Shiv Sena threatens IPL games over domestic event

03 July 2009

Posted by sanil

Mumbai:

Rightwing Hindu party Shiv Sena has threatened to disrupt Indian Premier League (IPL) matches next year unless the cricket board restored a key one-day tournament to the domestic calendar, local media reported on Friday.

Shiv Sena workers protested outside the board headquarters in Mumbai on Thursday after it scrapped the event named after the late D.B. Deodhar, a respected batsman who hailed from Maharashtra, the party stronghold.

"The BCCI has insulted the pride of Maharashtra by aborting the tournament named after Professor D.B. Deodhar," a party spokesman told DNA newspaper. "If the decision is not reversed, Shiv Sena will not allow a single IPL match in the state."

Indian media had widely reported that the Deodhar Trophy was axed from next year's crowded calendar to fit in IPL matches.

The board scrambled to ward off any possible trouble.

"We are trying to squeeze in the Deodhar Trophy somewhere," its chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty told local media.

Abhishek, Eklak to play for next IPL

Posted by sanil

Kolkata: Having cut ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League, Bengal batsman Abhishek Jhunjhunwala and left-arm medium pacer Eklak Ahmed are all set to play in the next edition of the Indian Premier League.

While Jhunjhunwala has been contacted by Rajasthan Royals and is doing duties for them in England, Eklak has got a call from Mumbai Indians after he accepted BCCI's amnesty offer.

Eklak and Jhunjhunwala were among the 79 rebel players who benifited from the BCCI's amnesty offer that allowed them to return to the domestic fold.

"I have been approached by Mumbai Indians and I am most likely to join them in the upcoming season," Eklak said. He had represented Royal Bengal Tigers for three seasons and bagged most of the wickets last season for the side.

The stylish Bengal batsman, Jhunjhunwala, on the other hand, had attended a weeklong training camp for the IPL champions in Jaipur.

The camp, which concluded on Wednesday, was conducted under the supervision of Darren Berry, the team's coach, and former Indian team physio John Gloster and it prepared the side for their T20 charity match with English T20 champions Middlesex Panthers at Lord's on Sunday.

After the November ICL tournament was scrapped due to the non availability of Pakistan players in the league, Jhunjhunwala headed to England to play for the Essex leagues where he was spotted by Rajasthan Royals