His deafening silence on the IPl spot-fixing scandal infuriated many but an unruffled Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni preferred to look at the lighter side of the controversy by suggesting that perhaps a laundry service could be tried to keep the event clean!
“We will try the laundry, that’s good, will keep us clean,” Dhoni, who is the captain of the Chennai Super Kings -- the team at the centre of the furore, was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
The stumper-batsman arrived in the UAE yesterday for the first leg of the seventh IPl which has been shifted here in part owing to a clash of dates with the ongoing general elections in India.
Dhoni, who was accused of trying to shield betting accused and CSK’s former Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan during his deposition in front of the Justice Mudgal Committee, has so far avoided questions on the IPl.
He was criticised for remaining silent on the matter despite the fact that the franchise captained by him was at the centre of the row.
He later went on to sue a news channel for Rs 100 crore for falsely insinuating that he could be involved in betting.
Time right for Pak players’ comeback: Akram
Karachi: Former captain Wasim Akram believes that the time is right for Pakistani players to be allowed back into the Indian Premier league as it would help the event connect with more fans in not just the subcontinent but all over the world.
Pakistani players have been barred from participating in the IPl since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. They only took part in the first edition of the event but since than have been kept out for different reasons one of them being the political uncertainty between the two countries.
“Whenever India and Pakistan players have played either against each other or together, they have attracted lot of crowds and you get plenty of support, especially in this part of the world. I hope in near future Pakistani players will be able to participate because we have great talent,” Wasim said in an interview on pakpassion.Net website.
Wasim, who is also the bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders, said Pakistani players can add value to any top T20 event. “Imagine Saeed Ajmal playing. It would have been perfect in these conditions,” he said referring to the first leg of IPl matches in the United Arab Emirates.
“Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Shahid Afridi playing would have been huge. This was their home ground, but let’s see it’s a decision of the cricket boards of both countries has to take. Mixing sports and politics was going to do no good,” he said.
Spinners may play major role, believes Manjrekar
New Delhi: Spinners may have a “major role” to play in the Indian Premier league with the first leg of tournament staged in the UAE expected to have “typical sub-continent” wickets, according to cricketer-turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar.
“Spinners may have a major role to play. It will be a typical sub-continent wicket. I was there in the under-19 World Cup and saw that the pitch had bit of a bounce. So one has to wait and see how the surfaces turn out. As Sharjah might be different from Dubai and Abu Dhabi will have a different pitch,” Sanjay said on Tuesday.
‘Tendulkar will be sick of me by end of IPl-7’
Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar will be “sick of me” by the end of IPl-7 says Michael Hussey, who plans to talk about the game and life after international retirement with the iconic cricketer during his stint with Mumbai Indians over the next month and a half.
“I hope so. I am really looking forward to spending time with him and talking about life and cricket. He will probably be sick of me by the end of the IPl,” Hussey said when asked if he will be exchanging thoughts with the recently-retired Tendulkar.