Replying to a question whether the flamboyant local star would be available for the March 13 encounter, Yuvraj said he was not sure.

Fast bolwer Brett Lee and other Australian players may also miss the first Mohali match.

Newly appointed captain of Kings XI Punjab Kumar Sangakkara said ''We have a strong team this season with some of the best cricketers, internationals, nationals and local. We have wonderful choice this year. We will do our best and win the IPL. My strongest commitment is to play the best cricket and win the IPL.''

The Sri Lankan, who replaced Yuvraj as captain this year, said ''Yuvraj has done excellent job in spotting the talent.''

Talking about the role of the captain, Yuvraj said, ''Captain has to perform different duties. When I go to bat, I go as a batsman.'' Asked whether he would play the first match, Yuvraj said ''cannot say if I would play the first match in Mohali or not.''

KXIP promoter Ness Wadia said, ''We are happy to be back. This time we have a much stronger team. We have a strong squad of 32, including ten internatioanls, including Brett Lee, Kumar Sangakkara and Shaun Marsh. Yuvraj, Mohmmad Kaif, Irfan Pathan Sreesanth are the Indian team players. Besides, we have recruited are 14 Indian domestic players with good standings. We have also an exellenct support staff, which included Tom Marsh.''

Kings XI Punjab unveiled its mascots - Rocky and Ranjit Singh. Addressing the press conference, Kings XI Punjab chairperson and Bollywood star Preity Zinta said, ''Moscot Ranjit Singh represents as a sensible coach while Rocky belongs to new generation.''

''Rocky and Ranjit are another channel to reach out to loyalists and add smiles to their faces. There will be lot of interaction with the players as well as team this time,'' promised Priety Zinta.

She disclosed, ''There are KXIP Gold, KXIP Platinum and KXIP NRI cardes designed exclusively tocater to the fans across section and continents.''

On launching of the Fan Club, Sangakkara and Lee handed over Fan Club cards and welcome kits to the first member of the club. (UNI)

The proceeds of the auction, which began at a base price of Rs 5 lakh, would go to Tendulkar-supported charitable organization Apnalaya, it was announced.

Unveiling the first ticket for matches to be seen in theatres, the champion batsman talked about his support for 'Apnalaya'.

"I have been supporting this charity for a long time now. I am trying to help the charity by raising money and creating a platform for the underprivileged kids to express their talent," Tendulkar said.

He also announced he would be donating his bat, which he used for international matches during this season in which he created history by becoming the first batsman to score a double century in ODIs, for charity.

The bat would be taken around and displayed in all the cinema theatres screening IPL matches before it will go under the hammer and the proceeds would again go to Apnalaya, it was announced.

Tendulkar, who would be leading Mumbai Indians in the March 12-April 25 Twenty20 event, said his team was preparing hard for the 45-day tournament.

"The preparations have become intense and I am looking forward to playing in the third season of IPL," he said. (PTI)

KARACHI: Former captains Younis Khan and Muhammad Yousuf had their international futures cast aside and then restored just as quickly after the Pakistan Cricket Board backtracked on its decision to ban the two players.

Earlier on Wednesday, the PCB said the two ''should not be part of the team in any format'' following reports of in-fighting during the unsuccessful tour of Australia ending last month.

The decision prompted protesters in Hyderabad to burn bats in a brief demonstration but a few hours later the PCB clarified its position saying there was no timeframe on the bans imposed on the two.

''The PCB wishes to clarify that the recommendation of the committee is not a life ban on these cricketers,'' the PCB's second statement of the day said.

''There is no specified term in the recommendation for these two players. As and when the PCB deems appropriate, these players will be considered for selection for the national team.''

The official change of stance came hours after it announced Younis and Yousuf would no longer be considered for selection after an inquiry into Pakistan's defeat in every match of their three-test, five one-day and Twenty20 series in Australia.

BAD INFLUENCE: The PCB handed out 12-month bans to Shoaib Malik and Rana Naved and fined Shahid Afridi and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal three million rupees (35,000 dollars) and Umar Akmal two million. ''Muhammad Yousuf and Younis Khan's... attitude has a trickledown effect which is a bad influence for the whole team (and they) should not be part of (the) national team in any format,'' the PCB said in its earlier statement on Wednesday.

