IPL to disclose player's name today

The Indian Premier League continues to be mired in controversy even though it was over a month ago.

An unnamed cricketer has tested positive for drugs in the random tests conducted during the inaugural season of the IPL that ended on June 1.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials had taken random samples during the tournament, and it has confirmed that one player failed the test.

The identity of the player is not clear but it is believed that it is a pace bowler from the sub-continent.

IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi confirmed that there was indeed a positive dope test. "We have been conveyed by WADA. One player has tested positive, according to random tests conducted by a Swiss lab. We do not know who he is."

Fourteen players were tested in all during the tests which got underway one month after the IPL began. "Two days ago the IPL received a letter from a Swiss agency, mandated by WADA, which said one sample had tested positive. The IPL will follow set procedures from now on," Modi said.

Modi said that once the player is identified, he would have to produce a prescription to justify the use of the drug.

"The testing is done in two stages. If the player has a prescription, it’s okay and the process gets over in stage one. But if the first stage fails and the player does not have a prescription for the drug, he has to be present at the lab with an IPL official to authenticate. If result is positive, then the matter goes to the drug tribunal of IPL that includes lawyer Shishir Gupte, and Sunil Gavaskar," Modi added.

In case that does not happen, the player is informed and a 'B' sample is sent for testing. If that, too, is positive the matter will be taken up by the IPL's drugs tribunal.

The IPL Chairman explained that the results of the dope tests took time to come out because there isn't a WADA-accredited laboratory in India. "The results take six weeks to come as there’s no WADA-authenticated lab in India. The samples are sent to Malaysia or Switzerland," he said, adding: "I am not worried, we will stick to the procedure."

The IPL sprang into action when reports from Pakistan suggested that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was found carrying syringes in bulk on his way to India to participate in the competition to play for Kolkata Knight Riders. Organisers promptly announced random dope tests a month into the tournament.

Mohammad Asif, who along with Shoaib were ejected from the 2006 Champions Trophy after testing positive for a banned substance, was later detained at the Dubai airport for 19 days for alleged possession of opium while he was returning from India en route to Pakistan. Asif had played a pivotal part in Delhi's run to the semi-finals of the inaugural competition.

Asif was released by the authorities in Dubai, but a PCB-appointed tribunal will soon begin its own inquiry into the matter.

Vengsarkar to take up IPL job?

The cash-rich Indian Premier League has reportedly approached chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar to take up the post of Director of Cricket Operations after he completes his term on the national selection panel in September-end.

However, the former India captain refused to confirm or deny it.

"I don't want to comment on it. Kindly ignore it," he said when asked for his reaction to a report which said he has been offered Rs. one crore for the high-profile job.

IPL CEO, Sunder Raman, refused to take calls on the issue despite repeated attempts to contact him.

However, other sources in the Cricket Board confirmed that Vengsarkar has been offered a contract with a rider that he should not associate himself with any league that does not have the sanction of the BCCI.

"During the period of the contract and two years after its termination he's not supposed to be involved directly or indirectly with any other league that is not sanctioned by the BCCI," the sources revealed.

"The contract names him as a consultant and he will be a member of the IPL's Governing Council (headed by IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi). He will also be overall in charge of cricket operations for IPL," informed sources said.

If he accepts the offer, 'The Colonel' will continue to be associated with the BCCI with whose officials he has not seen eye-to-eye on a few occasions, especially on the matter of continuing to write his regular column for a Marathi daily.

The BCCI had directed Vengsarkar to stop writing his column as it felt that there's a conflict of interest there and the former India skipper had to swallow the humiliation in the "larger interest of Indian cricket."

The billion-dollar cricket tournament that brings out the best, and worst, in India

After the smoke trails of fireworks have evaporated and the cheerleaders have put away their pompoms, India has begun to question whether its new billion-dollar cricket league is a sign of a nation breaking free of a colonial legacy or just a crass money-making machine.

There is little doubt the Indian Premier League (IPL), which ended last night with the winners bagging $2m (£1m) in prize money, has changed the domestic game for good. In India, it is said that cricket is more a religion than a sport. When India won the Twenty20 world cup last year, 2 million people took to the streets to welcome the young squad home. Twenty20 also signifies a step change in attitude, which views speed, money and meritocracy stamped on a traditionally restrained and relaxed culture.

Twenty20 is barely recognisable from slow-paced five-day Test matches. IPL games involve three hours of high-octane batting and bowling, accompanied by dancers and a booming Bollywood soundtrack. There are no draws, no white flannels and no tea breaks.

For the first time since the 1960s, thousands have packed stadiums over the past six weeks to watch local sides, all packed with international stars. The game's razzmatazz may have infuriated critics but it has also emptied cinemas and seen audiences for television soaps evaporate.

Bollywood films launched during the league have flopped, say multiplex owners, because people are too interested in Twenty20. Analysts say more than 250 million people have watched the league on TV. Broadcasting it at prime time has proved sports can "compete eyeball-to-eyeball" with other shows, said Anurag Batra of exchange4media.com, an Indian media analysis website.

Shopping patterns too have changed. Malls reported a 20% drop in visitors during the matches.

The IPL, say its detractors, is "the opium of the middle classes". "It is aimed at that upwardly mobile section of society who want something to do in between coming home from work and sleeping," said Ramachandra Guha, a historian and author of a book on Indian cricket.

He added that the infatuation with the new format has magnified some of the country's worst traits: ingrained racism and sexism. Two black cheerleaders were allegedly prevented from performing at some games, "because of the colour of their skin". Others have complained of a torrent of ogling and lewd abuse from crowds. The dancers were eventually banned from performing in some cities by local politicians.

