IS Bindra, a member of the IPL governing council and the ICC's chief adviser, has called for a fair trial for Lalit Modi, suspended on charges of financial impropriety, and criticised the BCCI and the media for the manner in which Modi was targeted. Modi was suspended by the Indian board shortly after the IPL final on April 25, and was given 15 days to respond to the charges levelled at him.
Bindra while claiming he was not defending Modi, referred to him as the "hero of the IPL" and credited him for India's envied standing and clout in international cricket. "Let us not forget that everyone is entitled to a fair trial," Bindra was quoted by PTI as saying. "I can opine with conviction that part of the blame lies with our own cricketing fraternity for being an instrument in leaking all kinds of unconfirmed reports without veracity or merit.
"The media has been ready with the guillotine to hang the hero of the IPL. He has been accused of match fixing, rigging of bids, laundering of money, and all kinds of allegations pertaining to financial irregularities and dealings based on unsubstantiated evidence.
"It was due to the marketing genius of a maverick - Lalit Modi - that Indian cricket finally emerged as a colossus in the international firmament in terms of reach and financial clout. Indian cricket became the epicenter of world cricket and the envy of the cricketing fraternity during this key phase."
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Give Modi a fair trial - Bindra
Barath, who made a memorable century against Australia on his Test debut last November, withdrew from the tour with an injured right knee and will remain in Trinidad to do rehabilitation work.
Phillips, 23, plays for the Combined Campuses & Colleges and had a similarly promising start to his Test career last July, albeit against lesser opposition. He made 94 against Bangladesh at St Vincent when many first-choice West Indies players were missing due to the contract dispute.
The tour begins on May 4 with the tri-series at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah.
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Simmons slams 'complacent' Ireland
Ireland lost 3-0 to West Indies XI earlier this month and were also defeated by New Zealand on Tuesday. It's a sequence of results that does not bode well for a side that has a proud record in global tournaments recently and Simmons could not hide his disappointment after a lacklustre performance that saw Ireland slip to 32 for 5 at one point.
"I can't express my thoughts," he said. "We didn't start the game well. We can't have five wickets down for 30 runs in eight or nine overs and expect to be competitive in a game. It's a case of complacency and bad batting as a whole. We've just got to make sure that we get rid of that complacency."
Ireland's batting woes have hampered the side since arriving in the Caribbean. They have passed 150 only once in the five Twenty20 matches they have played but Simmons insists his team can bounce back.
"We lost four going into the World Twenty20 in England last year and we lost two coming into the [50-over] World Cup here three years ago so that does nothing for us," he said.
"The thing about it is that before yesterday and today we had done everything that we wanted to do leading up to the competition. Two days doesn't change anything. I think it's a case of us making sure that between Thursday and Friday morning that mentally we get prepared for what it the biggest game since we've been on this tour."
Ireland play their opening match on Friday against Simmons' native West Indies at Guyana. "We've had two bad days but two bad days don't make a summer, as they say. I think we still have the desire to come on Friday and perform."
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Afghans braced for weight of expectation
It's a lot to take in, but Afghanistan show no signs of a backward step after their five-wicket victory against Ireland on their first full day in the Caribbean. Even for what was, ultimately, nothing more than a practice game there will be huge celebrations back home at the result. There always are when Afghanistan win, which they've done a lot lately, but it leads to some huge expectations for the 15 players on duty in West Indies.
"We met our president, Hamid Kharzai, a month ago and he just asked us to win the World Cup," the coach Kabir Khan said with a laugh and a smile, sitting alongside his captain Nowroz Mangal. "Even when it's a friendly game the scores are live on the internet and the TV shows them at the bottom.
"So now we've beaten Ireland in a friendly game they will be celebrating, that's how big it has gone. It's a lot of pressure on us. They don't want us to lose. The demands are very high, they expect a lot from us and it can go both ways, but so far the boys have given them a lot of trophies."
That run of success - starting with the World Cricket League Division Five and cumulating in February's victory in the World Twenty20 qualifiers - has brought much joy to a troubled nation, but at the same time the fans, many of whom are new to cricket, expect the team to win every time they walk onto the field.
"They don't know a lot about cricket, they just see the team is winning so think it should be good enough," Khan explained. "If they can win one tournament why not the World Cup? It's all the same for them. We often get asked when we are going to beat Australia or Pakistan, so those are the questions we have to answer sometimes and we just have to calm them a little."
Most teams talk about the pressure of expectation, and in Afghanistan's case it's plain to see. However, they are likely to receive an extra boost from the crowds, because if their warm-up against Ireland was any marker, they will be everyone's second-favourite team - much like West Indies used to be.
"The good thing about the team is that at every level they have lifted their game. Everything about them has improved at each stage," Khan added. "I know there will be pressure; there will the pressure of television, the pressure of the crowd but they are quick learners and I hope they will adjust to it."
Mangal has the daunting task of dealing with the hopes of a country who are now expecting nothing less than victory every time. However, he can only see the positive in Afghanistan's situation and is happy to dream about more memorable days.
"It's a great honour for us to be playing at this level and it's a great achievement for us to be here at a World Cup," he said. "The team we qualified with, Ireland, we have come here and beaten so it shows our standards are there and obviously we hope something very special will happen over the next week."
Surely, though, they don't have realistic hopes of causing an upset when the tournament proper starts? India and South Africa are at the top of the pile in world cricket, packed with powerful batting, bowling of the pace Afghanistan have never seen and, in India's case, no shortage of spin quality.
"Obviously we have got two very good teams in our group, we know that, but we have seen in Twenty20 anything can happen," Khan said. "It can be anyone's game on the day if you play well and if we play well there is a chance of an upset. The boys are very well prepared and the best thing for them, and for me, is that we aren't just here to participate - we are going to play hard cricket, we are going to play tough cricket.
"We are positive, but win or lose, for me as a coach, achieving this status in the World Cup is a much bigger thing for me. But if they can give me a win I'll be delighted."
Delighted probably wouldn't be the right word to sum up the reaction in Afghanistan if India and South Africa are humbled in the coming days.
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India not taking Afghanistan for granted
"If you ask me, I would not consider our opening match against Afghanistan as a practice game," Dhoni told reporters in St Lucia. "I don't take my opponents lightly. At the end of the day you have to win whichever team you play. I don't know much about them. It is good in a way because if we know too much about a side then you are thinking too much about them. However, our preparation will remain the same as if you are playing the best opponent in world cricket.
"We can't really relax against whichever team you are playing. At the end of the day you are representing India and you have to be at your best when you turn up on the field."
India will be without Virender Sehwag and a few players are short on match practice but Dhoni was his normal, collected self when addressing the matter. "It is part and parcel of cricket that people get injured. But at the end of the day we have replaced them with the best possible players available," he said. "We are just hoping that we won't miss them on the field. We are hopeful that people who have come as replacements would step up to the occasion and perform."
Yuvraj Singh had a disastrous IPL but Dhoni defended his explosive batsman, whose status as a Twenty20 bully was cemented in the first World Twenty20 during which he hit Stuart Broad for six successive sixes in an over. "He bats at number four and the individual he is, he can easily play the big shots. There aren't enough grounds in the world that are big enough for him not to clear," said Dhoni. "These big hitters have a big impact on the game. Somebody like Kieron Pollard or [Andrew] Symonds are the kind of players who can take the game away from the opponents in three or four overs. It is a big stage for him [Yuvraj] and, as we have seen of him, he loves challenges."