The initial decision by the PCB left new head coach Waqar Younis shocked and left to try and rebuild a side for the defence of their Twenty20 World Cup title in West Indies in April.

''I will be talking to the board about this and see what happens,'' Younis told reporters from Australia.

The selectors are due to meet this week to announce the 15-member squad for the World Cup and the board will also announce a new captain.

While Yousuf and Younis were not named in the preliminary squad of 30 players for the event, Malik and Rana were part of it.

''I want to know what I did wrong,'' Rana told Reuters. ''I will be consulting with my people before deciding any future line of action.''

The PCB said the six-member inquiry committee, headed by its chief operating officer Wasim Bari, had based its recommendations on information gathered during several hearings with the players and reports from the team management.

The Chairman of the National Assembly standing committee on sports Jamshed Dasti also lashed out at PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt for creating confusion.

While former players like Inzamam-ul-Haq and Rashid Latif felt the Board's move would further hit the image of Pakistan cricket, the older generation players like Zaheer Abbas and Abdul Kadir were all support for the punishment.

"How can you treat senior players Yousuf and Younus like this? How can you ban them for life? If they were doing something wrong the board should have spoken and warned them first. You don't take such harsh decision at once," a fuming Inzamam asked. He was baffled why the team management kept silence during the tour and came out with sever punishments now.(Reuters)

Hasan, 22, hit an unbeaten century and a half century in the three-day practice match against England and was a certainty against the visitors in the first Test match beginning in Chittagong on Friday.

"He wrote a letter to us withdrawing himself from the Test series against England. He also announced his retirement from all forms of cricket," Bangladesh Cricket Board director Jalal Yunus told AFP.

"It has stunned us. He is a brilliant cricketer and played two superb knocks against England just days back. Coach Jamie Siddons and Raqibul's parents tried to change his mind. But he is adamant," he said.

Hasan made Test and one-day debuts in 2008 and has played seven Test matches and 41 one-day internationals. He is the only player in the Bangladeshi team to have hit a triple century in first class cricket. (AFP)

The two sides are bracing for their fifth-ever tryst in the pre-summit round of the World Cup after a contrasting run in the Pool stage. The Australians began with a shock defeat and then won three games, while the Dutch saw their three-game victorious stint broken following a draw against Germany and a loss against Korea in the last two outings.

Australia have been the most prolific with 23 goals in the tournament, with Luke Doerner (6), Jamie Dwyer and Glenn Turner (5 each) finding their names in the top scorers' list. The Kookaburras' 12-0 whipping of South Africa has been the most lopsided game of the competition at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

Aussie coach Ric Charlesworth, however, conceded there are still some weak areas his team needs to sort out before the semis.

"We are still improving as a team and a lot has to be done. I wanted to see my team in the semis in the second week of the tournament and we are there. From here on we have other goals," he said.

The Asia-Oceanian nation - reaching the semis as the top team in Pool B - has not been able to do justice to their reputation in the World Cups so far, managing to bag the title only once and that too 24 years back. The defending Champions Trophy winner finished second in the last two editions of the World Cup and would be looking for yet another try in the title round by overcoming the formidable Dutch challenge.

With skipper and seasoned campaigner Teun de Noojer playing the playmaker's role to perfection, the Netherlands have looked sharp in the their attacks, but their penalty corner specialist Taeke Taekema has looked a trifle unsure with his dragficks after recording a hat-trick in the Pool A opener against Argentina.

Netherlands also have one of the strongest defence line in the competition, and Guus Vogels has been the best on view under the bar.

Having won the last of their three titles 14 years back, the Nordic nation practically scraped into the semis with a slender lead in goal difference over Korea, and it remains to be seen if they can regain the momentum in the knock-out game.

The two sides have met eight times in the World Cup, each winning four times. However, the Netherlands hold an edge in the head-to-head semi final contests, winning thrice as opposed to Australia's sole win in 2002. (IANS)

Sizzling tennis star Serena Williams, who bagged two Grand Slam titles -- Australian Open and Wimbledon -- last year won the Sportswoman of the Year Award and now stands only second to Roger Federer, who has so far won Laureus Award four times.

Williams had won the Laureus Comeback Award in 2007, while Federer won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award from 2005-2008.