In a strange way, all this was predicted by the editor of [cricketing bible] Wisden last year. He said the game was getting so commercialised that there would be physical violence between players," added Guha, pointing to the Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh's ban for slapping his team-mate and fellow bowler Sreesanth in an IPL match.

The money in the IPL is staggering. Mukesh Ambani, the head of Reliance Industries and one of the world's richest men, and the billionaire Vijay Mallya, each paid about £55m for a franchise, while Bollywood's biggest star, Shah Rukh Khan, spent close to £40m along with two partners for a team in Kolkata.

That is likely to be a wise investment. Mumbai stockbrokers say that within 10 years, each team's annual revenue should be £60m. "It is an attempt to sell cricket as a reality show - [providing] a new entertainment genre which cuts across the classes," said Alchemyonline.

With all the money now in cricket, it is little wonder that last week the batsman Sachin Tendulkar announced he would buy a home in his native Mumbai - for £5m. As with the English football premiership, the influx of money has globalised the game. Australian batsman Andrew Symonds made £250,000 from four appearances for Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers.

In some way, the new game is a reflection of India's emerging "consumerist meritocracy", which emphasises performance regardless of patriotism and politics. "There is a sense of loyalty that is team-based and that is a new thing and probably a good thing for India," said Mukul Kesavan, a writer and cricket columnist.

Backstory

Twenty20 was invented in England in 2003 and was initially shunned by the cricket authorities in most other countries - including India. Having embraced the format, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is destined to grow into one of the world's biggest sporting competitions over the next 10 years. Although small by international standards, average club revenues are predicted to quintuple in that time to £60m a year. By comparison, Arsenal football club's turnover in 2007 was £177m. But the IPL could raise revenue by lengthening the contest - there is speculation it may double to 12 weeks.

Rajasthan Royals Win Inaugural Indian Premier League

Rajasthan Royals were crowned the winners of inaugural IPL as they beat Chennai Super Kings by three wickets to clinch a win off the final ball in a tense finale at the Dr D Y Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.

Rajasthan's reply in pursuit of 164 was hinged on opener Swapnil Asnodkar and Shane Watson's identical contribution of 28 runs.

But the innings gained impetus from Yusuf Pathan's blazing 56, who scored 4 sixes, and backed it with his three wicket haul in the first innings to win the man of the match prize.

Captain Shane Warne struck late blows while Sohail Tanvir hit the winning runs to guide Rajasthan to a historic title win in the inaugural edition.

The Chennai innings was set up by opener Parthiv Patel and Suresh Raina, the same pair which had won them the semi-final on Saturday.

The duo scored 38 and 43 respectively to give Dhoni's team a good platform to build towards a fighting total after Rajasthan has opted to field first.

Skipper Dhoni himself finished with 29 not out as Yusuf Pathan turned the star for Rajasthan with 3-22 and he later went on to score a brillaint 56, but was unfortunately run out in the closin stages.

Scoreboard
Rajasthan Royals Innings
Niraj Patel b M Gony 2
Swapnil Asnodkar c S Raina b A Morkel 28
Kamran Akmal (wk) run out (M Ntini) 6
Shane Watson b M Muralitharan 28
Yusuf Pathan run out (S Raina) 56
Mohammad Kaif c MS Dhoni b M Muralitharan 12
Ravindra Jadeja c C Kapugedara b A Morkel 0
Shane Warne not out 9 9 1 0 100.00
Sohail Tanvir not out 9
Extras: b - 1, w - 5, nb - 2, lb - 6 14
Total:(164 for 7 in 20 overs) 164 Run Rate: 8.20

Fall Of Wickets
1/19 (Niraj Patel, 3.1 ov.), 2/41 (Swapnil Asnodkar, 6.1 ov.), 3/42 (Kamran Akmal, 6.4 ov.), 4/107 (Shane Watson, 14.1 ov.), 5/139 (Mohammad Kaif, 16.6 ov.), 6/139 (Ravindra Jadeja, 17.1 ov.), 7/143 (Yusuf Pathan, 17.4 ov.)

Bowling: Chennai Super Kings
Makhaya Ntini 4 1 21 0
Manpreet Gony 4 0 30 1
Albie Morkel 4 0 25 2
Lakshmipathy Balaji 4 0 42 0
Muttiah Muralitharan 4 0 39 2

Chennai Super Kings Innings
Parthiv Patel c K Akmal b Y Pathan 38
Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan c R Jadeja b Y Pathan 16
Suresh Raina c R Jadeja b S Watson 43
Albie Morkel c K Akmal b Y Pathan 16
Mahendra Singh Dhoni not out 29
Chamara Kapugedara c S Asnodkar b S Tanvir 8
Subramaniam Badrinath not out 6
Extras: b - 1, w - 3, nb - 1, lb - 2 7
Total:(163 for 5 in 20 overs) 163 Run Rate: 8.15

Fall Of Wickets
1/39 (Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, 5.2 ov.), 2/64 (Parthiv Patel, 8.6 ov.), 3/95 (Albie Morkel, 12.4 ov.), 4/128 (Suresh Raina, 16.2 ov.), 5/148 (Chamara Kapugedara, 19.1 ov.)

Bowling: Rajasthan Royals
Sohail Tanvir 4 0 40 1
Shane Watson 4 0 29 1
Munaf Patel 2 0 14 0
Yusuf Pathan 4 0 22 3
Siddharth Trivedi 2 0 21 0
Shane Warne 4 0 34 0

Royals' Sohail Tanvir Wears The IPL Purple Cap

Rajasthan Royals 23-year-old fast bowler Sohail Tanvir from Pakistan earned the 'Purple Cap' for emerging the leading wicket-taker in the inaugural IPL.