Dhoni's focus was not on the past - India were knocked out of the last World Twenty in the second round - and he said the team was eager to get off to a winning note. "Rather than thinking too much of the past and into the future, it is very important to be in the present. We have a couple of days before we play the first game. It is important to get the most out of it. We have to adapt to the conditions here and be prepared for the matches ahead," Dhoni said.
"Right now we are keen to play the games here [St Lucia]. We are not looking too far. It is the not first time that we are touring West Indies. So we know what the conditions would be like and are mentally prepared for it."
After Afghanistan on Saturday, India will play South Africa the next day.
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Alex Keath chooses cricket over AFL
An allrounder who has been compared to his fellow Victorian Andrew McDonald, Keath was part of the Australia team that won the Under-19 World Cup. He scored 216 runs at 43.20 to be the eighth leading scorer in the tournament, and also collected six wickets at 16.33 with his medium-pace bowling.
However, his football prospects appeared just as promising when he was named as one of the dozen 17-year-olds chosen by the newly-formed Gold Coast club, which will make its first appearance in the AFL in 2011. The Victoria coach Greg Shipperd said Keath could be ready to make his state debut next summer, although 2011-12 was more realistic.
His decision has gone against the trend in recent years of talented young cricketers choosing to pursue careers in the AFL, where there are greater opportunities with 16 clubs each listing around 40 players. The current West Coast player Brett Jones opted for football after being named as a rookie batsman with Western Australia, while several other AFL stars were also promising young cricketers.
"Money was never part of the decision, it was about what I love," Keath said. "But I think it's a really exciting time for cricket. Opportunities are really opening up, so I'm sure that will have a bit to do with the strength of cricket at the moment.
"It's definitely difficult to say goodbye to football at this juncture but I'm excited by the opportunity that Cricket Victoria have placed in front of me. I've been building towards this for quite some time."
Keath is still completing his high school studies and will play football for Melbourne Grammar this year. As he stood on the damp MCG grass in the middle of AFL season with bat and ball in hand, it was clear that Cricket Victoria was thrilled with its acquisition, which followed on from Western Australia last summer securing Mitchell Marsh, another highly talented young footballer.
"For us, the coaching team, it's like having a young Brad Hodge or Cameron White or Andrew McDonald walk through the door and say 'I want to play cricket for my state and I want to play cricket for my country'," Shipperd said. "That's a fantastic challenge for us to make this young man's dreams come true. He's well placed to go to all of those levels."
Keath's decision effectively ends his football career, as the professionalism in both sports in recent years has meant year-round training is necessary. In previous decades there have been a number of men who have played Test cricket and Australian rules at the highest level, not since Nick Jewell and Michael Clark, who each played a solitary AFL game, have first-class cricketers combined the sports.
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"There is no point in looking back, at the moment my focus is on the ICC World Twenty20. I didn't play cricket for 45 days, there was frustration but I'm keeping my fingers crossed now. It hurts when you see your colleagues playing and you are practising at home," Jadeja told the Indian Express.
Jadeja thought the IPL ban denied him crucial match-practice that his India team-mates could get during the tournament. "There are 14 matches in the IPL and it would have been great preparation for the ICC World Twenty20. You get a better idea of what you need to be doing when you are playing matches. The match situation, the pressure, the crowds, the tips from fellow players, you don't get all that sitting at home," he said.
Though he missed the on-field action, Jadeja said he had been training hard to maintain his fitness ahead of the World Twenty20. "It was a really hard thing to do to miss the action and sit at home. I had a fixed schedule. Early in the morning I used to have a batting session, then I would run for a short while and in the evening, there was a bowling session along with some fielding. I also played a few Twenty20 matches to try and stay in good touch," he said.
Jadeja rose to prominence after his part in India's victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup and hopes to now participate in another World Cup win. "I'm really happy to be part of the ICC World Twenty20 team. I was hoping that my name appeared (in the squad). I'm really eager to go out there and perform. I was part of the India Under-19 side that won the junior World Cup three years ago and this time I'm hoping to be part of the Cup-winning India team.
"I'm just hoping that all goes well. I will try to give my 110 per cent on the field. But the most important thing will be to try and get a winning momentum going for the team," Jadeja said.
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An opportunity in upheaval
Although the two tournaments are very different, it is hardly ideal to have so much cricket of one format in the same period, let alone another World Twenty20 less than a year after the last one in England which Pakistan memorably won at Lord's. However, ICC are trying to get their events schedule back on track, so the trophy is up for grabs again less than a year after it was collected by the now-retired (and suspended) Younis Khan. A lot has happened in nine months.
One advantage of Twenty20 rolling into Twenty20 is that many of the players will be attuned to the format. The preparation factor, though, needs to be balanced against the fatigue factor and possible injuries. Already the tournament is missing Virender Sehwag, Wayne Parnell and Brett Lee through injury. The latter's withdrawal is not a huge surprise, but the absence of Sehwag and Parnell robs the event of two matchwinners. They could have been injured without the IPL, but the timing doesn't help.
And not all the players at the IPL who are now here in the West Indies have been active over the last two months. Eoin Morgan and AB de Villiers were two of the notable stars to be benched by their franchises which just goes to show how pre-tournament status can quickly count for nothing. Morgan's situation in particular shows the problems that can occur: he went to the IPL in the form of his life, but hasn't picked up a bat since March 25. Then there are the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Dwayne Bravo; players who had a forgettable IPL but will be crucial to their team's chances in this tournament
The IPL also highlights another dilemma for Twenty20 cricket. It is played so extensively at domestic level, but sparsely on the international scene. New Zealand's seven matches are the most played by a team since the end of last year's World Twenty20. The Associate teams play it as frequently as anyone with both Afghanistan and Ireland having had six matches apiece. At the other, India and South Africa have played just two since June 2009.
It makes it hard to formulate plans and work out tactics when matches are played so infrequently. Some commentators believe Twenty20 should be purely a domestic event, but ICC have committed to spreading it internationally and there is much merit in doing so. The obvious solution would be to trim the number of ODIs to accommodate more T20s (how about three of each on most tours?) but this would need a global commitment and ODI cricket is still favoured by boards.
Despite the imbalance, in the short history of international Twenty20 the two events, in South Africa and England, have been a resounding success both from a point of view of the cricket on display and the response from the public. The inaugural tournament in 2007 was the tonic the game needed after an awful 50-over World Cup in the Caribbean which managed to completely forget the roots of the game in the region. Instead of a vibrant, colourful, joyous event we had a sanitised, dull and, ultimately, farcical seven weeks.
For that reason alone this World Twenty20 is vitally important and everyone has their fingers crossed that ICC have learnt from their mistakes of three years ago. The pre-tournament hype has sounded promising - fewer restrictions on what can be brought into grounds and fair pricing top of the list - but as ever the real test will be when the action begins.
The notorious unpredictability of Twenty20 makes it almost futile to suggest a favourite (who would ever have imagined Zimbabwe beating Australia or Netherlands embarrassing England) and that is one of the factors that makes for a compelling event. Coupled with it being played over an 17-day period and it is a perfect formula. It's no surprise that the recent events to come out with most praise have been the World Twenty20 and last year's Champions Trophy in South Africa. Quality not quantity.
