Mohammad Asif fails IPL dope test

Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Asif has been named by the Indian Premier League as the player who failed a drugs test.

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi confirmed on Sunday that a player tested positive for a banned substance during the first edition of the tournament, but did not reveal who it was.

However, Asif, who played for the Delhi Daredevils, was named in a statement from the IPL on Monday as the player in question.

The statement read: "The Indian Premier League compared the result from the WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland with the data collected by IDTM, the Sweden-based independent agency which organised the anti-doping testing in accordance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards, to confirm the player in violation is Mr Mohammad Asif."

The Indian Premier League has found itself in the wrong foot, as it is being rocked by a doping scandal involving an Asian pace bowler. A sample taken during a random dope test in the inaugural edition of the IPL has turned out to be positive. Source TOI and Press Association

England planing a rival league to IPL

In a bid to pose competition to the Indian Premier League, England may "effectively abolish" its traditional county cricket structure and stage a 50 million pound Twenty20 tournament from June 2010.

Although its architects will deny the charge of plagiarism, the similarities between the radical new Twenty20 competition leaked yesterday and the Indian Premier League (IPL) are so clear that it seems the ground-breaking tournament has simply been transported thousands of miles from Bombay to London.

"A blueprint has been prepared for a 50 million pound Twenty20 tournament to be staged in England which will rival the Indian Premier League. The radical proposal would see the county structure replaced by nine franchises based on the grounds that already stage Tests and one-day games," the 'BBC Sport' reported.

For more Info Check out : Inspired by fear of losing out to Indian Premier League riches

England could stage rival league to IPL

SRK to stay away from IPL Matches

In an emotional outburst, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today said that he would stay away from the remaining matches of the Indian Premier League till he understood the code of conduct expected of him at the matches, a statement which has the potential to throw the Indian Premier league into a fresh controversy.


Making an oblique reference to his being debarred from the players' dugout at the Eden Gardens by the ICC Anti Corruption officials, Shah Rukh said in a sms to his Kolkata Knight Rider players that he was still trying to understand the code of conduct expected of him at the matches.

"I am still trying to understand the code of conduct expected of me at the matches of the IPL.... ICC... Etc.... After I understand it, I will decide whether to accept it or not. Till such time, I will be with you guys at the hotel, in the meeting etc., but wont come for the matches," he said.

Denying suggestions in a section of the media that his absence from the field had something to do with the team's poor performance, he said "please dont ever feel it is anything to do with us as a team.... I am as dedicated to my Knights as I am to my kids.... Only, I wont be coming to the class room till the headmasters rules are understood by me.... I am a bit anti-Establishment kind of a guy, so I apologise for this quirk to u all." Shah Rukh, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team, also denied any rift involving him, captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Buchanan saying such things are normal when the scale is not tilted in one's favour. ...PTI

The Great Indian Premier League (IPL) - Dates

Schedule of Indian Premier League (IPL)

IPL kicks off today - Check out the IPL Match Schedule:

April 19 : Delhi v Jaipur at Delhi
April 20: Mumbai v Bangalore at Mumbai;Kolkata v Hyderabad at Kolkata
April 21: Jaipur v Mohali at Jaipur
April 22: Hyderabad v Delhi at Hyderabad
April 23: Chennai v Mumbai at Chennai
April 24: Hyderabad v Jaipur at Hyderabad
April 25: Mohali v Mumbai at Mohali
April 26: Bangalore v Jaipur at Bangalore; Chennai v Kolkata at Chennai
April 27: Mumbai v Hyderabad at Mumbai;Mohali v Delhi at Mohali
April 28: Bangalore v Chennai at Bangalore
April 29: Kolkata v Mumbai at Kolkata
April 30: Delhi v Bangalore at Delhi.
May 1: Hyderabad v Mohali at Hyderabad; Jaipur v Kolkata at Jaipur
May 2: Chennai v Delhi at Chennai.
May 3: Hyderabad at Bangalore at Hyderabad; Mohali v Kolkata at Mohali
May 4: Mumbai v Delhi at Mumbai; Jaipur v Chennai at Jaipur
May 5: Bangalore v Mohali at Bangalore
May 6: Chennai v Hyderabad at Chennai
May 7: Mumbai v Jaipur at Mumbai
May 8: Delhi v Chennai at Delhi; Kolkata v Bangalore at Kolkata
May 9: Jaipur v Hyderabad at Jaipur
May 10: Bangalore v Mumbai at Bangalore; Chennai v Mohali at Chennai
May 11: Hyderabad v Kolkata at Hyderabad; Jaipur v Delhi at Jaipur
May 12: Mohali v Bangalore at Mohali
May 13: Kolkata v Delhi at Kolkata
May 14: Mumbai v Chennai at Mumbai;Mohali v Jaipur at Mohali
May 15: Delhi v Hyderabad at Delhi
May 16: Mumbai v Kolkata at Mumbai
May 17: Delhi v Mohali at Delhi; Jaipur v Bangalore at Jaipur
May 18: Hyderabad v Mumbai at Hyderabad; Kolkata v Chenna at Kolkata
May 19: Bangalore v Delhi at Bangalore
May 20: Kolkata v Jaipur at Kolkata
May 21: Mumbai v Mohali at Mumbai; Chennai v Bangalore at Chennai
May 22: Delhi v Kolkata at Delhi
May 23: Mohali v Hyderabad at Mohali.
May 24: Delhi v Mumbai at Delhi; Chennai v Jaipur at Chennai
May 25: Bangalore v Hyderabad at Bangalore; Kolkata v Mohali at Kolkata
May 26: Jaipur v Mumbai at Jaipur
May 27: Hyderabad v Chennai at Hyderabad
May 28 and 29: Rest days
May 30: First semi-final at Mumbai
May 31: Second semi-final at Mumbai
June 1: Final at Mumbai

The Indian Premier League has launched its website iplt20.com, developed by Live Current Media (LCM), a Canadian company which bought the portal rights for the next ten years

Akshay Kumar is Delhi Daredevil's brand ambassador

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar was on Monday ropped in as brand ambassador of the Indian Premier League's 'Delhi Daredevils' team.

Akshay, born and brought up in the capital's Chandni Chowk area, surprised a packed room at a five star hotel when he emerged in dim light making a batting gesture with helmets and a willow in Daredevils' red and black shirt.

"My heart beats for Delhi. I consider myself a pucca Dilliwalah. I would like to thank the GMR Group (team owners) for choosing me as the first fan of Delhi Daredevils. I hope I become a lucky mascot for the team," the actor said with his trademark mischievous smile.

The actor, who gave to big hits recently, advised probing journalists not to think of his involvement in IPL as taking on fellow actor Shah Rukh Khan and think of him as a Delhiite, who wish to bring success to the team.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Teams Auction Results

BCCI vice-president and chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council Lalit Modi disclosed the names of the winning bidders of IPL Teams

Mukesh Ambani wins the bid for the Mumbai team for $111.9 million.

Vijay Mallya gets Bangalore team, for US $111.6 million.

Shah Rukh Khan, joining hands with Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta, won the bid for the Kolkata team, for US $75.09 million.

Preity Zinta and her boy friend Ness Wadia won the bid for the Mohali team for $76 million.

Deccan Chronicle won the bid for the Hyderabad team for US $107.01 million

GMR Holdings was successful in bidding for the Delhi team 4 US $84 million

India Cements gets the Chennai team for US $91 million

Emerging Media won the bid for the Jaipur team for $67 million.