Indian delegation in Pakistan for ACC meet

The resumption of India's cricketing ties with Pakistan is likely to be taken up when the presidents of the two boards meet in Lahore during the two-day meeting of the Asian Cricket Council starting on May 25. "We will be basically looking at proposals to initiate development projects like training programmes in the region," BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele and treasurer Kishore Rungta told PTI over phone from Lahore. There could also be general discussions about the status of the ongoing investigations into match-fixing by ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit, they said.

Meanwhile, BCCI president AC Muthiah on his arrival in Lahore said "We are here to attend the ACC meeting. The Indian team will be playing a match in the Asian Test Championship in Pakistan. So things are moving towards better relations." Talking to a Pakistan daily Dawn, Muthiah said that good cricketing relations between Pakistan and India would promote the game in the Asian region. "Both countries are giants of the game in Asia and only their collective efforts can promote cricket in the continent", he said.

On Laloo Prasad Yadav's statement after he was elected as president of the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) that he would hold a one-day match between the two countries in Patna, the BCCI president said it was premature to say anything on the statement. He added that the BCCI had not received any request from the BCA in this regard.

CBI welcomes ICC move to curb match-fixing

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday welcomed the support of the ICC in the match-fixing probe. Reacting to the ICC report on match-fixing, the CBI spokesman said "we welcome any assistance from the ICC and as far as the investigations of organised crime in match-fixing is concerned, we are already at it." The agency was also willing to offer any assistance to the ICC in controlling the menace of match-fixing.

The spokesman also said that it was heartening to know that the ICC was ready to pick up the threads from the CBI investigation as the agency could not further probe into the role of foreign players who were beyond its ambit. The spokesman said "the agency also welcomed the offer from the ICC to help the CBI in the telecast rights case as we have registered five cases and the probe is on."

Meanwhile, New Delhi police, who were responsible for blowing the whistle on former South African captain Hansie Cronje's links with bookmakers last year, on Wednesday welcomed the match-fixing report of the ICC. The joint commissioner of Delhi Police KK Paul said "The report vindicates the stand of the Delhi police and it's nice to know our investigations have had far-reaching effects."

Tendulkar felicitated with a 10kg silver bat

Former Indian captain and batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was felicitated at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday night for being the first batsman to complete 10,000 runs in one day internationals. At the function, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Sharad Pawar presented Tendulkar with a bat weighing 10 kilos and a cheque of Rs. 2.51 lakh. Pawar also announced the naming of the 'Sachin Tendulkar Enclosure,' above the MCA pavilion for former and present cricketers and their family members. Pawar added that the renaming of a stand in Wankhede stadium after Tendulkar would be announced after the monsoon.

Replying to the felicitations, the 28-year-old former Indian captain said "It was my dream to don India colours on this very ground when I came here for the first time in 1983 during the West Indies tour." Remembering his guru Ramakant Achrekar's contribution to enhance his cricketing skills, Tendulkar said "it (his lessons) changed my life. Without him I could not have been where I am today."

Talking at the function, the Indian coach John Wright said "It is a wonderful and special experience to be associated with a phenomenon called Sachin." Former Indian captain Ravi Shastri said that his humility, willingness to listen and ability to walk ahead were his strengths. He added "Let the biggest stand be named after Sachin even at the cost of a sponsor because no one is greater than Sachin." Recently, Tendulkar was conferred with the state government's 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award.

Kapil makes contribution to National Sports Development Fund

Former Indian captain and coach Kapil Dev has made a substantial contribution to the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), the Indian Sports Minister Uma Bharti said at a meeting of the NSDF in New Delhi on Tuesday. Kapil's contribution to the fund along with Naptha Jhakri Power Corporation Limited and Power Finance Corporation totalled Rs 1.25 crore. The NSDF has so for collected Rs 4.73 crore out of which Rs 2 crore is the government contribution as seed money during 1998-99.

It may be recalled that Kapil quit as coach of the national side last year after his name was dragged into the match-fixing controversy. He was later exonerated by the CBI in its match-fixing report and also in the Madhavan report. Later Kapil had said that he was disassociating himself from cricket.

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