Tanvir finished his IPL stint with a haul of 22 wickets, but scored an important four off the last ball to guide Royals to a famous win over Chennai.

"I was hoping that Tanvir was going to be on strike for the final ball and thankfully he was," skipper Warne said of Tanvir.

"I don't think I have experienced the spirit we've had in this team in any other during my 20 years in cricket," Warne said of the team spirit existing in the Royals.

Yusuf grows out of his younger brother's shadow

The final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) couldn't have witnessed a better climax. If the tournament itself was solemnised in a ritual that overflowed with entertainment, the concluding chapter turned out to be the most nail-biting finish this format of the game could offer.

In years to come, the record books will bring to light the performance of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in a match that had all the ingredients of a potboiler. It will never matter who won; what will eventually play on the minds of everyone will be the manner in which Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina lit up the stadium.

Always playing under the shadow of his more famous brother Irfan, Yusuf, with 435 runs, came into his own by becoming the seventh highest scorer in the tournament. But in times to come, stories will definitely be written about how a shy Yusuf, a year older than Irfan, came out of his brother's shadow to carve a niche of his own.

Sunday could be Yusuf's happiest day in cricket till now, but few would know when the dullest was - the day when Irfan returned from the South Africa tour in 2006, midway, to play the Ranji Trophy. Yusuf's form had been depressingly low and Baroda, in need of a victory over Uttar Pradesh, dropped his half-brother. Yusuf warmed the bench, thinking loudly in front of this reporter: "Mere liye jagah nahi hai team mein (there is no place for me in this team)".

Raina, on the other hand, seemed to be waiting for an opportunity like this. He ended up with 421 runs, his 43 off 30 balls the biggest factor in setting up Chennai's total. Just before he arrived in Mumbai, Raina had been talking about his stint in the Deodhar Trophy four seasons ago, a particular knock in the nineties that still remains his personal favourite. "Ek waisa innings chahiye phir se (need another innings like that one)," he had said. On Sunday, he came closest to achieving it.

The confidence that IPL has given should easily help fade the troubling times in the past few years.

Celebrities gear up for final leg of IPL

With Indian Premier League (IPL) excitement reaching its crescendo, Bollywood personalities are also gearing up for the final showdown here Sunday.

Many Bollywood personalities will be watching every move of the ball either live or glued to television sets at home, pubs and resorts with friends or family members.

Actor Rahul Bose plans to go to the stadium for all three matches. 'I have watched the first semi-final and will be watching today's (Saturday) match too. I will also go for the finals.'

Asked who was he supporting, the actor said: 'I was supporting Mumbai Indians, but they lost because of bad luck. Now, as they are out, I will just watch the game as a lover of sport.'

Filmmaker Ashok Pandit said: 'It does not matter who wins. Every team comes from some part of our country. I cannot say that I like one particular team. The team who plays well should win.'

Pandit said Bollywood has been in the thick of things in all the major happenings in the country.

'Whether any natural calamity or happy occasion, Bollywood has always actively participated in all the events,' Pandit claimed.

Punjabi Pop singer Sukhdev said Yuvraj is his favourite player and he will be rooting for him through out the game.

'But to win a game, the team should play well. A single player cannot win a match. Everyone has to perform as a team to make it to the finals.'

'I will be watching the game at my friend's place on a big screen and cheer my team,' said the singer. But what if his team loses? The singer said 'My second favourite is Rajasthan as it has Shane Warne.'

Injured Smith ruled out of IPL final

Graeme Smith, the Rajasthan Royals opener, has been ruled out of the final of the Indian Premier League because of a hamstring injury he sustained during the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils on Friday.

Smith was rested for Rajasthan's last two league games because he injured his hamstring against Chennai but returned to open the innings in the semi-final.

However, he pulled up while running a single in the second over and continued batting with a runner, Mohammad Kaif.

He was eventually dismissed for 25 off 21 balls as Rajasthan crushed Delhi by 105 runs.

"Smith has played a huge part in the team's success and we had gave him a couple of games off to recover from his hamstring injury [against Chennai]," Shane Warne, the Rajasthan captain, said.

"Yesterday he was running around like an 18-year-old and said he had no problem at all.

However, during the game [against Delhi] he tore his hamstring in different spot.

"Unfortunately, he [Smith] is out for tomorrow's game [final].

We have to make the big decision on who will open the innings with Swapnil [Asnodkar].

Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal come to my mind as being likely to open in the final." Smith's injury is a blow to Rajasthan for he is their second-highest run-scorer with 441 at an average of 49.

He also forged an attacking opening partnership with Swapnil Asnodkar - the pair average 59.71 at 8.96 per over, with two century stands.

Rajasthan are likely to pick Akmal, who has scored 122 runs in five innings at a strike-rate of 171.83, over Younis who has played just one game in the IPL so far.

If Akmal does get the nod, he is likely to keep wicket instead of Mahesh Rawat, which could also open the door for Niraj Patel's return.

Rajasthan will take on the winner of the second semi-final between Chennai and Kings XI Punjab, which will take place on Saturday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The final will be held on Sunday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Punjab to take on Chennai in IPL second-semi today

The second semifinal of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.

Kings XI Punjab have talented batsmen including Captain Yuvraj Singh, Sri Lankan batsmen Kumara Sagakkara, Mahela Jaywardane, Australians Shaun Marsh, James Hopes and bowlers Piyush Chawla, Irfan Pathan and Sreesanth.

