Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan is likely to be the brand ambassador for industrialist Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai Indians cricket team in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) starting April 18.Speculation is rife that Hrithik will soon be shooting for an ad campaign and even an album - the music for which has been composed by Anu Malik - for Mumbai Indians.
Bollywood actors are making their presence felt in the IPL. It all started with Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta buying IPL teams and then Akshay Kumar being roped in as brand ambassador for Delhi Daredevils.
Shoaib says PCB chief wanted cut in IPL contract
Banned Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has accused Nasim Ahsraf, the country's cricket board president, of blackmailing him to get a share of his IPL contract.
"I have been victimised, I have been pin-point targeted. I refused to pay him the money and that was why I am being victimised," said Shoaib after the temperamental fast bowler was banned for five years.
He was punished for criticising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not offering him a central contract.
Yellow fever at Chepauk
The recently concluding first Test between India and South Africa at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium will be remembered for two reasons - Virender Sehwag's triple ton and the introduction of the Chennai Super Kings to the city's cricket lovers.
Over the five days of the Test, the stadium and its surroundings were a sea of yellow, the official colour of the Super Kings.
The promos arranged by India Cements Ltd, the owner of the team, began during the ticket sales, when those in the queue received pamphlets inviting them to 'Get Caught Yellow Handed' at the Test: wear yellow to the match and be treated to surprise gifts.
The walls surrounding the stadium were painted yellow and bore the Super Kings logo. The road leading to the pavilion entrance was lined with Super Kings flags.
There were posters of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan, Mathew Hayden and Stephen Fleming, the big stars of the Super Kings, adorning the entrances to the stadium. En route to their seats, fans were handed masks of Makhaya Ntini, Hayden and of course, Dhoni, which proved to be a big hit with everyone.
The walls and roof of the stadium were plastered with banners proclaiming 'Welcome to the Lion's Den' and 'Out here the Super Kings rule'. Pillars were painted yellow and bore the Super Kings logo. To top things off, there were a couple of enormous Super Kings balloons flying proudly above the stadium.
England players to be asked views on IPL
Professional Cricketer's Association chief executive Sean Morris will talk to leading English cricketers and officials next week to find a way to accommodate them in future IPL tournaments.
The move comes after IPL chairman Lalit Modi's willingness to shift the dates of the cash-rich Twenty20 competition in future to allow Englishmen to take part in the league.
Although Hampshire's Dimitri Mascarenhas is the only England international in the IPL, which starts this month, plans need to be put in place now if a window is to be opened in future.
"We will ask the players how they feel," said Morris. "We need to sit them down and ask their views, some might have different opinions to others. But I would like to think on behalf of the players we would be able to take advantage of this concept and allow them to reap the benefits."
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