There should be some fascinating tales to emerge over the next couple of weeks. Afghanistan's fairytale success has already become the stuff of legend and although it's safe to say this is a tournament they won't win, their passion and pride alone means millions of eyes will be on them against South Africa and India.
There's also Bangladesh, for who Twenty20 is perfectly suited to develop on the international stage, and Zimbabwe who can show that they are on the way back up (in cricket terms, at least) having hit rock bottom. Australia have yet to dominate the shortest format as they have all others, but signs are that could change with the emergence of David Warner and maturity of Cameron White.
Don't forget the hosts, either, because any team that includes Chris Gayle, Bravo and Kieron Pollard can be a fearsome Twenty20 outfit. How brilliant it would be for them to perform in front of a home audience.
And then there are the defending champions. What is to be made of Pakistan in the current state? If it was any other team such a chaotic build-up would virtually rule out success, but with Pakistan the case is never so cut and dried. Crucially their bowling resources have remained largely intact which means Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi can have a major influence on the tournament.
Any of the top eight nations can win the tournament - even perennial nearly-men New Zealand or regular under-achievers England if things go their way - but what has been shown in Twenty20 is that there is nothing gained from taking a backward step. A moment of indecision or negativity can prove costly. Whoever comes out on top on May 16, let's hope that it's on the field exploits that have dominated and that the Caribbean has staged a true carnival.
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ICC alert to match-fixing threat
Rumours abound in India in the wake of the controversial finish to the IPL - all, currently, unproven - while English domestic cricket was recently rocked when it was revealed that two Essex players were under investigation for spot fixing during a Pro40 match last year. Such allegations have raised concerns that the integrity of the game is at stake in the most serious way since the Hanise Cronje scandal in 2000.
With the eyes of the cricket world now trained on the Caribbean it is imperative that the tournament is free from controversy and the game's global governing body continues to put full faith in its Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) which was set-up in the wake of events 10 years ago and which the IPL has refused to use.
"The risk posed by corruption in cricket remains real and even though the ACSU has been hugely successful in combating those who want to harm our great sport, it doesn't mean we can be complacent," an ICC spokesman told Cricinfo. "Everyone involved in cricket must be vigilant and ensure that potential corruptors continue to be marginalized and pushed away from the game.
"The unit continues to be at the forefront of fighting corruption in cricket and also educating the players on the risks and responsibilities. As other sports bodies realise the importance of anti-corruption, the ICC's ACSU is often where they look for advice in how to do that."
Since the ACSU's inception in 2000 it has been led by Paul Condon, the former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. But the ICC is now on the hunt of a new leading man with Condon set to retire in June after a decade of service. However, the ICC has said suggestions that Ravi Sawani, the chief investigator of the ACSU, has also handed in his resignation are wide of the mark.
"I am glad to say there is no truth in the rumour that Ravi Sawani is leaving," the spokesman said. "He is committed to remaining in the job until after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at least and that is good news for the game.
"Ravi is a vastly experienced investigator and has been an excellent addition to the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit since he took over two years ago."
Evidence that no one can be complacent about the international game now being clear of potential match-fixing came at the previous World Twenty20 in England last June when two Australian players were approached at the team hotel in London. The management immediately reported the incident to the ICC, but bookmakers are becoming ever more clever about how they aim to tap the market while the ease of access to matches, through satellite TV and the internet, makes it a vulnerable time.
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Clarke calls for Twenty20 contracts
"I've told Cricket Australia that they should have contracts," Clarke told reporters in St Lucia. "I think there should be a Twenty20 contract introduced to our system. Players like David Warner and David Hussey ... they're here playing in a Twenty20 World Cup. They should be paid for that.
"We've got a lot of guys in this squad now who aren't on CA contracts but they're playing this form of the game for Australia in a World Cup. I think there needs to be some kind of recognition for those guys. I don't know how that could work but I believe there should probably be something like Twenty20 contracts."
The Cricket Australia contract system rewards Test and one-day players while Twenty20 is not considered a major factor. Over the past few years Australia have generally used the same players in one-day and Twenty20 cricket but the trend towards more 20-over specialists could lead to a greater disparity between the sides.
The tournament in the West Indies, which starts on Friday, will be the third Twenty20 world championship in four years as the format continues to gain impetus. Australia have not perfected their game in 20-over cricket and are keen to make up for last year's surprise first-round exit.
"For me, it's as serious as a one-day match or a Test match," Clarke said. "There are blokes in this squad who haven't played Test cricket. They haven't played one-day cricket. It's the ultimate for them.
"It's become exactly the same as one-day and Test cricket. It's a form of the game that we want to be the best in the world at. We're not there yet, we're improving, but this [tournament] is a way for us to start."
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The two Twenty20s and the first two one-day internationals of the series were to be held at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad, but have now been switched to the Viv Richards Stadium.
The Antigua ground had been suspended from hosting international cricket by the ICC because of its unfit outfield which led to the cancellation of a Test between West Indies and England last year after just 10 deliveries. Since that fiasco, the ground has successfully hosted an Under-15 regional tournament and several first-class fixtures. The West Indies board said that the stadium had been inspected and cleared by the ICC to hold top-flight cricket.
"As per ICC instructions, over the past year, appropriate work was carried out and monitored by the WICB and an inspection of the ground was carried out by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC match referees," the ICC said in a statement.
South Africa take on West Indies in two Twenty20s, five ODIs and three Tests in a series which lasts from May 19 to June 30.
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Hussey and nine other men who went to England less than 12 months ago retained their spots, while Ricky Ponting, Nathan Bracken, James Hopes, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle are gone from that squad. The new group under Michael Clarke features several newer faces who have performed well in the Big Bash including Dirk Nannes, Steven Smith, Daniel Christian and Tim Paine.
"I think last year was a failure," Hussey told AAP in St Lucia. "We didn't even make the Super Eights. This year if we all do our job, we can make the Super Eights and hopefully do some damage. I truly believe we've got the squad to go a long way and hopefully make the final and come away with the silverware."
The Australians begin with a warm-up match against Zimbabwe in St Lucia on Tuesday before another practice game on Thursday against Windward Islands. Their tournament proper starts on Sunday against Pakistan and they play Bangladesh three days later, needing at least one win from those two games to progress past the pool stage.
First they must decide on the make-up of their side and several men will be desperate to impress during the two warm-ups including Brett Lee, who has not played for his country since October. An elbow injury sidelined Lee for the Australian summer and early in his IPL return he broke his right thumb.
Lee's form for the Kings XI Punjab had not been ideal; he had figures of 0 for 149 at an economy rate of 10.27 in four games. However, Lee is confident he can be part of Australia's best XI despite the presence of the fast men Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait and Nannes, and the likelihood that their opener against Pakistan will be played on a slow surface.
"I'm not here to carry the drinks, I'm here to play cricket," Lee said. "We've got four guys who can bowl over 150kph, which is a bit like the 1980s West Indies set-up. We're hoping to use that to our advantage. Even being stopped in the street now, hearing the locals saying that you've got four blokes who can bowl over 150 clicks. The word's travelling about: 'look at this cartel of fast bowlers.'
"I was happy with the way the pace was coming through, late 140s [in the IPL]. Unfortunately I broke my thumb which put me out for about eight days."