Kings XI have won 10 of 14 round matches they have played in the league and lost four matches.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings have won eight matches in the tournament. Kiwi star cricketer Stephen Fleming, South African all rounder L.B. Morkel, Mkhaya Ntini, Sri Lankan legend spinner Muralitharan are empowering the Chennai squad.

Super Kings coach Kepler Wessels said his side would go with the psychological advantage in clash with Kings XI Punjab. "We had beaten them early in the tournament when we had our strongest team and later on even without the overseas players we still managed to win. It's an advantage to go into the semifinals against them with this record."

Watson helps Rajasthan march into final

This was Shane Watson's match. Imposing himself on the first semi-final, he boosted Rajasthan Royals with an electric fifty before rattling Delhi Daredevils' top order with an outstanding opening spell. Shane Warne had complained about being deprived of home advantage but his side adjusted perfectly to the conditions at the Wankhede Stadium, putting on a show that illustrated exactly why they have been the stand-out team in the competition.

Delhi were like a side struck with stage fright. Their bowlers were rattled by a brand of unconventional strokeplay - even the peerless Glenn McGrath went wicketless for 38 runs - before their batsmen succumbed against a disciplined attack. Virender Sehwag's decision to field may come under scrutiny but Rajasthan's ruthless efficiency might have steered them to the final either way. The farcical end to the match - when Mohammad Asif took an age to get his bat into the crease - summed it up.

The scorecard may indicate a hopelessly one-sided contest but Rajasthan had their shaky moments. Losing the toss meant facing up to McGrath and Asif on a juicy pitch and three quick wickets for Farveez Maharoof pushed them from 65 for no loss to 76 for 3.

Graeme Smith, who was aided by a runner once his hamstring injury resurfaced, and Swapnil Asnodkar, who broke a window pane at fine leg with an audacious pull, provided the early impetus but the innings could have easily lost its way with Maharoof, utilising the bounce and movement on the surface, luring the top order into loose strokes.

Watson's arrival put the innings back on track. From the moment he took 21 off the 11th over, with two ferocious pulls for six, only one team bossed the contest. With the high, straight back-lift that's been the feature of his batting in the tournament, Watson swung through midwicket and square leg. He targeted specific bowlers and went through with shots even if he wasn't to the pitch of the ball, allowing the timing to take care of the rest.

Amit Mishra, the legspinner, teased with his flight and loop but Watson was intent on spoiling his rhythm - going down on one knee, he slog-swept him over midwicket, a technique that Yusuf Pathan was to pick up later.

Such a commanding total wouldn't have been possible without the final flourish. Yusuf celebrated his recall to the one-day squad with a blistering 21-ball 45, an innings where four mighty sixes dripped off his bat. Without the Watson back-lift, without too much initial movement, he showed what brute force could do, blasting over long-on and midwicket. He spotted slower balls too, smearing McGrath over midwicket for the shot of the evening.

Delhi have their fielders to thank for avoiding further embarrassment but their effort was put in the shade by some acrobatic catching by Rajasthan. Shikhar Dhawan pulled off a diving catch to dismiss Smith but it was Tauwar Kohli's peach of a dive, throwing himself to the right of cover to latch on to a Gautam Gambhir slash, that will stick in the mind.

Watson may have top scored for his side, but his job wasn't done yet. Up against one of the most formidable opening combinations in the IPL, he cranked up his pace. Sehwag was done in by the extra bounce, holing out to deep point, Gambhir was frustrated into slashing in the air and Dhawan pulled straight to square leg. Every wicket was accompanied by an ecstatic expression - one that indicated the triumph of a well-laid plan.

Tillakaratne Dilshan's furious swinging was never going to be enough against a constantly mounting asking-rate and he kept losing partners who misread the bounce in the track. Manoj Tiwary top-edged a bouncer from Munaf Patel and Yo Mahesh struggled against a short one directed at the shoulder. The rest were clueless against Warne's fizzers.

He admitted he would have bowled first if he had won the toss but would have been pleasantly surprised at the amount of turn and bounce the surface offered. He toyed with the tailenders, mixing legbreaks and sliders as if this was a Test, and he could afford to wear an impish smile through the spell, considering the match was in the kitty.

Marsh century conquers Rajasthan

Rajasthan Royals may have ended the league stage on top, but it will be the Kings XI Punjab who head into the semi-finals full of confidence after triumphing by 41 runs in a dead-rubber top-of-the-table clash in Mohali.

Shane Warne rested himself for the game, and there was not much the Rajasthan Royals' captain-cum-coach could do watching from the dugout as Punjab's top order knocked them out of the contest. Shaun Marsh led the way with a 69-ball 115 and James Hopes' 51 provided him support in a century stand before Yuvraj Singh finally found his rhythm with a blistering 49. Without Warne, Rajasthan looked insipid in the field, and a weakened attack without him and Sohail Tanvir, the tournament's best bowler, leaked away too many short and wide deliveries.

Rajasthan, despite a stumbling start, made a spirited effort at hunting down an imposing 222. There was a fluent fifty from Niraj Patel and two blistering hands from Yusuf Pathan and Kamran Akmal, but the match had pretty much been sealed after Punjab's batsmen provided a royal feast for the fans in their last home match.

Marsh, who has been the in-form batsmen for Punjab, was quick off the blocks. Shane Watson had taken over the captaincy, but Marsh started by spanking two wide deliveries off him for boundaries through the off side. The cut, pull and the lofted straight drive were seen aplenty as Marsh began his assault to go past Gautam Gambhir as the tournament's leading run-getter.

At the other end, Hopes got the occasional boundary while letting his partner take most of the strike, and he had to take some evasive action as Marsh blasted one off Watson that went right under his legs. The Powerplay overs fetched 51, but there was no respite for Rajasthan as Pankaj Singh was taken for 17 in the seventh: Marsh clobbering one over midwicket, before lacing the next through extra cover.

