For Indian fans, the shifting out of IPL may not be the best of news. Though, their South African counterparts can not wait any longer for the tournament. According to some latest reports, the hosts of the IPL, second season, have planned for a wide range of entertainment features.

According to the reports, all the entertainment features will come in an unbelievably low-priced format. The tournament, according to some, would cease to be a mere tournament only and evolve itself as a cricket carnival. IPL chief Lalit Modi reportedly stated that they will be playing flavor of India as well as various carnivals that India celebrates, in the tournament.

Reports pointed out that a record breaking number of people would be flocking to experience the tournament. The demand for the record has risen to such a high level that almost all the venues have no tickets left. While speaking to the media, one of the organizers, Mr. Sundar Raman stated that they had taken IPL to South Africa while ensuring that the South African cricket fans get a lifetime experience.

He added further that the game of cricket alongside the entertainment features would ensure that the spectators get complete value for their money. There are reports that a special deal has been reached that one 5 minute break would be there after every 10 overs of cricket. The decision will reportedly assist the broadcasters to maximize the number of commercials.
Source – scorespro.com

When the event is as big as Indian Premier League tournament, how the organizers could settle on anything lesser than internationally acclaimed superstars such as Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman! Yes believe it or not, these two megastars from Hollywood will be flown straight to Newlands stadium, where the twenty-20 tournament will take off on April 18. According to the sources, Hollywood actors Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman have agreed to make an appearance during the grand inaugural ceremony. And the Bollywood touch will be provided by Bollywood superstars and franchise owners Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta.
In the inaugural match of season 2, last year’s finalists, the Chennai Super Kings, will take on to the Mumbai Indians. It will be a classic clash of cricket when South African star cricketer JP Duminy will strike against cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s team. Even more exhilarating will be the second match where it will be a clash between Proteas on both sides. On one side there will be ruling champions Rajasthan Royals which has SA skipper Graeme Smith on their side and on the other there will be Bangalore Royal Challengers who happen to have the largest number of South African players including Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher.

If the sources of the CSA officials are to be believed, public are showing great interest for the upcoming cricket extravaganza. It has been confirmed by the Western Province Cricket on Tuesday that Indian Premier League tickets would go on sale from Friday at Newlands. Tickets will also be available at Computicket. Newlands Stadium manager Cyril Martin assures the cricket fans that tickets have been moderately priced. The ticket prices are more or les the same as those for the ICC Twenty20 World Championships in 2007. “We’ve done everything in our power to keep prices affordable.” said the manager.

Here is a quick glimpse on the ticket prices for the opening day: R50 for children, R100 for a grass ticket, to R200 for a seat. Well, if the prices look contrary to what the stadium manager says then you must keep in mind that in the opening day you are going to get a double header at the expense of a single ticket – Bollywood style entertainment during the mid-afternoon break and a Hollywood style opening ceremony after the two matches. So, overseas IPL is going to be even spicier with the Hollywood overtures. It is to be seen now, how the SA audience responses to the heady concoction of Bollywood, Hollywood, hundreds of international cricket stars and yes, the gang of cheer leaders!
Source – cricket360.com

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that he will not allow the Indian Premier League (IPL) to compromise his dream of recapturing the Ashes from the Australians.

Having helped England to a 3-2 one-day series win over West Indies, Flintoff is expected to pocket around 75,000 pounds a game for the Chennai Super Kings. He told SunSport: “I’d be lying if I said the money wasn’t appealing, but from a playing perspective the standard looks excellent. For me it’s a perfect start to the summer, with some short but high class warm weather cricket.””Test cricket is still the ultimate and as professionals we have to be able to switch between the different forms of the game,” Flintoffaid, adding: “I want to experience the high of winning the 2005 Ashes again, and definitely not the whitewash of 2006/07.”The Ashes will be huge, but there is so much cricket before then we have to stay focused on the job in hand,” he said.
Source – newstrackindia.com

MIKE Hussey has joined the list of Australian players to withdraw from this month’s Indian Premier League tournament, preferring to spend time at home with his family ahead of the Ashes tour in July.

Hussey said yesterday he had negotiated with his IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings to skip the five-week tournament starting on April 18.

Australia’s selectors may also decided to rest the 33-year-old batsman — who has averaged only 23 in his past eight Tests this summer — from the one-day international series against Pakistan in Dubai starting later this month.

Australia’s ODI series against South Africa was due to start in Durban late last night, Melbourne time, and finishes on April 17, followed by the Pakistan series.

“I just spoke to the franchise and asked for the time off to be with family as my playing schedule has been very busy and they were very understanding,” Hussey said. “But I am available if we make the semi-finals (on May 22 and 23) and final.”

Captain Ricky Ponting, vice-captain Michael Clarke and pace spearhead Mitch Johnson are also not playing in this year’s IPL, which has been shifted from India to South Africa for security reasons.

Cricket Australia’s selectors are set to announce a squad next week for the one-day series against Pakistan. It’s understood selectors will take into account the virtual back-to-back nature of Australia’s playing schedule this year in selecting the squad for the Pakistan series.

Australia’s commitments include the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June, followed by the Ashes and seven ODI matches against England, the Champions Trophy in South Africa, the Twenty20 Champions League in India involving NSW and Victoria, a seven-match ODI series against India and a home summer starting in November against West Indies and Pakistan.
Source – theage.com.au

For years together toiling hard and being successful on the domestic circuit was no guarantee for a national call-up. But the IPL has changed all that. Last year’s tournament catapulted quite a few players onto national limelight, and fringe players are counting on the same this season too.

He was the biggest revelation for India in the first edition of the IPL, plundering attack after attack with some merciless batting, with a timely half-century in the final being the icing on the cake for the Rajasthan Royals. The performance brought Yusuf Pathan into the limelight. And as another IPL season beckons, he knows a similar show can help him further consolidate his place in the national side.

“I would like to repeat what I did last year in the IPL,” he says. “I’m still playing the same game, working on the areas I need to work on in both batting and bowling.”

While Pathan earned his first call-up after his IPL efforts, others are hoping to catch the selectors’ eye again after being forced out of the national team.

“The IPL is a fantastic platform for all youngsters and fringe players to make a comeback in the side,” says the discarded Robin Uthappa. “Even for someone like Yusuf Pathan, it was a fantastic platform for him that brought him into the side. So, if people like me are trying to make a comeback its going to be a superb platform for me.”

“Last year we learnt a lot of things,” says Piyush Chawla. “I spoke to Shane Warne and he told little things which I implemented in my game. I got very good results.”

The national selectors will be watching closely as India hopefuls rub shoulders with the best in the world. So performances in the IPL are sure to count for more than other domestic tournaments.

“The IPL has done wonders for all the fringe players and even some who are not even in their state teams,” says former selection chief Dilip Vengsarkar. “They got a fantastic exposure the last time. And I’m sure this edition of the IPL will give them the same sort of exposure to the fringe players and bring them into the limelight.”

There is a Twenty20 World Cup on the horizon so success can result in immediate reward.
Source – cricketnext.in.com