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Irfan Pathan, who missed the Vijay Hazare Trophy due to a back strain, expects to be fit in around 20 days. He will recover in time to play for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, though he may miss a few of the initial matches.

“I should be match-fit in two to two-and-a-half weeks,” Pathan told 22yardscricket. “I have a back strain that first troubled me after the Duleep Trophy final.”

The IPL begins on March 12 and Kings XI Punjab play their first two games on March 13 and 16. Despite being on course to recover full fitness in time for the World Twenty20, Pathan was not included in the 30-member preliminary squad for the tournament that begins in late April. Pathan, who last played for India in the 2009 World Twenty20, was disappointed with his exclusion, but ruled out any miscommunication over his fitness.

Yubraj singh

One of the major concerns for Kings XI Punjab ahead of the third season of the IPL is a long injury list, but they will be relieved that Yuvraj Singh, one of their most important players, is likely to be fit in time for the first game against Delhi Daredevils.

Yuvraj tore a ligament in his left wrist in late January and missed the second Test against Bangladesh and the entire series against South Africa that ended two days ago. He had been to Australia last week for treatment and is now looking forward to resuming batting. “I will start batting in three days,” he told 22yardscricket. “It’s been five weeks (since the injury), so yes, I should be good for the first game.”

Punjab were one of the best teams in the inaugural IPL, cruising into the semi-finals, but had a tough time in the second season, affected by the injuries to fast bowlers Sreesanth and Jerome Taylor, and the unavailability of Australian players for much of the competition.

Yuvraj has targeted at least a semi-final spot this year, and believes one of the keys to a strong performance will be having the entire squad fit and available for the tournament. “We had a good first year, made the semi-finals easily when we had our full bench of players,” he said. “So if we have our full bench of players not injured, we have a good chance of going through to the semi-finals.”

They have several important players struggling for fitness, though. Australian batsman Shaun Marsh, their standout performer in the first IPL season, became the latest worry after he was ruled out of the upcoming one-day internationals against New Zealand due to a back problem.

Their most expensive overseas player, fast bowler Brett Lee, is also beset with fitness problems. (However, IPL chairman Lalit Modi said in his Twitter page that Lee is arriving in India tomorrow). Lee is recovering from a painful elbow surgery that ruled him out of the entire Australian home summer campaign, and said a couple of weeks ago that he might never bowl again. He has only played two matches since spearheading New South Wales’ march to the Champions League title last October.

“We have a few injuries but we still have a bit of time to get fit for the first game,” Yuvraj said. Besides fitness issues, the lack of quality Indian batting back-up for Yuvraj is another of Punjab’s drawbacks, which makes it vital that allrounder Irfan Pathan recovers from the back injury that has kept him out of the preliminary squad of the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean.

Legendary New Zealand allrounder Richard Hadlee has hit out at the ICC for betraying the game of cricket by protecting the interests of India, who are the largest generator of revenue.
Hadlee was also particularly worried for the future of Test cricket, saying the growth of T20 and the huge financial lures for players from the IPL meant the International Cricket Council needed to exercise its authority.
We are in grave danger of having the decision makers betraying the game of cricket, said Hadlee during a nationwide tour to promote his latest book Changing Pace, which summarises his last nine years of cricket research.
We all know now that Asia, and more particularly India, have a more powerful say (at ICC level) because they generate that much more a higher percentage of revenue, which other countries benefit from.
So, who protects the game The ICC have to try so all the games can co-exist , he said.

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has compensated two Indian Premier League franchisees Team Rajasthan and Team Chennai with a sum of Rs 22 crore each, as compensation for the cancellation of the Champions League Twenty20, which got cancelled last year due to the 26/11 attack in Mumbai.
As a part of the compensation package, we have decided to compensate these teams because the Champions League got cancelled last year, IPL chairman Lalit Modi told TOI on Monday.
Incidentally, the other six teams Victoria and Western Australia (Australia), Titans and Dolphin (South Africa), Middlesex (England) and Sialkot Stallions (Pakistan ) were supposed to take part in the competition are yet to get any financial succour from their respective national boards.

When Agras Pawan Sharma sneaked into a general compartment of a Howrah-bound train last Thursday, he had only one thing on his mind to meet his idol Sourav Ganguly and persuade the former captain to give him a chance to bowl in the Knight Riders nets.
On Thursday, Sourav gave the 19-year-old a chance to realize his dream. Trying to emulate his favourite bowler, Shoaib Akhtar, Pawan belied his wiry frame and worked up a fair bit of pace troubling most KR batsmen even as Sourav kept a close watch.
So impressed was Sourav with the lads display that he asked Pawan to postpone his trip back home and report at the nets again on Friday.
Needless to say, Pawan, who has been roughing it out in Kolkata for the past few days, is elated. I was planning to go back by todays (Thursday) evening train, but Dada asked me to stay back and attend Fridays nets. I dont know whether I will ever make it big, but I will forever remain indebted to Dada for this chance, said Pawan, who read about KRs camp in newspapers and decided to try his luck.
After arriving in Kolkata, I parked myself in front of Dadas residence everyday from 10am to 6pm but the security guards didnt let me speak to him. On Tuesday, I gathered enough courage to call out his name loud enough to catch his attention and he stopped his car. After hearing me out, he told me to come to the Eden Gardens on Thursday, said Pawan, about his adventure so far.
Even though Pawan impressed all with his ability to bowl fast, he has been given no guarantees. He, however, has no regrets. For me, its enough that I could bowl in front of Ganguly and get his blessings. Had he asked me to keep bowling till 6pm, I would have happily done so, Pawan said after a gruelling two-hour session.
Given a bit of luck, the Class IX drop-out could well turn out to be yet another IPL wonder kid. Pawan, meanwhile, is keeping his fingers crossed.