Marsh took a single off Dinesh Salunkhe's first ball to become the tournament's leading run-scorer, and a rank bad ball was blasted through midwicket to bring up his fifty. At 88 for 0 after ten overs, the Mohali crowd were set for a treat from their batsmen, and Hopes shifted gears as Punjab looked to build an imposing score. He got three boundaries off Siddharth Trivedi in the 11th over, and Yusuf's offspin was slog-swept into the stands en route to his fifty, which came 30 deliveries.

Next it was Marsh's turn; Yusuf was flat-batted over long-on for four before the Western Australian stepped down the track for to send one sailing over long-on. Yusuf got a breakthrough as Hopes holed on to deep midwicket and the two quiet overs that followed were the brief lull before Yuvraj came out storming and landed the knockout blow.
By then Marsh was marching towards his hundred, and he struck a six over Pankaj's head to move to 97, and a single later in the over - that cost 25 - brought up the sixth century of the IPL. The pressure was getting to Rajasthan, and Yuvraj cashed in: he swivelled around to pull one for six, before dispatching one through square leg.

Yuvraj was in the sort of mood that caught him when he smashed six sixes off Stuart Broad in the World Twenty20. He did hit five sixes off six consecutive deliveries - though it was spread across three overs this time - before he was run-out off the last ball of the innings, one short of what would have been the tournament's fastest fifty. Marsh had fallen earlier in the over, but Punjab were way past the par score of 180 initially suggested by Warne.

Rajasthan surprisingly opened with Mohammad Kaif and Niraj. Kaif fell early, as did Younis Khan, but Niraj, who held his calm during the gripping run-chase that knocked out the Mumbai Indians, scored a sparkling fifty.

He cracked four fours in a Sreesanth over: he worked the ball square on the off side as the bowler gave him width, and launched a slower ball down the ground. VRV Singh tried to test him with shorter deliveries, but Niraj managed to find the boundary. Punjab's bowlers had frittered away a winning position in their shock loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders, but today they were largely disciplined and were backed up by sharp fielding.

Though Niraj kept the score ticking, Rajasthan were struggling at 67 at the halfway mark. Piyush Chawla removed Niraj and Watson, but Rajasthan were given a glimmer of hopes as Yusuf Pathan and Kamran Akmal nonchalantly blasted sixes and scored 54 in three overs to bring it down to 90 off the final six.

Punjab had conceded 71 in the final five overs against Kolkata, but Chawla picked up his third wicket, removing Akmal, and even the hard-hitting Yusuf, who's been a revelation in the tournament, couldn't save Rajasthan. Warne had experimented with his line-up and Delhi Daredevils will be wary of a backlash come the semi-final in on Friday. As for the Chennai Super Kings, they will know they're up against a juggernaut.

Dhoni relieved after seeing his team in IPL semis

Chennai Super Kings skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised his bowlers for restricting Deccan Chargers to under 150 runs and said the victory brought relief for the team.

"Definitely a big relief if it ends up a crunch game in do or die situation and you got to win. Of course it was crucial," he told reporters in the post match press conference after beating Hyderabadi team by seven wickets and sealing the last IPL semifinal spot.

The Jharkhand player said bowlers did a commendable job to set up the win.

"I think we have bowled well. We had started off well, I think bowlers did the job initially. 150 odd runs were quite an achievable target and the wicket was good," he said.

Dhoni said in the last-four stage of the tournament, performance of the top-order would be crucial.

"In T20 matches if top-order batsman like Sanath Jayasuriya, Virender Sehwag or Shaun Marsh or any top-order has his day definitely it puts pressure on rival teams.

"Semifinal... if it is a close game, there will be lot of excitement even to the players. It depends on what happens on the field," he said.

Adam Gilchrist, the losing captain, said the team would review its performance.

"I do not have any excuses. It depends which way you look it (defeats). It is not end of the world. We should settle down and review, make a self assessment and think over where we faulted and plan for the future."

Afridi returns as Deccan bat

Shahid Afridi gets a final opportunity to delight the Hyderabad crowd...
Although he lost the toss, Mahendra Singh Dhoni got what he wished for as Deccan Chargers chose to bat in Hyderabad. The game is crucial for the Chennai Super Kings: a win will make them the fourth team to go through to the semi-finals, while a loss will leave their fate hanging on the result of the Mumbai Indians-Bangalore Royal Challengers clash.

The pitch is expected to be conducive for run-scoring, and Dhoni said he would be more comfortable with a target to chase. However, he will be wary of the Deccan batsmen - they haven't fired in unison yet, and today will be the last opportunity for the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs and Shahid Afridi to delight their home fans and win their first game in seven attempts in Hyderabad. Deccan, though, will be without Rohit Sharma, who hasn't recovered from a finger injury he suffered in their last game. Chaminda Vaas, Sanjay Bangar and Chamara Silva are the other omissions from the XI that played Bangalore on Sunday as Afridi, Sarvesh Kumar and Pragyan Ojha return.

Chennai came excruciatingly close during their chase of a big score against the Rajasthan Royals, and Dhoni has kept faith in his team and not made any changes. However, they conceded 211 in their last match against Rajasthan, and Dhoni would hope his bowlers can keep the Deccan batsmen to a much lesser score.