If the quick quartet can have an impact it will go a long way to improving Australia's record at the ICC World Twenty20, after they lost a semi-final in the inaugural tournament in 2007. Their performances since last year's disappointment have been strong, with four victories, one tie and two matches abandoned.
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Vettori tips spin to be major weapon
Vettori will lead the attack for the two pool games against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in Guyana, while Nathan McCullum is expected to be his major backup in the spin department. The allrounder Rob Nicol is another slow-bowling option for New Zealand, who will rely on Shane Bond to spearhead a pace group that also includes the allrounder Jacob Oram.
"We're very confident," Vettori said. "You throw in Kyle Mills, who's come back and has been a very successful bowler for us, Tim Southee has done a good job, Ian Butler has come back from injury as well and at times has done a good job for us, so between the five of them from the seam bowling department I think they'll be very adequate.
"But I think spin bowling is going to play a big part, particularly on the slower grounds in the Caribbean. We're expecting myself and Nathan McCullum to play a big role."
New Zealand have been regular semi-finalists in major tournaments over the past few years, reaching the final four at the 2007 World Twenty20 in South Africa, the World Cup in the West Indies earlier that year, and the 2006 Champions Trophy. They went one better by reaching the decider of last year's Champions Trophy but the batsman Scott Styris said nothing short of securing silverware will satisfy the squad this time.
"We keep making it to the semi-finals and not going any further, although the Champions Trophy we did make the final," Styris said. "What it shows is that we do play well in these big tournaments. We have a history of doing pretty well right back for the last ten years or so.
"If we play well we're a chance, and we're not just looking for a semi-final spot or a Super Eights, it's a real chance to win. We go in to this tournament with the view that we have to win this tournament. We're good enough to win it, and if we don't win it then it has to be disappointing."
Although an attack fronted by Vettori and Bond is threatening, their chances of success will rest heavily on how the top order performs. Brendon McCullum is fresh from blasting the second century in Twenty20 international history, against Australia, while Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor are also potential match-winners.
The squad features several allrounders, with Southee and Bond the only real tailenders in the touring party, and the long batting line-up is an added bonus. New Zealand will look to Oram, who is returning from a torn patella tendon, as the big-hitter in the lower middle order and he is confident the group features enough strikepower to challenge any attack.
"I think we've got a very explosive top order," Oram said. "Our batting line-up to me is very, very strong and right down to No. 8, 9 and even 10 sometimes, we've got guys who can come in and hit the ball a long way. I think that's our main strength."
New Zealand have two warm-up games, against Ireland on Tuesday and West Indies on Wednesday, to fine-tune their side before the real competition begins. Vettori's men walk out for the series opener against Sri Lanka at Providence Stadium on Friday.
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The participation of teams from England had been put in doubt after it emerged that the schedule, announced in February, would clash with crucial fixtures at the end of the English season which runs until September 16. England will be playing Pakistan in an ODI series at the time, the final two rounds of the County Championship will be on as well as the semi-finals and final of the ECB40 competition.
"It is extremely improbable that any English county will be taking part in the Champions League. The sanctity of the domestic season is of the utmost importance, as all the clubs agree," David Collier, the chief executive of the ECB, was quoted as saying in the Independent.
"We are awaiting a response from the BCCI on a number of proposals. One of them is for the winners and runners up of the Champions League to play our winners and runners-up. Now that the IPL is over we hope to hear from them soon."
Sussex and Somerset took part in the inaugural tournament last year in India, but further English participation this season has been in doubt since Lalit Modi, who was the league's commissioner, tweeted that two invites had been sent to the ECB. The ECB was quick to state that the offer was not official. Cricinfo had subsequently understood that the ECB had failed to accept the invitation within the stipulated deadline. The Champions League's governing council meeting in March had failed to yield a decision on English participation, but in the wake of the recent announcement that this year's edition will be held in September, the organisers have said venues and competing teams would be announced in the near future.
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Shanel Daley sets up four-wicket win
West Indies 88 for 6 (Dottin 28, King 25, Yousuf 3-10) beat Pakistan 84 (Daley 4-6) by 4 wickets
West Indies women extended their winning run in the lead up to the World Twenty20 tournament, putting it past Pakistan by four wickets in a close scrap in St. Kitts on Monday.
The hosts struggled to chase down Pakistan's under-par score of 84, but middle-order batsmen Deandra Dottin and Stacy-Ann King struck calm 20s to ensure that that they prevailed with two balls to spare. Their contributions came after left-arm spinner Sadia Yousuf wrecked the start of the chase with a fine spell of 3 for 10 in four overs, to leave West Indies stuttering at 35 for 3.
Dottin and King then combined to add 29 runs, before the floodgates opened once again. Qanita Jalil struck twice with the score on 77, but it was too little too late for the visitors. The 19-year-old Dottin struck four fours and a six in her 28 off 23 balls while King hit two sixes in her unbeaten 25 off 19 balls.
The win was set up by a stifling spell from left-arm medium-pacer Shanel Daley, who returned exemplary figures of 4-0-6-4. Cordel Jack and Tremayne Smartt chipped in with two wickets each to keep Pakistan under constant pressure, as only three batsmen went past single figures.
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Manohar's point was that one company had won the bid (Emerging Media IPL) and another signed the IPL contract (Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited).
In its unsigned statement, released on Tuesday, Rajasthan Royals sought to clarify the issue.
"The Rajasthan Royals franchise bid was successful, with full compliance of BCCI guidelines, in a process conducted with the committee members of BCCI in January 2008," the statement read. "Full details of the consortium bid structure and the way the company would be set up were contained in the original submission to the BCCI in January 2008. The structure has been completely transparent and in accordance with regulatory guidelines ever since.
"The corporate structure was established in accordance with the details provided in the bid submission shortly after the bid. It was not established prior to the bid, as we obviously did not know if the bid would be successful. Moreover, the time allotted between the Invitation to Tender (27 December 2007), and the bid submission date (23 January 2008), would not have allowed sufficient time to incorporate the intended structure with an Indian entity," the statement read.
"The investors agreed to submit the bid using a consortium, led by UK-based Emerging Media (IPL) Ltd. The other entities in the consortium were disclosed in the bid submission documents. Subsequently, on 8 March 2008, an Indian company Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt Ltd was incorporated, as detailed in the bid submission. We then executed the franchise agreement on 14 April 2008. The ownership of the consortium did not change between the award of the bid on 23 January 2008 and the signing of the franchise agreement on 14 April 2008."
The statement also sought to clarify the doubts raised by Manohar over the transfer of shares to Shilpa Shetty and her husband Raj Kundra, as well as the alleged non-payment of the 5% commission, due to the IPL, for the transfer of shares. "As part of our strategy to broaden our shareholder base, in February 2009 Kuki Investments Ltd (Raj Kundra and Family) acquired an 11.7% stake in EM Sporting Holdings Limited, the parent company of Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd, which was fully disclosed to the BCCI/IPL," the statement read.
"In February 2009 the Rajasthan Royals contacted the BCCI to agree [on] the precise definition, to agree [on] the amount that needed to be paid, and we are still awaiting a response. For absolute clarity the payment has been fully accrued for within our accounts," the statement read.
