Bharti responds positively to Gray's letter on staging ICC KnockOut

Indian Sports Minister Uma Bharti said on Thursday she was committed to her promise given to the ICC president Malcolm Gray in holding the ICC KnockOut tournament in India. Reacting to ICC president Malcolm Gray's letter to her seeking clarification on India's stand to stage the competition here, Bharti told PTI "I stand by my commitment of all help in holding the ICC KnockOut tournament in India. I had invited the ICC to hold the tournament in our country and promised them all help including tax exemption, when Mr Gray met me in March." She added "I will be very happy if the tournament is held in our country and described the game as "an expression of the nation's sentiment".

Earlier, based on BCCI secretary JY Lele's statement that India was not very keen to conduct the tourney, the ICC president sent a letter to the Sports Minister to seek clarifications from her. PTI which has the copy of the letter, quotes Gray as writing, "I have been watching with great interest some of the statements about cricket emanating in the Indian press and have been encouraged by your statement and the line you are taking. I hope that you will continue to lend your support to the event being held in India and to the obtaining of tax exemption for the tournament. As we discussed, whenever major sporting tournaments are held around the world, they are only located in a tax- friendly environment."

Muthiah overrules Lele's statement

BCCI president AC Muthiah on Thursday categorically stated that India would certainly go ahead with hosting the ICC KnockOut tournament. Overruling BCCI secretary JY Lele's statement where he had expressed reservations on holding the tournament in India, Muthiah said "there is no hitch in India hosting the tournament. The Union Sports Ministry has cleared it and Sports Minister Uma Bharti has extended all support for the success of the ICC knockout tournament," while talking to PTI from Udhagamandalam. Muthiah added "We do not want to deny the best opportunity for the cricket loving public of India of witnessing players from all Test playing countries of ICC in action."

On India playing Pakistan in the future, Muthiah said "the government's letter clarified that there is no hitch in these two countries competing in multi-lateral tournaments". He added "the government has said it has no objection to the Indian team playing in the ICC knock-out and World Cup and other ICC recognised tournaments despite the fact that certain matches in such tournaments may be played between India and Pakistan either in India or in Pakistan."

Ganguly, Chauhan hope to break the jinx

Expressing happiness over the selection of the 15-member Indian squad for the Zimbabwe tour, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said in Bangalore on Thursday "the team would have to work hard to win matches and set right the dismal overseas record." An irritated Ganguly in reply to a question on India's record abroad said "I am fed up of answering that question. We have a bad record. It is time we started changing it". He added "We want to do well and solve the problem. We have to play and work hard to win."

Meanwhile, Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan said the team would try to break the 15-year-old jinx abroad. Talking to a TV news channel, Chauhan said "We are aware of our poor record since 1986 (when India under Kapil Dev defeated England). But this time, we will definitely break the jinx." Expressing confidence that the side would do well, the former Indian opener said "the confidence level of the team is high after it beat world champions Australia 2-1 in the home series. The Zimbabwe tour is a real challenge. But I am fully confident that we will do well."

Central Zone junior academy inaugurated at Nagpur

The Central Zone National Cricket Academy for junior boys between the age group of 13 to 16 has 21 players. The zonal centre was inaugurated at the Vidarbha Cricket Association on Wednesday. A press release from Nagpur said "Cricketers between the age of 13 to 16 are being imparted advanced training under the guidance of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the NCA.

Former Ranji Trophy player Murthy Rajan will be its chief coach assisted by Prakash Sahastrabudhe and Praveen Hingnikar, both former Ranji players. Players are from Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Vidarbha while Uttar Pradesh players are likely to join shortly, the release added.

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