Teams
Chennai Super Kings: 1 Parthiv Patel (wk), Stephen Fleming, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Albie Morkel, 5 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), 6 S Badrinath, 7 Abhinav Mukund, 8 Manpreet Gony, 9 L Balaji, 10, Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

Deccan Chargers: 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt & wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Shahid Afridi, 4 Venugopal Rao, 5 Scott Styris, 6 Ravi Teja, 7 Arjun Yadav, 8 Pragyan Ojha, 9 Sarvesh Kumar, 10 RP Singh, 11 P Vijaykumar.

SRK may set up cricket academy

Bollywood actor and the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders, Shah Rukh Khan today met the chief minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers’ Buildings and expressed interest in setting up a modern cricket academy in the city.

In reply, the chief minister urged the actor to take some “initiatives” in the film production sector in the state.
Though both the chief minister and Shah Rukh refused to divulge the details of the meeting, officials who were present said though a lot of things were discussed, the main focus was on the cricket academy and the film industry in West Bengal.
A senior official said: “Shah Rukh proposed to set up a modern cricket academy in the state. The academy will be set up on the lines of Australian Cricket Academy in Melbourne. But the discussion was very informal as no formal proposal was submitted by Shah Rukh."
It was learnt that the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders showed interest in setting up the academy at Rajarhat. A formal proposal must be submitted before this could be finalised.
Officials also said the chief minister invited the Bollywood actor to invest in the film industry of the state especially in the production sector. Mr Bhattacharjee told Shah Rukh about the Kolkata Film Festival (KFF) and he invited Shah Rukh to attend the next KFF scheduled to be held in November.
In reply, Shah Rukh also said the state has a lot of talent in this sector. He told Mr Bhattacharjee that the cameraman of his film Chak De India was from Kolkata. He also mentioned if proper infrastructure could be developed here, local talents would have a better platform to prove their excellence. This segment of the meeting is considered to be important because the state government has already invited expression of interest from private partners to run West Bengal Film Development Corporation in a joint venture.

Rajasthan secure top spot with last-ball win

Sohail Tanvir took an impressive 4-14 to become the tournament's highest wicket taker...

The Mumbai Indians lost their third successive nail-biter to leave their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread. With 43 needed off the final three overs for the Rajasthan Royals to protect their 100% home record, youngsters Niraj Patel and Ravindra Jadeja kept their nerve - while several more experienced Mumbai players lost theirs - to win it off the final ball.

The result means Delhi Daredevils become the third team to make it to the semi-finals and if the Chennai Super Kings win their match against Deccan Chargers on Tuesday, Mumbai will be out of contention.

When Shane Watson was dismissed with 69 runs still needed off 48 balls and no big-name batsmen to come on a pitch not conducive to stroke-making, Mumbai were in command. The Mumbai bowlers maintained a tight line-and-length and runs came mainly in singles. With Niraj and Jadeja hardly threatening, the equation became a difficult 43 off the final three.

A streaky inside-edge for four and a misdirected yorker which deflected off the pads to the fine-leg boundary left Rajasthan needing 34 off the last two. Jadeja then clubbed Rohan Raje over cover for six off the first ball and a couple of twos followed in the over. Raje's final delivery should also have gone only for a couple, but shoddy work at the bowler's end - one among Mumbai's several elementary fielding errors - gave away a crucial, extra run.

Four runs came off the first two balls of Dilhara Fernando's last over and Rajasthan required 11 off the final four balls. A flat, powerful six over long-on from Niraj got them closer but only two runs were scored off the next couple of deliveries and three were needed from the final ball. Fernando, an experienced international, then sent down a leg-side wide and Niraj mistimed the last delivery to mid-on. Only one run should have been taken but the batsmen chanced their luck and set off for the second. Sanath Jayasuriya, another experienced campaigner, fumbled the throw from the deep to fluff a simple run-out opportunity and hand Rajasthan yet another victory.

At the start of the chase of 146, amid some uncontrolled across-the-line heaves and suicidal running, Kamran Akmal punished Ashish Nehra's wide deliveries and picked off two boundaries off Shaun Pollock. After surviving some close shaves, Akmal was run out when he made the basic error of not dragging his bat into the crease.

After Fernando dismissed the explosive Yusuf Pathan and Swapnil Asnodkar, Rajasthan were struggling at 54 for 3 after nine but Shane Watson clouted a couple of over-pitched balls from Raje for four to ease the tension. However, Mohammad Kaif was run out after some slapstick running between the wickets and Tendulkar, running across from midwicket, pulled off a blinder to send back Watson in Raje's next over. That was when Rajasthan, as they have through the tournament, found new heroes to bail them out in Niraj and Jadeja.

After choosing to field, on a pitch where was keeping low, Rajasthan restricted Mumbai to 145, a modest total that was reached thanks to Yogesh Takawale's eight-ball 24. Rajasthan's bowlers held sway for most of the innings, and Man-of-the-Match Sohail Tanvir reinforced his status as the tournament's best bowler with a four-wicket haul that earned him the purple cap.

Mumbai struggled to find momentum from the start, and the opening pair of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar were stifled by the new-ball bowlers to such an extent that only 29 runs, and two boundaries, came in the Powerplay. Pathan, bowling flat and quick, and Siddharth Trivedi also kept Mumbai in check before Warne came into the attack for his much-anticipated showdown with Tendulkar. Warne varied his flight well but was competently handled by Tendulkar, who kept tucking him away to the leg side.

Only 60 came off the first ten overs, and Jayasuriya felt the need to provide some impetus. An attempt to mow Trivedi over midwicket was miscued but landed safely and an outside-edge raced past the wicketkeeper for four. However, his luck ran out off, and a pull went straight to midwicket.