Manohar had also said that the governing council was unaware of the identity of two other companies that owned stakes in the franchise - Blue Water Estate and Tresco. In response, the franchise released the share-holding pattern of EM Sporting Holdings Limited, the parent company that owns the team (Refer side-bar). The statement also said the franchise had volunteered to make a full disclosure of its ownership structure through the Indian government's Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
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The six Pakistan players who have appealed against the punishments handed out by the PCB will appear before a one-man tribunal on Friday. The tribunal will be chaired by Irfan Qadir, a former retired high court judge who was appointed to the task by the PCB last week.
"I have issued notices to the players to appear on Friday for a preliminary proceeding on their appeals and they will be given all basic rights under the law," Qadir told AFP. "If some of the players demand specific reasons for their punishment, we will provide them with that as well, as this is their right."
The PCB took action against seven players it believed were responsible for Pakistan's failure to win a single game in Australia. The captain Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan were banned indefinitely, Shoaib Malik and Naved-ul-Hasan were banned for a year while Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers were fined and placed on probation for six months.
Yousuf and Younis were accused of infighting and having a negative influence on the team. Yousuf announced his retirement from international cricket after the ban and is the only one among the punished players who didn't appeal.
The Akmal brothers and Naved lodged their appeals first, followed by Afridi, Younis and then Malik.
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Chirayu Amin promises IPL clean-up
"The success of the IPL was so dazzling that we were all basking in its glory," Amin, who was appointed to the position on Monday, said on NDTV. "I must say as a council member that we did overlook things … certain details were not disclosed to us and we did trust Lalit Modi to run things better. I must admit the governing council could have been more vigilant."
There is a feeling that Modi is the object of a witch-hunt and is being unfairly treated by the BCCI, but Amin sought to dispel that notion. "He asked for five days, we've given him 15 . Let us be fair to Lalit Modi, wait for him to come up with answers."
Amin echoed the words of Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, in stating that certain documents were missing. "Right now we are reorganising the office of the IPL and BCCI so that everything is in the right place, the right filing," he said.
When asked how he planned to clean up the mess, Amin said, "We will try to make it a system-oriented management of the IPL. The government is looking into various issues and the BCCI and the IPL are supporting them. We will maintain full transparency. There is no hanky-panky. The BCCI is a democratic set-up. We are doing our utmost to make it work."
The current crisis was precipitated by a controversy over last month's franchise auction and Amin said that would change. "New bidding processes and rules will be put in place, we won't get into any grey zones anymore," he said.
He was bullish about the future of the IPL. "Team owners will be assured that their investments are safe and they will flourish," he said. "It's a dark hour for the IPL management, not for cricket."
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"It's not that we have not played games. Sometimes you have to just take the schedule, there's no point complaining about it," Dhoni said in Mumbai before the team's departure for the West Indies.
"The IPL was supposed to finish on the 25th. We had one and a half days' rest after that, then one whole day of flying and after reaching we have 2-3 days which is more than enough. We play throughout the year. We are together for almost 250 to 300 days so I don't think that should be a concern at all."
The coach Gary Kirsten backed Dhoni's comments and said he was confident his team could go all the way. "We have got the schedule and can't do anything about it now," Kirsten said. "The Indian players may feel the heat of it more because all of them played in the IPL but our responsibility is to go out there and ensure that we are well prepared. We will do what we can in these circumstances."
It wasn't the best of IPLs for Yuvraj Singh, who managed 255 runs in 14 games for Kings XI Punjab at 21.25. Yuvraj had just returned from injury and didn't have enough time to work his way back to form once the tournament started, but his performance didn't worry Dhoni, who backed him to bounce back in the West Indies.
"Yuvraj is a great player, one of the best in T20 format, one of the biggest hitters of the ball and he can contribute with the ball at the same time," Dhoni said. "He has not scored too many runs in the IPL but at the same time it's not a big worrying factor.
"In the T20 format you need just 5 to 10 deliveries to strike form. He is still hitting the ball well. So we aren't too worried about it."
The only injury blow for India is opener Virender Sehwag, who was ruled out towards the end of the IPL due to a shoulder injury. M Vijay, the Tamil Nadu batsman who had a rewarding IPL, was named his replacement.
Looking ahead to the tournament, Dhoni said the wickets would be on the slower side and he expected his spinners, including allrounders like Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina, to play a big role.
"Both Yusuf and Harbhajan Singh did very well for their teams opening the bowling in the IPL. We also have very good part-timers in the team. Yusuf, Ravindra Jadeja and Harbhajan have done well in all formats of the game over the years to be called as specialist spinners," Dhoni said. "I don't think bowling should be a problem."
India's problem of facing short deliveries - which was exposed last year in England - was also addressed but Kirsten said the players were prepared to face any challenge.
"Every player is aware of what he plans to do and how he wants to set up his game plan. I'm sure the players themselves would know the bowlers they will be facing and would try to exploit the potential weaknesses of those individuals.
"We will do as much work as we can in the limited time available to make sure we are as well prepared."
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Sarwan bats for HIV awareness
He was unveiled as a new Think Wise Champion to promote the issues in a joint ICC and UNAIDS initiative. Sarwan is one of the leading batsmen in the West Indies team, having played 83 Tests and 154 ODIs so far. In that time, he has scored 15 Test centuries and four ODI hundreds and wants to use his position to help educate people in the Caribbean region.
"The issue of HIV is an important one for young people in the Caribbean and hopefully I can use my profile as an international cricketer to have a positive impact on people's behaviour within the region," said Sarwan.
"It is important young people are aware of resources that exist for them, such as the Live UP website, www.iliveup.com where they can find out about HIV, learn the importance of protection, and understand how to talk about these issues to their partner and friends.
"By using this event to raise awareness of HIV and remind cricket supporters not to discriminate against people with the disease, hopefully we can play our role in educating young people."
There will be a series of HIV awareness activities during the World Twenty20 and players will wear red ribbons in the semi-finals and final as a show of support for people living with HIV .
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Pakistan ease to 68-run win
Pakistan 160 for 7 (Hafeez 57, Matthew 2-22) beat Windward Islands 92 for 4 (Lesporis 24, Afridi 1-11) by 68 runs
Pakistan breezed to a 68-run win over Windward Islands in the first of their warm-up games at Gros Islet. Put in to bat by Windward Islands, the visitors reached 160 for 7 thanks mainly to Mohammad Hafeez's enterprising half century. Windward Islands crawled to 92 for 4 in reply, with Mohammad Asif the only Pakistan bowler to go for more than four runs an over.
Pakistan lost Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal early in their innings but Hafeez steadied the middle order and lead a late charge before he was bowled by Keron Cottoy for 57. Captain Shahid Afridi and Fawad Alam both reached the 20s before they were dismissed, and a late flurry by Misbah-ul-Haq, who smote two sixes in an eight-ball 17, boosted Pakistan's score in the closing overs.
Windward Islands' reply never got going, and after captain Johnson Charles was caught by Hafeez off the bowling of Mohammad Aamer for 15 the fight seemed to go from the batsmen. Keddy Lesporis top-scored with 24, while the wickets were shared around by Pakistan's bowlers, with Aamer, Hafeez, Afridi and Saeed Ajmal each picking up one.
Pakistan's next warm-up is against Zimbabwe on Thursday at the same venue.
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Broad backs England to end drought
Broad was made to work hard for his wickets on flat surfaces in Bangladesh, having overcome a worrying back spasm that had left his participation in the first Test in doubt. But following a month's break, he confirmed his readiness for further international action by taking eight wickets in Nottinghamshire's Championship victory over Somerset last week.
