The stage is set for one of the most awaited Cricket tournament that is Indian Premier League -(DLF – IPL).The Karamyudh of Cricket is going to start just in the next few hours when Rahul Dravid’s Bangalore Challengers will take on Sourav Ganguly’s Kolkata Knight Riders.

“It’s a new concept. There will be a stiff competition in this event which has created a big hype with so much buzz around. It will no doubt bring in some freshness into the sport,” said Dravid.”It’s fast paced and entertaining. But once the game starts the focus will only be on cricket.” he said. Further he added “The city concept has not been tried in the game in this country. It’s also nice to play along with different players with different cultures in your team.

“There is no clear favorite in the shortest version of the game. Difference between teams lessens in the Twenty20 format as the contest is too short.”I consider this event as a contest between state sides with world-class players,”said Ganguly.He further added that he is unsure as to when West Indies batsman Chris Gayle will join the Kolkata team, but asserted that his team has enough bench strength.

After pumping millions into music videos, road shows and media campaigns, the Indian Premier League franchises are now employing American cheerleaders to add to the glitz of the Twenty20 extravaganza.Pompom-wielding cheerleaders from the United States will be seen supporting Bangalore Royal Challengers when boundaries are scored and wickets tumble in their IPL encounters.The Vijay Mallya-owned team recently roped in “Washington Redskins Cheerleaders” to be its official cheerleaders for the first four matches of the tournament.

“Involvement of cheerleaders is certainly not to cheer the players, but the audience. It will create an environment of zeal and the fusion music will give impetus to the scene. Twenty20 is a fast game and it represents just that,” Chetan Chauhan, former Indian cricketer, said.”It is a new concept in India, although teams from South Africa and Australia have had cricket cheerleaders,” he added.

According to the Redskins’ website, 12 of their cheerleaders and two choreographers will spend 18 days touring the country and performing at major events, including the first four games of the Bangalore IPL team.”Cheerleading is a unique American concept and the fact that it now is a bridge into India and cricket, speaks to the world vision of the Washington Redskins,” says an American official involved with the event.

What would be on show is a fusion of Indian and American styles of dance.Some Indian dance experts too provided tips to visiting cheerleaders to add some Bollywood dance style in their performance.”This fusion of dance backgrounds has created a new amazing style. I am really looking forward to the reaction of India towards the Redskins Cheerleaders,” Donald Wells, Redskins’ cheerleading director, said.”I’ve known what we are doing is cutting edge and it’s great to see that we are going to start this squad off on the right foot.”

Source :Indiatimes.com

The little master Sachin Tendulkar is struggling with his fitness and therefore can be unavailable for the start of the Indian Premier League, which gets under way on Friday.

“I am yet to recover fully from the injury,” he told the Asian Age.He added: “I am a little disappointed that I was not able to play in the two important matches against South Africa.The physiotherapist and the doctor had earlier advised me to rest and now they have given me exercises and I am following their advice.”

Mumbai open their IPL campaign against Bangalore Royal Challenges on Sunday.

The Delhi Indian Premier League team – Delhi Daredevil had a new member and this time its Great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee
“It feels great to be a part of GMR Sports and Delhi Daredevils. I’ve known many of the young players in the Delhi Daredevils squad and am naturally delighted to be part of this team. While players like Glenn McGrath are legends by their own right, I am looking forward to work with upcoming talents such as Pradeep Sangwan and Yo Mahesh,” he said.

The team skipper Virender Sehwag was also very happy with Dennis Lillee’s inclusion and said this will be a moral booster for the team members.”Lillee has been a childhood idol and an inspiration to countless cricketers, including me. His do-or-die attitude, fierce determination and the way he staged his comeback are parts of cricket lore. His presence in the Delhi Daredevils dressing room will no doubt bolster our resolve to win,” Sehwag said.

T A Sekar, GMR Sports vice-president and a senior member of the Delhi Daredevils team said “I’ve known Dennis for more than two decades now. His advice has helped groom hundreds of young fast bowlers in India and abroad. We are indeed fortunate to have him among us,”

Lalit Modi’s management skills were again shown when at the very last moment he has waived the restrictions imposed on the media.This decision came after the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) threatened to totally boycott the Indian Premier League commonly known as DLF – IPL.
Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner, Indian Premier League, said, “All publications and wires giving substantial coverage to the tournament can use reasonable quantity of photographs. There will no restriction on the number.”
Speaking to FE, Kunal Dasgupta, CEO, Sony Entertainment Television said, “We have decided to give free footage of upto three minutes absolutely free. Beyond that, we have set different tariff rates depending on the amount of footage each broadcaster will require. However, no clip should be more than 30-seconds. Moreover, the free footages will be given only for news programmes. If it is an analysis on the tournament or some other programme besides news, then we might charge for the footages.”