Things were to get worse for Mumbai as Tendulkar closed the face of the bat early to a slower ball from Tiwary, offering a simple return catch. Robin Uthappa's short, uneasy stay at the crease ended when Akmal effected a smart stumping off Warne, and it was the impressive Abhishek Nayar's three off-side boundaries that pushed them along.

Just as the innings was gathering some momentum, Tanvir ran through the Mumbai middle-order, taking four wickets in two overs to leave them at 120 for 7. However, Takawale lifted Mumbai with a assault against Watson - four fours and the innings' only six came off the final over to take them to a competitive score.

However, that proved insufficient as Rajasthan again dug deep to pull off a win which guarantees them first place while Mumbai were left to rue some basic mistakes which cost them dearly.

Deadly duel: It's Shane vs Sachin

We thought, and subsequently rued, that we had seen the last of it.
That only memory and those nostalgic classic DVDs will help us relive those moments that famously compelled the peerless Sir Donald Bradman to realise that, yes, he just might have a parallel in modern day cricket, while forcing similar confession out of Richie Benaud, former Australian captain and leg-spinner.

The sight of Shane Warne slumping disconsolately on his haunches after Sachin Tendulkar had collared him for a "it's gone miles" maximum with effortless ease in the unforgiving dust of Sharjah, or Tendulkar being teased, lulled, deceived and eventually snared by the master leg-spinner in the extravagance of Melbourne Cricket Ground and the cauldron of Chennai has not only enthralled the connoisseurs, but also the commoners.

Tendulkar vs Warne has been more than a mere contest, it has been a battle, a battle of mind as much as of body, of craft as much as of graft, of flair as much as of attrition, of silk as much as of steel; a rivalry lacking the obviousness of the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman one, but none of its intrigue and skill. What has added to its allure is the fact that there has been no outright winner.

Surely, Tendulkar has had the edge over his charismatic adversary, but Warne's absence from India's 2004 and 2008 Down Under forays due to a drugs ban and retirement has ensured that the jury is not out just yet on this one. And even the sporting Gods are keen on another dance.

That is why on Monday, they have provided both of them with a chance for a final hurrah, something which was inconceivable even six months back, when IPL was yet to be launched.

In Jaipur, the two talented and driven men will square off once again, but this time in a format their bodies might loathe, but the mind certainly relishes. Two individuals well in their professional dotage, past their prime-Warne is "happily retired" now- full of mutual admiration, eager to land one final, decisive blow.

Warne is certainly roused up for this one, even willing to ignore the call of his "battered" body. After beating Chennai, when asked by this correspondent when he would take a break as he had been playing in every game, Warne said he would sit out the next one. But when told he would be up against Sachin, he promptly changed his stance, saying, "then I'll probably sit out against Mohali!" That comment itself lays bare the desire and his eagerness to get back at a man whom he describes as "his favourite cricketer", and the one who gave him "nightmares".

Sachin too was effusive in his praise on Sunday. "He is a great bowler, it'll be a fantastic challenge. Which I am looking forward to," the Master said. It's been eight years since they last faced-off. High time they duelled again.

Ganguly and Gul end Kolkata's campaign on a high

Umar Gul inspired the Kolkata Knight Riders to a thrilling final-over win over Kings XI Punjab...

The final game of the IPL's first season for the Kolkata Knight Riders provided Sourav Ganguly and his team a chance to redeem themselves in front of their home fans. An insipid performance in the field and for three-fourths of the chase suggested the campaign would end on a low note but, after Umar Gul sparked life into the chase, Ganguly did the rest to upset Kings XI Punjab' winning momentum ahead of the knockout stages.

After 15 overs, Kolkata were stumbling at 104 for 5, needing an improbable 71. Two runs and three balls later they lost Aakash Chopra and in walked Umar Gul, who had taken 4 for 23. After playing the first ball from James Hopes back to the bowler, he proceeded to smash the next two for six - he connected the first in the nick of time for a pull and the ball surprisingly sailed into the stands, the second was sent over long-on.

That seemed to inspire Ganguly, who made Yuvraj Singh rue the decision to bowl Piyush Chawla. Ganguly launched a straight six, swept one for four, and sent one flying over midwicket. Twenty-eight runs had come in the space of five balls, and the chase was back on track.

Sreesanth had delivered a probing first spell but Gul took his chance, and 16 runs off the over - a six and two fours, off the bat and off the leg - brought the equation down to 23 off two.

VRV Singh bowled the penultimate over, removing Gul and giving away only eight runs, leaving 15 needed off the final six balls. The stage was set for Ganguly and he didn't disappoint the Kolkata faithful. The first ball from Irfan Pathan was whipped over the square-leg boundary, followed by a two and another six straight down the ground to tie the score before a single sealed the win.

Punjab, who had clinched two consecutive games in the final over, would have felt their total of 174 - the highest total at Eden Gardens - was enough. Their innings was dominated yet again by their top order. Kumar Sangakkara and Shaun Marsh continued from their partnership against the Deccan Chargers, and Punjab punished Kolkata's lacklustre effort in the field - barring Umar Gul's splendid effort with the ball, there was hardly any spark in Kolkata's performance.

Sangakkara showed off his silken touch and found the boundaries effortlessly. Along with deft touches, he managed to improvise as well; he moved across against Laxmi Ratan Shukla, and swatted the ball over short third man with ease. Marsh wasn't to be outscored, and hit Sri Lankan spin sensation Ajantha Mendis for fours. He then smashed two sixes, premeditating a slog-sweep over midwicket off Shukla, before depositing David Hussey over the straight boundary. But another charge against Mendis landed straight into the hands of Chopra at long-on.