"I feel great," Broad told reporters in Barbados. "The rest was fantastic after Bangladesh to make sure the body got rid of all the niggles. Then this last week it was a fantastic experience helping Notts win and get some overs under my belt. I feel really fresh and excited about what we can do in this tournament."
Broad will be embarking on his third World Twenty20 campaign, and he has endured mixed fortunes in his previous outings - from being cracked for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in Durban in 2007, to his role in the embarrassing defeat by the Netherlands in last year's tournament opener. Nevertheless, those experiences have taught him how quickly and easily a team can regroup in this format.
"We obviously stumbled against the Netherlands," he said. "But the great thing about this tournament is you can recover from that , and we qualified after beating Pakistan pretty convincingly and were actually quite unfortunate losing in a rain-affected game [against West Indies], where the Duckworth-Lewis stuffed us a bit."
England do not have home advantage to fall back on this time around, but they gained plenty of experience during their eventful tour of the Caribbean last year, in which they bounced back from a 1-0 defeat in the Test series to win their first limited-overs series in the West Indies.
"If we can use the knowledge we gained here last year, I think we can go far," said Broad. "I think we've got a really well-balanced squad here, batters who can hit boundaries all the way through the order, good spinners - and I think the team is really excited about our prospects. This is one of the best chances an England squad has had since I've been involved in an ICC event. We've got the players to do the business."
Five of England's batsmen go into the tournament with IPL experience under their belt, although none of the bowlers put themselves forward for the same opportunity - a fact that Kevin Pietersen questioned in a recent interview. However, Broad was unrepentant about taking a break rather than seek the extra knowhow on offer.
"Obviously, I want to experience the IPL at some stage, it looks a fantastic tournament," he said. "Every player involved in it has only got good words to say. But I am pleased I had the rest this time."
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Bopara ready to stake England claim
Bopara has not featured in the England squad since being dropped ahead of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia at The Oval last August, but with Kevin Pietersen spending time with his pregnant wife, Jessica, prior to the start of the tournament next week, a temporary vacancy has arisen at No. 3, and Bopara is determined to fill it.
"It was fantastic getting the news that I'm coming out here," Bopara told reporters in Barbados. "I'm really delighted. It's time for me to make that step again and make myself a regular and really make a difference in this competition. We've got a busy schedule this summer, and I'd love to be part of that. This is a great opportunity for me to make my mark and go on and play this summer."
Since his England omission, Bopara has been working on his game with stints with Auckland and the IPL franchise, Kings XI Punjab, and admitted that the time away from international cricket might have been a "blessing in disguise". Without the spotlight trained on his performances, he has pieced together his game, and feels he's ready for a comeback.
"Naturally, I lost a little bit of confidence from not scoring runs in the Ashes," he said. "I always expect a lot of myself and maybe I ended up putting a little bit of pressure on myself; maybe that was the big mistake I made at the time. But I've learned from that experience and come back stronger and a better cricketer - and I hope I can show it in this World Cup."
Bopara couldn't wish for a more auspicious venue at which to play his first game back in England colours, because it was on the same ground last March that he made his first Test hundred against West Indies. "There are good memories for me here," he said. "I know this is not Test cricket, but I hope I can do something which is the Twenty20 equivalent of that hundred I scored here."
As for Pietersen's situation, England's captain, Paul Collingwood, confirmed that - having helped Bangalore reach the semi-finals of the IPL last week - he had been given a few extra days to spend at home before the team play their first match of the tournament, against West Indies on Monday.
"Kevin's going to arrive in a couple of days," said Collingwood. "Obviously Jess is pregnant, so it gives him an opportunity to get home for a couple of days. But that will not be a problem. He's obviously 'cricket-fit', and I think one of the major things is that the guys who've been out in the IPL have certainly got their brains switched on towards Twenty20 cricket - which obviously helps."
Pietersen could well miss the culmination of England's campaign, however, seeing as the due date is scheduled for the middle of May, and he has frequently stated his desire to be present at the birth. "At the back-end of the tournament, it could be we may miss him - if Jess delivers or shows signs of delivering," said Collingwood. "But that is down the line. We're solely concentrating on the first couple of games to get through to the next stage."
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Important documents not with us - BCCI
Shetty, who has been entrusted by the BCCI president, Shashank Manohar, to look into the missing documents, says he has been told the papers are with Lalit Modi, the league's suspended chairman.
"The tax authorities and Enforcement Directorate officials are seeking a lot of papers connected with the IPL and in some cases we don't have the original documents. We have only xerox copies, which they feel is not proper," Shetty told CNN-IBN, an English news channel. "According to [IPL CEO] Sundar Raman the original documents are with Lalit Modi. My job is to put up a list of documents that were supposed to be with IPL and original documents obtained in each case.
"In January 2008 there were 11 bidders (to own the franchises) and only the original documents relating to the eight winning bidders are with BCCI. We don't have the original documents of the three losing bidders, we have only xerox copies. Those documents should be with Modi."
Shetty echoed the words of Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, that the MSM-WSG issue was not discussed in IPL Governing Council. "It was reported at the BCCI Working Committee meeting that there has been a fresh agreement entered into between BCCI and Sony Max, the amount for which was negotiated. Nothing beyond that," he said.
He also backed Manohar's view that the board did not interfere in the IPL's functioning. "The IPL started as a separate wing of BCCI," Shetty said. "A separate office was set up and several people employed. Lalit's being BCCI vice-president [showed] his authority and that he was running the show. And the administrative wing of BCCI therefore did not interfere in the IPL's working."
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The response of Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, was three-fold: first, the council was not informed of most of the chairman's work; second, that it was not the job of the council members to scrutinise the work anyway, and, third, that there was a full-fledged secretariat - and the hired help of IMG - to ensure things were run in a professional manner.
"An institution functions on trust," Manohar said. "If I have to do all the jobs, I don't need executives. Why do I need a secretary? Why do I need other people? Because even in your institution your managing director does not look into where you're going, what you're doing and if you commit something wrong, your managing director is not responsible for that.
"If you are expecting every governing council member to come here every morning at 10 and leave at 10 in the night to look at what is happening everywhere, then we don't need the other staff which is there. Then we don't need to pay IMG Rs 27 crore [approx $6 million] and we don't need a CEO to running the IPL. It is their job to do all these things."
He expanded on the theme, essentially saying the council entrusted Modi with running of the league and left it at that. "Any public organization functions on trust because each and every person can't go and check every aspect or each and every document in an organization. There are huge companies that are run by people and those people, once a decision is approved, don't go and look at the document whether it is properly executed or not. It is the job of the professionals and the executives who are appointed by the institution to do that job.
"An allegation is being made and the media is saying all the members of the governing council are party to all the decisions. Now most of the contracts have been entered into without the consent of the governing council and they've been brought to the governing council after the contract was signed. So the governing council has no other option and are presented with a fait accompli," Manohar reason, before citing an example.
"I came here [Mumbai] three days in advance to look into all the documents and contracts in view of the ongoing controversy. I called Sundar Raman [the IPL CEO] because on that day in the evening there was an IPL awards function. I asked for the contract of that function and I was told 'Sir, there was no contract. The contract terms were finalised last night.' And this he informs me at 3 in the afternoon when the function is going to be held at 7 in the evening.
