New Delhi: Bollywood actress and co-owner of IPL team Rajasthan Royals Shilpa Shetty has expressed her disappointment that her cricket squad won’t be able to play at their own stable due to the rescheduling of the Twenty20 blitzkrieg.

The Indian cricketing extravaganza is being re-planned due to security issues after the recent attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan and also because its dates clashed with the Lok Sabha election schedule.

“It’s sad that we’re not going to be able to play in Jaipur, which happens to be our home ground, but I would like our Rajasthan fans to know that it was a decision that wasn’t left to us to take,” Shilpa posted on her blog early Sunday morning from Jaipur.

“We are just complying with the decision obviously that has been taken by the IPL board, the BCCI and obviously with the advice of the home ministry and the (Rajasthan) state government,” she added.

The “celebrity Big Brother” winner, who co-owns the team with beau Raj Kundra, is currently in Jaipur shooting team anthem “Halla bol”.

The actress was also upset with the attack on Sri Lanka crickters in Lahore.

“It’s really sad whatever has happened in Pakistan and what the Sri Lankan cricketers had to go through. It was a sad day for cricket. Hope we are able to overcome all of that and things are smooth sailing, and hope people don’t bring down the spirit of the game,” she wrote.

“Cricket is a game that brings together different countries and I hope we’re able to be good hosts (for IPL) here in India and give security to our cricketers and fans,” she added.
Source:cricketnext.in.com

New Delhi: Owners of Rajasthan Royals, the team that won the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, have sold a 12% stake to London-based entrepreneur Raj Kundra and his partner, Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty, in a deal that values the Jaipur franchise at $140 million (about Rs680 crore) .

At that valuation, the stake bought by the two would be worth $16.8 million. “This is a significant valuation given that we had bought the team for $67 million,” said Raghu Iyer, chief marketing officer, Rajasthan Royals.

A big chunk of the new investment will be used to fund new marketing initiatives, which include a DVD that documents the team’s rise to fame in season one of IPL, and a Bollywood film featuring Rajasthan Royals. The money will be used to procure new players and stage matches with local clubs in the UK and in Australia.

“The selling of this stake is part of our long-term strategic approach to build the Rajasthan Royals into a global sports brand,” said Manoj Badale, chairman, Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd, owner of the franchise.

He added that the investment would enhance the “off-field commercial potential of a brand already recognized throughout India and much of the global cricketing world.” “Last season was very much about cricket and conquering the hearts of people in India… season two will be about conquering our global ambitions,” Badale said.

Kundra is chief executive of Essential General Trading LLC, a Dubai-based trading company dealing in precious metals, construction, mining and green renewable energy projects. Shetty has invested in the venture in her capacity as the chief executive officer of S2 Global Productions Pvt Ltd., which is her home film production company.

“It’s a strategic business investment. I always support the underdogs as I am myself one. Rajasthan Royals were the underdogs in IPL before they succeeded (in winning the title)”, Shetty told a media conference held in Mumbai on Tuesday. Some reports recently said Rajasthan Royals was looking at raising funds through an initial public offering. Iyer said the funds raised from the stake sale will take care of the team’s immediate capital requirements. “We aren’t looking for a listing right now, but it isn’t ruled out for future,” Iyer added.
Source: livemint.com

Melbourne: Australian allrounder Shane Watson, who has been ruled out of action for the next six weeks because of a stress fracture in his back, is eyeing a return to competitive cricket at the Indiian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition.

Watson said he will be back bowling a lot quicker than he expected after a stress fracture of the back was set to prevent him playing as an all-rounder for six months.

He is aiming a comeback to cricket through the IPL, and plans to use that as a platform to convince the selectors before they pick the team for the Ashes series in England.

“That’s definitely the goal at the moment, and a realistic goal,” Watson said yesterday.

“The IPL will be a good way to just gradually build up your workload.”

In fact, it was in the inaugural season of the IPL that Watson made claims for a comeback to international cricket, after being laid low by a series of injuries that had kept him out of international cricket for over a year.
Source : cricketnirvana.com

A fragile all-rounder whose progress has been hampered by umpteen injury breakdowns, Shane Watson believes he has put behind the nightmares and profusely thanks the Indian Premier League (IPL) for resurrecting his stop-start career.

Back in the mix again, Watson believes he is through with his quota of slings and arrows and his career is finally back on track largely because of IPL.

“It came at the right time for me, no doubt about that,” the strapping blond, standing at a towering 1.83m, said.

“It was of international level. Playing for the Rajasthan Royals was a great opportunity for me and that too under the great Shane Warne. It was a true testament of your calibre and I was simply privileged to be part of IPL,” gushed the all-rounder, who missed the warm-up match against Board President’s XI because of viral fever.

Watson also took the opportunity to thank his charismatic captain-cum-coach at Rajasthan Royals.

“Shane was amazing. He provided me the right opportunity and instilled confidence in all the members. He was simply superb as a captain,” said Watson, who was judged the Most Valuable Player in IPL.

Watson doesn’t hesitate to admit that he also benefited from all-rounder Andrew Symonds’ absence, which paved the way for his Test recall.

“No doubt about that. At number six, Symonds was doing a great job. I don’t know what would have happened had he been part of the squad. But this is an opportunity for me and I have to make the most of it,” he said with a palpable sense of urgency.

Despite being around for six years, Watson has played just three Test matches so far, in contrast to his 72 ODI appearances and the swashbuckler reckons he faces a new challenge in the longer version of the game.

“Test matches are different ball game altogether. When the ball starts turning from day four, you know it’s a different challenge for you. But I’m here to put my best foot forward and help Australia win the series,” he said.

Former Australia skipper Steve Waugh tipped Watson to be Australia’s first genuine all-rounder since Keith Miller but umpteen stress fractures, back niggles, hamstring and calf injuries saw the youngster rehabilitating more than playing.

Watson, however, believes he had never been in better shape and hopes his career is finally ready to take off.

“My body often let me down, especially whenever I thought I had an opportunity. It was really frustrating to spend time in rehabs when you should have gone out to play. In fact it was my injury that allowed Symonds to cement his place in the side.

“But I believe I have come out of that phase. I know the conditions here and I’m in great shape. I believe I’m giving myself the best chance to finally live up to the expectation here,” added the all-rounder.
Source: beta.cricket.yahoo.com

In the final of DLF – Indian Premier League, one can not ask for a better match. It was a real thriller in which both the teams fought till the very last bowl. Rajasthan Royals needed 8 runs in last over and Chennai Super Kings needed to defend it or take 3 wickets. But it was Rajasthan Royals who holded the nerves and won the match and thus won the inaugural  DLF – IPL cup.

Chasing a target of  164 Rajasthan Royals kept loosing wickets at regular interval and it looked like Super Kings had a chance but Yousaf Pathan again came to the rescue of Rajasthan Royals and scored 56 before being run out. After that all the batsmen played some useful innings and in the end it was on the shoulders of Shane Warne to take his team toward the victory.The last over was bowled by Balaji and they got 2 on very first bowl and then the next one was a dot ball. Rajasthan Royals needed 6 runs of 3 balls and then a blunder was done by both Patel and Balaji. He bowled a wide which was missed by Patel and Rajasthan Royals got 2 runs and the equation changed to 4 runs from 3 balls. The drama was not ending and it was  1 run from 1 ball. Tanveer scored a boundary and it was all over for Chennai Super Kings.

Rajasthan Royals were treated as underdogs at the start but they have shown that they were the best team in the tournament and thus deserved the Inaugral Cup of DLF- IPL