Unfortunately for Sangakkara, a dodgy leg-before decision went against him. Yuvraj has been struggling for form in the tournament but he was given a reprieve. Kolkata's fielding was woeful, with several misfields going for fours and a few spilled chances. Yuvraj got a top-edge, and Ganguly ran back from midwicket to get under the skier, but Chopra, coming in from deep called and was better placed to take it; the two collided, and the ball popped out of Ganguly's hands.

Yuvraj added insult to injury by smashing three fours in Ishant Sharma's final over, and the IPL's most expensive bowler, who has had a disappointing tournament, ended with 49 runs from four overs. But Gul, a steal at US$150,000 considering his World Twenty20 heroics, managed to fire in the yorkers, and after he gave just eight in his first spell, removing James Hopes, he came back to remove the set Sangakkara, who was readying to tee off. Only four came off the final over he bowled, with two scalps, and his 4 for 23 ensured Punjab's score wasn't out of Kolkata's reach.

Two matches to be played in IPL T20 today

Two matches would be played in Indian Premier League (IPL) today.

First match would be played between Rajashtan Royals and Chennai Super Kings. The match will start at 3:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time.

In the second match, Delhi Daredevils would face Mumbai Indians. This match will start at 7:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time.

Rajasthan Royals leading points table with 18 points with Chennai Super stands at second place with 14 points.

Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians secured 12 points whereas Sehwag’s Delhi Daredevils have 13 points.

Cricket pair in race abuse claim

Two British cheerleaders have claimed they were racially abused and stopped from performing at an Indian cricket tournament because they are black.

Ellesha Newton, 22 and Sherinne Anderson, 25, both from London, claim the "n-word" was used.

The women were among a troupe of dancers brought in from around the world to promote the money-spinning Twenty20 Indian Premier League.

Pre-match show organiser Wizcraft said the claims were baseless and false.

Speaking to BBC London 94.9FM Miss Newton, from Islington, north London, said: "We were told by an organiser that we would not be allowed to perform because of the colour of our skin.
"He used the n-word and said the crowds would not appreciate us.

"We were devastated and shocked. We never had to deal with anything like this before."

She said they were both in tears and it was not until their manager spoke to the organisers that they were allowed to join the other dancers.

"When we performed the crowds were cheering. There was no bad feelings; they were taking pictures and they supported us," she said.

Film shoot

"It is not all of India that feels like this, just this one man."

The alleged incident happened last month in a game involving the King's XI Punjab team.

A spokesman for Wizcraft said: "We would like to clarify that these are baseless and false allegations that have been made against us.

"The cheerleaders in question had performed during the match and proof of this are photographs which were taken during the match.

"Their agents have been duly paid for their work and we have receipts to support the same."

Last month, Indian police said the organisers of the IPL tournament could be fined if cheerleaders were deemed to be dressed indecently.

Some politicians say the cheerleaders are "vulgar and obscene".

Rohit and Gilchrist take Deccan to 175

Rohit Sharma hit 32 runs off two overs...

The Deccan Chargers, who are out of the tournament, were in no mood to roll over and play dead for the Kings XI Punjab, who are in to the semi-finals, and put on a positive batting display on the back of half-centuries from Adam Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma.

Put in to bat, Deccan's openers took advantage of Punjab's non-threatening opening bowlers and added 79 in 11.1 overs.

Gilchrist and Gibbs went after the bad balls early in the innings. When VRV Singh bowled full and wide, Gilchrist drove him for fours through extra cover and mid-off. Gibbs, who looked uncomfortable against Sreesanth's swinging deliveries, attacked successive balls drifting on to his pads by flicking through midwicket and nudging past fine leg off. He rounded off the third over - that went for 12 runs - with a perfectly timed drive through extra cover.

The two were cautious when the spinners came on - in the sixth over - and scored only six runs off 12 balls. But a restless Gibbs then decided to turn on the aggression by stepping out and slogging Ramesh Powar for six over midwicket and then lifting Piyush Chawla for two sixes over long-on. Gilchrist, who was troubled by Chawla's googlies, attacked Yuvraj Singh - going inside-out over mid-on for a six. Both were bowled going for big across-the-line hits - Gibbs trying to slog Gagandeep Singh and Gilchrist in sweeping Powar.

Deccan were aided by some shoddy work by the Punjab fielders. Powar fumbled in his dive and allowed a Gilchrist shot to go over the line, while Sreesanth gave away runs with mis-fields at third man and fine leg. Then there was VRV who only half-heartedly tried to go for a catch at long-off to dismiss Rohit Sharma.

That dropped catch proved costly for Punjab as Rohit hit 32 runs off two overs soon after - Gagandeep bore the brunt off it as Rohit hit two sixes and a four off the bowler and got to his fifty off 26 balls. But with his wicket- in the next over - Deccan lost some steam and the last three overs got them only 32 more runs.

Deccan will do well to remember that in the last match between the two sides, they had set Punjab 164, which Punjab chased comfortably, losing only three wickets.

Though this match doesn't hold any significance in the tournament, Punjab will want to retain their winning momentum going in to the semis.

Kings XI Punjab: 1 Shaun Marsh, 2 Luke Pomersbach, 3 Yuvraj Singh (capt), 4 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 5 Mahela Jayawardene 6 Tanmay Srivastava, 7 Ramesh Powar, 8 Gagandeep Singh, 9 Piyush Chawla, 10 Sreesanth, 11 VRV Singh.

Deccan Chargers: 1 Adam Gilchrist (capt & wk), 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Rohit Sharma, 4 Chamara Silva, 5 Venugopal Rao, 6 D Ravi Teja, 7 Sanjay Bangar, 8 Scott Styris, 9 RP Singh, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 P Vijaykumar.