"Thereafter, if this issue comes before the governing council, what do you expect the governing council to do? Do you expect the governing council to say, 'No, we reject this contract and we're going to cancel this function', when the function is already over," Manohar asked.
Manohar's apportioning of the blame squarely on Modi, absolving the governing council of its responsibility in the matter, is at odds with the views of MAK Pataudi, a council member and now one of the three former cricketers entrusted with working out a mechanism for the next IPL season. Pataudi had last week said the governing council had been a failure because the members should have been more aware of what was happening.
Manohar was also questioned on the issue of professionalism within the IPL, in answer to which he pointed to the appointment of IMG to help run the tournament. "As far as the IPL is concerned, we knew that this is a huge and valuable property. Therefore we appointed professionals like the IMG, who conduct tournaments like Wimbledon and the FIFA world cup. And we are paying them a huge sum of Rs 27 crore for all operational things.
"It the duty of IMG, because they are the corporate entity and their job is to look after the professional things and the normal functioning of IPL games. We also appointed a professional CEO, Sundar Raman, for the IPL who is also paid a huge salary. We have a separate staff for IPL and so I don't understand what media means by saying `professional people' for running the event," he said.
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"We have obviously really missed her [Claire Taylor's] experience more than anything and we also missed Sarah Taylor as well," Edwards said in an interview with the ICC. "They are two of our top four batters. If any side loses two of their top batters they would struggle. It would leave a hole and we are really looking forward to getting them back on board."
Edwards said the defeat to West Indies last year, in the context of the World Twenty20, had helped them prepare better than other teams for the competition. "We are really excited having been there in November as we saw what the conditions are going to be like and I think we actually want to be a step ahead of most of the teams," she said. "I think I misread the conditions of the West Indies when we were there in November. They had quite slow wickets and actually at Warner Park the outfield is not that quick, so I guess it is going to be different strategy that we need to put in place now."
West Indies, Edwards said, have improved considerably and she tipped them to be the surprise team of the tournament. "I think it's just going to be Australia, New Zealand and India but having seen the West Indies and how they played in St Kitts in November I think they are going to be real threat to all the teams," she said. "They are on home soil as well and they have shown they can play some fantastic cricket. They are always improving year on year - they could be a surprise team for the tournament."
When asked to name the players she thought were the ones to watch out for, Edwards said: "Deandra Dottin is going to be a key player for the West Indies. I think she is an awesome talent. What I've seen of her with both bat and ball has been really exceptional and l have been really impressed by her. Having been in India recently, I think their young spinner Gouhar Sultana is likely to be a real threat. All the teams are playing really good cricket and the Australians have the likes of Shelley Nitschke in the form of her life."
The women's World Twenty20 gets underway on May 5.
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"The injury has healed a lot quicker than I expected," Smith told reporters in Barbados. "It was probably a small blessing in disguise in many ways, with the change of coach - allowing me to spend some time with Corrie and the management team and plan for this."
van Zyl took over as coach following the resignation of Mickey Arthur in January. He oversaw South Africa's tour of India, where the visitors drew the Tests and were beaten in the ODIs. "To be with Mickey for five years, his resignation meant it was quite an emotional time - quite draining, especially for me on a personal level," Smith said. "There has been an interim process; the tour to India was quite quick after that, but the last six weeks have allowed Corrie time to settle down.
"He is a very detailed, hard-working guy - and the injury allowed me and him some time to talk and plan and get to know each other a little bit better and form a relationship.
"It's a little bit of a bonus coming out of the injury; otherwise, being in India for the last six weeks would have been a little bit panicky."
South Africa hosted the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007 and failed to qualify for the semi-final. They made it to the knockout stage the second time, in England, but were beaten by Pakistan, now the defending champions. Smith expected a closely-fought tournament.
"It is a pretty quick turnaround from last year's Twenty20," Smith said. "It's a very short, intense tournament - and a lot of teams are close together.
"That's what makes it so exciting to watch. It's very competitive, and on any given day any team can beat another."
South Africa play England in a warm-up game in Barbados on Thursday.
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The charges against Lalit Modi
Initial bids for Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab: "There is a charge sheet already issued to him [Modi, by the IT department]. There was a company based in the UK by the name of Emerging Media IPL. The company was owned by a single individual - Manoj Badale. The company was started four months earlier to the bid. His bid was accepted. However the agreement is signed with Jaipur IPL [Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited]. There is an interesting fact to be noted: this is a company wherein there were only two stakeholders at the time the agreement was signed. The two stakeholders were one Mr Castelinho and Bal Thakur.
"Now the bid is given by A, the document signed by B, who had nothing to do with the bid. Then, separate companies have come in, who have registered in Mauritius. Mr Modi made a statement that the entire world knows [who the stakeholders] in the franchises are. But even the members of the governing council were not aware. As I said, in the Rajasthan Royal franchise, Jaipur IPL is the main company. The shares of these two persons are then sold and transferred to certain individuals and certain companies like Tresco and Blue Waters. Nobody knows what Blue Waters and Tresco is. Now, I did not find in the shareholders' register the names of Mr Raj Kundra and Shilpa Shetty, who claim to be the stakeholders.
"There is a clause in the agreement, which is entered into with all the franchises, that in case you transfer your shares, the transfer has to be made with the permission of the IPL and the board is entitled to have 5% of the amount of the transaction as their fees. Now nothing of this [sort] has happened. So we are asking an explanation, if A gives the bid, how do you sign agreement with B? How does (sic) all these people get into this? None of us are aware and we don't know who these companies are."
Kings XI Punjab: "When the bids were given, it was signed only by Preity Zinta. She said she will form a consortium with three people: Mohit Burman, one Mr Karan Paul and one other name. When the franchise agreement was signed by her, she did not have a single share in that company. The shares were transferred to her after the signing of the agreement. Then Mr Gaurav Burman gets in and the rest (of the things happen). Again the same logic should be applied: you need to have the consent of the IPL and the fee. But once again nothing happened."
Broadcasting rights: "For example, there is an allegation that a facilitation fee was paid. But the board does not have the document. Now, this deal happened between MSM (Multi Screen Media) Singapore and WSG Mauritius, so there is no reason why this document would be present with the board. So since I don't have this document with me, I don't see any reason why we should be aware of this. Now, if you take Rajasthan Royals, people are saying there is benami (proxy) funding in the franchise. So if the funds are coming from Mauritius, or if the funds are coming from Virgin Islands, I do not have any machinery to find out where the funds are coming from. So I cannot see whose funds are coming from where. Now Income Tax (department) and Enforcement Directorate are investigating these matters and, when they gave us the notice, only then we became aware of it.
"The original document of the Sony broadcasting deal, we don't have in our possession. The income tax authorities are asking for it, but we can't supply it because we don't have it. All the documents of the execution are with Lalit Modi."
Rigging of franchise bids in 2010: "There is no question of irregularities with regard to the two new franchises. Because of the bid conditions, which were unreasonable when the first tender was issued, the governing council took a decision to cancel. As far as the two new bids are concerned, there is no irregularity as far as the board is concerned. There is a complaint made by the Kochi franchise that they were arm twisted by Modi to surrender their rights in favour of somebody else."
Internet Rights: (This was the only charge which Manohar was not asked about, and he did not dwell on its details.)