There is good and bad news for those rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) players who have decided to accept the BCCIs offer of amnesty. For starters, they will be allowed to play in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) from the 2010 season onwards if franchisees want them. But there is a rider: Players with no international experience have been bracketed into a pay scale which guarantees a minimum of Rs 8 lakh and a maximum of Rs 20 lakh ($18,000 to $45,000) only.
This decision was ratified by the BCCIs working committee on Thursday , after IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had announced earlier that ICL players were likely to be considered.
BCCI officials decided to settle on the idea of salary caps to send out a strong message that defections to rebel organisations would not be tolerated . However, an official suggested that in time, the caps could be removed for talented players. Of course, there are no salary caps for those international stars who had plied their trade in the ICL. Big names like Shane Bond, Abdur Razzaq, Daryl Tuffey and Lou Vincent can either sign a contract individually with IPL teams or take part in an auction.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Wednesday announced that pace spearhead Dale Steyn has been cleared of any doping violation by the Indian Premier League (IPL) authorities. There was a discrepancy in the result of a doping test during the IPL but the authorities are perfectly satisfied with the explanation that Dale has provided and they have confirmed that no offence has been committed, CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said in a statement. 

The Knight Riders team management has begun a hunt for a suitable coach in right earnest. Having sacked former Australian coach John Buchanan, KR is looking for someone who can turn around the fortunes of the team in the third season of the Indian Premier League which will begin on March 12, 2010.
The KR managers have been working overtime for the last one month and have finally shortlisted six coaches three foreigners and three Indians for a formal screening to be held at owner Shah Rukh Khans residence Mannat on August 22.
However, two of the three Indians invited Paras Mhambrey and Praveen Amre have declined the invitation, citing their present commitments .
Other then the two mentioned above, those in the shortlist are: Lalchand Rajput (India), John Wright (New Zealand), Richard Pybus (South Africa) and Duncan Fletcher (England ). TOI had first reported last month that Wright was in the KR scheme of things.
Invites have been sent to these coaches and they have been asked to make formal presentations alongwith a list of their ideas that can help KR emerge a strong contender, informed an official of the franchisee.
Mhambrey, former Mumbai and Bengal coach and currently coach of Baroda, said he did receive an invitation but wasnt sure of being there. I havent given it much thought as I am presently occupied with the Baroda Ranji team, Mhambrey told TOI on Wednesday.
Amre too toed a similar line. Now in Chennai with the Mumbai team for the Buchi Babu tourney, Amre, who is also IPL franchisee Mumbai Indians coach, informed KR that he wont be in Mumbai on August 22.
I have told them that I will not be in Mumbai on that day and hence cant attend the meeting. Besides I am coaching Mumbai Indians so how can I be available, wondered Amre.
Lalchand Rajput, who coached Mumbai Indians in the first edition of the IPL is presently in Scotland, but has given his nod and is expected to be back in time for the presentation.
The three foreigners have also confirmed their participation. Former India coach Wright is already in India and according to sources met SRK at his residence on Wednesday.

In the Champions League scheduled for October , a player who qualifies from two different teams (the IPL team and the club team from his own country) can choose which team he wants to represent.
If a player has played for an IPL team and that team has qualified for the Champions League, and at the same time if he has played for his home team or club and that team has qualified too, the player can choose whom to play for. The option has been given to the player. If the player chooses to play for his home team, so be it. If the player chooses his IPL team, the IPL will compensate the home board to the tune of $200,000 (fixed price). In case the player opts for his home team, nothing will be compensated to the IPL franchise , IPL commissioner Lalit Modi explained.

ICL still a sore point, Northants cannot qualify

Northamptonshire will not qualify for the Champions League even if they make it to the final of Englands domestic T20 tournament.
Modi said the presence of several players who have not severed links with the rebel Indian Cricket League was unacceptable . Nicky Boje and Andrew Hall, both in the Northants team, have not cancelled their contracts with the rebel league. Modi says Champions League guidelines are very clear. They state that any team which fields a barred player or a rebel league player and that team qualifies to play the Champions League then that team will be disqualified. So, even if Northants qualify, they will be barred.

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn failed a drug test as a result of taking painkillers to recover from an injury during the second Indian Premier League, his cricket board said on Tuesday. Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola said Steyn was found to have morphine level slightly above the normal because of the painkillers he took and CSA has submitted a report in this regard to IPL authorities.
We are aware of the result and submitted a report immediately to the IPL on why this has happened, Majola said. There was a marginal increase in the presence of morphine in the sample and that was due to painkillers he took during that period. We are awaiting a reply from the IPL authorities , he told a website.
Steyn was out of action for most of the IPL in South Africa due to a thumb injury and played only three matches for Bangalore Royal Challengers. Mohammad Moosajee, South Africas team doctor and a member of CSAs medical committee, however, said Steyn would not face any action as it was not a drug violation but an adverse analytical finding.
This is not a doping violation as such but an adverse analytical finding, which is different, Moosajee said. Dale is known to have a history of chronic migraines and he suffered a thumb injury too during the IPL and he was on Myprodol, a painkiller that contains codeine , he said.
Codeine converts to morphine within the body and that led to the adverse finding. Dale had taken the painkiller on the day of the test and the morphine level in his sample was found to be slightly higher (1.1 to 1.3 microgram per ml) than the 1 microgram per ml that is permitted , Moosajee explained.
This is a matter between the IPL franchise and IPL but since Dale is also a CSA-contracted player, we were informed and we are now assisting in the process. We have sent a detailed report to the IPL and are awaiting a reply. We are confident that he will be cleared.