosed that nearly 100 girls belonging to different countries, including Saudi Arabia, are being trained in various terrorist camps in PoK and are financed by Pakistan’s notorious spy agency.

Giving a detailed account of the training, the woman militant revealed how Pakistani girls are being trained to handle of weapons, explosives, jungle warfare and sabotage activities.

“I’ve seen the Mujahideen training camps. Women are also being trained here. Right now, there are about 700 women receiving arms training in different militant camps run by the ISI. These women are also provided with terror literature and taught how to use small arms like guns and grenades,” she said in a recorded confession.

 

Prime Minister Accuses Pak’s Involvement

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday accused Pakistan of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, and asserted that the Mumbai attacks were carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba with “sure” support from some official agencies in the neighbouring country. 

Addressing the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, Dr Singh said that some Pakistani official agencies must have supported the terrorists who attacked Mumbai, given the sophistication and military precision of the Mumbai strikes. He added that terror in India was largely sponsored by outsiders, especially Pakistan.

On LeT’s involvement in the Mumbai attacks, the PM said that evidence has been gathered, including by outside agencies like the US’ FBI, to prove that.

The PM further accused Pakistan of being engaged in “whipping up war hysteria”. India remained steadfastly united even as “Pakistan engages in whipping up war hysteria”, Dr Singh said.

“The situation may appear challenging and it is challenging but it is by no means beyond our control,” he said. “A strong sense of nationhood” is needed to counter external and internal threats, he added.

“Unfortunately we cannot choose our neighbours,” the Prime Minister said. He added that Pakistan has encouraged and provided sanctuaries to terrorists in the past.

Admitting that there had been a security lapse in the November 26-29 terror attacks in Mumbai, he said the sea route was being exploited and explored by terrorists as an alternative to land routes.

“The terrorists who carried out the attack on Mumbai used the sea route and managed to evade our surveillance.”

Complex security situation

While inaugurating the conference, Dr Singh said that security situation in the country has become more complex since the last meet of the Chief Ministers.

The PM noted that most of the terrorists act in connivance with intelligence agencies in neighbouring countries.

While commenting on the challenges faced by India, the Prime Minister said that problems faced by our country are compounded by vulnerable security environment and fragile governments in the neighbouring countries.

The more fragile the government, the more dangerous it was, he said. Pakistan’s responses were an “obvious example”.

He further stressed on the need for a holistic approach to deal with the menace of terrorism.

Referring to insurgency in the country’s Northeast, the Prime Minister said that militants there were being sheltered by the neighbouring country, apparently referring to Bangladesh.

According to the PM, time has come to establish a permanent crisis management group to handle terrorist attack-like situations.

Dr Singh also stressed on the need to share information among intelligence agencies most important.

Underlining the need to review the current security set-up, the Prime Minister called for better co-ordination among various wings of intelligence. A review of the training and equipment for the security forces was also called for, he added.

The PM said infiltration was also taking place from Bangladesh and Nepal though it had not ceased from the Line of Control (LoC) — that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

The PM said that India must “implement a policy of zero tolerance” towards terrorism and few countries had suffered from terror attacks in the way that India had.

Stressing that terror should not be conceptualised solely in military terms, the PM stated, “We must ensure the concept of terrorism is delegitimised.”

Meet’s agenda

Terrorism, strengthening of intelligence network, security of coastline and key establishments, including atomic sites, are on top of agenda at the conference.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister AK Antony, and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

Chidambaram, in his first such exercise after being shifted from the Finance Ministry, will seek views from all state governments on action to beef up the security machinery to check terrorism in the wake of Mumbai terror attack, official sources said.

The conclave will focus on beefing up intelligence network and strengthening coastal security, particularly considering the fact that the terrorists involved in Mumbai carnage used the sea route to sneak into the metropolis.

Security of key installations, including nuclear power plants, will also figure prominently at the meeting.

The issue of strengthening intelligence collection and sharing mechanism (Subsidiaries of Multi Agency Centre), modernisation of police forces, setting up of commando units in all states/Union territories police forces and discussion on the modalities of the working of the newly-formed National Investigation Agency are also on the agenda of the meeting.

 

India wins first test against England

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s flawless century steered India to a six-wicket win Monday over England in the first of two five-day test matches in Chennai.

The Mumbai veteran’s 103, which came with a winning hit to the fence, and fellow partner Yuvraj Singh’s 85 took India to the winning target of 387 runs with a loss of only four wickets and sealed England’s fate despite some spirited batting and bowling by the latter.

The match had been rescheduled in the southern city, formerly called Madras, after the Nov. 26 Mumbai terror attacks.

England decided to return to India to play the two test matches despite some earlier concerns about security. Much of the proceeds from the Chennai test would be donated to help the victims of the Mumbai massacre.

Tendulkar’s 103 was his 41 test century, the most by any batsman in the cricket world.

The star performer on the English side was opener Andrew Strauss, who achieved the distinction of scoring centuries in both innings.

The next test match will be played in the north Indian city of Mohali, starting Friday.

source

 

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Do you think that the current cricket tournament has any relevency after the terror attack at Mumbai?