Behaviorial Pattern: "[This relates to] confidential information of the board being leaked to the media. I have always maintained this: the board functions within the four walls of this building (Cricket Centire, BCCI headquarters). If you have to leak everything to the media then you might as well hold this meeting at the Oval ground (Churchgate)."
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While he was confident of his side's chances, he avoided making predictions about the result. "Twenty20 is a different type of cricket where no one can predict anything but it is important to perform to your potential. You have to bowl, bat and field well on the given day in order to win the match," he said.
Captain Shahid Afridi noted that his side would miss Umar Gul, the world's leading T20I wicket-taker, but reiterated that the rest of his bowling attack was good enough to make up for his absence. "Umar is an expert of reverse swing. He could have been lethal on the slow pitches in the West Indies but all the other available players are also equally good and eager to perform in the mega event," Afridi said.
Afridi reposed confidence in his spinners, who will play a key role on the slow and low wickets in the West Indies. "Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Hafeez and Abdul Rehman are all talented spinners and can play the role of match-winner against any team," Afridi said.
Despite their players not featuring in the recently concluded IPL, Pakistan are recognized as a dangerous Twenty20 outfit after their exploits in the first two editions of the tournament - they lost to India in the 2007 finals, before going all the way in 2009.
The team's manager, Yawar Saeed told PPI that the team had put behind the disappointments and controversies from the disastrous tour of Australia and were looking forward to the World Twenty20. "Whatever happened during the Australian tour is history now and the players are looking forward to give their best in the championship," he said.
He reiterated that the players' discipline was being monitored closely, in the aftermath of the Australian tour and the punishment that followed. "Those who are in the team I think have learnt their lessons and there is no disharmony in the team now. The players know their boundaries and they know they can't cross those boundaries. If any player does indulge in indiscipline no time will be wasted in taking action against him," he said.
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Sarwan banks on home advantage
"We have a very good chance of winning this competition. We are at home and that gives us an advantage," said Sarwan, a veteran of that 2004 success. "What is important is that we play as a team and try and support each other as much as we can, whether it's in the field or when we are batting or bowling. That is something we hope to do and we hope we can do it on a consistent basis."
Sarwan, who is on the comeback trail from injury, felt the Caribbean fans had a big role to play. "There will certainly not be a problem getting support from our fans," he said. "I think over the years, although we have not been at our best, the fans have been very supportive and I think they know that we need their support now."
The hosts have been grouped with Ireland and England during the initial phase of the World Twenty20. In the inaugural tournament in 2007 they suffered a humiliating loss to Bangladesh and exited in the first round and in 2009 they lost in the semis to Sri Lanka. Clyde Butts, the president of the West Indies selectors, was optimistic about the team's chances this year.
"We have Chris Gayle at the top of the order and he can be a match-winner. It is also good to have our experienced players in the middle-order - Shiv Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan - and this gives us strength in the batting," he said. "Wavell Hinds has been recalled and he brings a wealth of experience. Dwayne Bravo is one of the leading allrounders in world cricket and he is the key man with bat and ball.
"We are happy to have Jerome Taylor back in the bowling department and this is a big plus. I also believe Sulieman Benn will play a major role with the ball."
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Ireland wiser in Twenty20 - Simmons
"I think it's easier to pull off a shock in Twenty20 because recovery time is less than in 50 overs," said Simmons. "We have played that little bit more Twenty20 than we had going into the last World Cup - so we are slightly wiser about Twenty20 cricket. That has to be a good thing."
Ireland have maintained consistent performances in recent times despite a number of high profile retirements and injuries, having lost players of the ilk of Eoin Morgan and Ed Joyce to England, and with Boyd Rankin - who is also on England's radar after being included in the ECB's England Performance Programme - sidelined since January with a stress fracture to his right foot. Yet they have the likes of veteran Trent Johnston, who captained during the World Cup, and his successor William Porterfield, as well as players with county cricket experience.
"It's nice (for me) to be playing in the West Indies and for the players to be taking on England too," Simmons said. "But this is the group we would have taken too; we are happy with that. From our point of view, it is about trying to improve our performance every time we take on teams at this level - and Twenty20 is no different. It is a format we are not experienced in, but we have to keep picking things up as we go and make sure we use them."
Ireland's preparations ahead of the tournament have not been too successful. They won just one of six tour games, lost an ODI to West Indies, and won one of two warm-up Twenty20 matches. Against the backdrop of calls in certain quarters to push for Ireland's Test status, Simmons did not feel there was added pressure on the team. "Yes, the pressure is on; but that is inevitable on these occasions," he said. "The stakes are always high, whenever you are taking on these full member top teams with a chance to show you are improving. It's not something we even think about. We just go out to play as well as we can and make sure we take our opportunities."
Ireland have been grouped with West Indies and England during the initial phase of the World Twenty20, which starts on April 30.
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"In the last few days, we have had a lot of innuendos, and half truths and motivated leaks (about IPL)," Modi said at the presentation ceremony upon the conclusion of the IPL final, not too long before the BCCI issued him a show-cause notice. "I want to tell you that all decisions have been taken by the governing council and approved by the general body.
"Still as leader of the team I reassure you that if there is any flouting of the rules and regulations or any other irregularities I shall take full responsibility reassure you that if there is any flouting of rules and any irregularities I shall take full responsibility. On this occasion, I assure millions of passionate fans of the league and the game across the globe that the IPL is clean and transparent. We should not allow this brand to be diluted and we will not."
The IPL governing council is due to meet on Monday, but following his suspension, it appears unlikely that Modi will attend it. The meeting is likely to pick an interim IPL chairman and work out a plan for the future.
The BCCI would have preferred Modi resigning, as that would have ended the matter there; a suspension means, at some stage, documents and transactions being scrutinised. If his response is deemed unsatisfactory, the board will pass a resolution to terminate him at the working committee meeting on May 2. That will then go to vote at the special AGM, which can be held a week after the working committee meeting.
Modi now has 48 hours to respond to the all the decisions have been taken jointly by the governing council and approved by the general body of both the seasons 1 and 2 of the IPL.
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Afghanistan confident of creating an upset
"We are excited about facing India. We have been working hard and we want to give them a big fight. We will make it hard for them and hope to make an upset. We are not just going there just to participate," Kabir told AFP.
This will be Afghanistan's first experience of the big stage, and Kabir is preparing them for the challenges, both on and off the field. "Our team is mentally very strong. We have lectures on how to keep calm in front of the cameras and playing in front of big crowds. Wherever we go, we play in front of crowds who support us. But at the big tournaments, they have to get used to fans cheering against them as well," Kabir said.
Allrounder Asghar Stanikzai believes that the pressure is on the other teams since Afghanistan have nothing to lose. "We're kind of the underdog for our group and the pressure is actually really on South Africa and India as to them we're the unknown quantity to take on in this tournament," he said. "We just want to go out there and enjoy each game we play. We're quite excited, we've been waiting for a while to be able to prove ourselves in a big tournament and we've worked really hard to get there and we're really looking forward to the experience."
Batsman Raees Ahmadzai had echoed Kabir and Stanikzai in his predictions for the tournament. "We won't be going out there just for fun," he said. "In Twenty20 cricket anything can happen. It is a form of cricket that we know very well and we will not be easy to beat."
Afghanistan made the cut for the tournament by winning the qualifying tournament in the United Arab Emirates. They begin their campaign against India in St. Lucia on May 1 and then meet South Africa in Barbados on May 5.
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