Reigning Formula One champion Jenson Button won the Breakthrough of the Year Award, while his last year's team Brawn GP was named Laureus World Team of the Year.

Belgium's tennis sensation Kim Clijsters, who shocked the world by winning the US Open after returning from retirement, won the Laureus Comeback of the Year Award. (PTI)

ABU DHABI: Sachin Tendulkar can come only second, after legendary Don Bradman in the list of all-time great cricketers, according to former Australia captain Steve Waugh.

"Don Bradman is the greatest, there is no debate. Don is the number one and then come the rest. And among the rest, Tendulkar probably is as good as anyone. So legitimately he may be the second best cricketer to have played the game," Waugh said.

"But then people will say the same for Gary Sobers and WG Wells too. So its difficult to say," added Waugh, who is here as a member of the Laureus Sports Academy.

Waugh also said it is dangerous that Test cricket doesn't have quality fast bowlers anymore as they are preferring the 20-over format over the game's five-day version.

"It is dangerous for Test cricket that we are losing the quicks. It is a Twenty20 influence. Fast bowlers definitely have a lot of stress and doing this is very demanding.

"I think they realise that they have few years of cricket in them. They get three times more money by bowling one-tenth overs in T20. So we had (Andrew) Flintoff, Brett (Lee) and (Shane) Bond deciding not to play Test which is a shame," he said.

Two-time World Cup winning captain Waugh said India and Australia will start the favourites in the ODI World Cup next year, which will be held in Indian sub-continent.

"Australia have very good record. India is also very hard to beat in India. So they will be the favourites.

Asked whether Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men were capable of retaining their number one Test team tag for long, Waugh said, "I don't think anyone will hold the number one ranking (for long) because we have three formats of the game.

"With niggling injuries and so many tours, it is very difficult to be consistent. May be they can hold on to Test ranking but it is very difficult to dominate all the formats of the game." (PTI)

Kolkata: Alaga's brace propelled Al Ittihad to rout strugling city giant East Bengal 4-1 in a Group D encounter of the AFC Cup here at YBK on Wednesday.

Playing for the first time on the artificial turf the Syrian side showed no sign of nerve and surged ahead in the 7th minute.

Home side custodian Abhra Mondal made a diving effort to quell the charge of their striker, but it proved abortive as advancing Cameroonien Autobang pushed the ball, which deflected after kissing the keeper's hand into the net (1-0).

The trio of Yakubu, Bhaichung and Sanju made a brilliant effort in the 20th minute to bring the home side at par but found the solid rival custodian at the net.

The Syrian inflicted another blow in the 29th minute. Alagha's long ranger shot found its destination without any obsructions as the host defence line remained unmoved (2-0).

The tale of missed opportunities continued for the Ridders side and they went into the drinks break without any success.

The home which looked dour in the first forty five minutes exhibited an attacking brand of football in the initial phase of the scecond half.

They found the elusive goal in the 56th minute after Yakubu slotted in a penalty corner (2-1).

The success of the home side, which came in to the face-off on back of two successive failures at the hands of I-league debutant Shilong Lajong and Pune FC, depended largely on the performance of the Indian captain Biachung Bhutia.

The veteran was present in the field for entire period of play but failed to lift the team from the slump. He created as many as four scoring opportunity but the goals remained elusive.

The second goal of Alga came in the final minute and it vitrualy seal the fate of the game (3-1).

But visitor's assault continued as Obiaid Ali kicked-in one more in the added time and won the game by a margin of 4-1. (UNI)

Kolkata/ Ludhiana: A resurgent Pune FC held Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan to goalless draw in a Group F I-League encounter here on Wednesday.

Riding high after flooring another city outfit East Bengal, the I-League debutant nearly surge ahead in the 10th minute but an alert Bagan custodian Sangram foiled their plan.

Arata shot header pass from Douhou but the ball found Sangram before the net.

Bagan missed an opportunity to break the deadlock in the 31st minute when Sukumar's header of Barreto's pass missed the post by a whisker.

The Satyajit boys squandered another opportunity seven minutes later when they failed to slot in a free kick. Marcos took the shot which deflected after kissing Subrata Pal's finger but there was no one to follow it up.

Both the teams went into tho drinks break without troubling the scorers.

The second phase witnessed a similar tale. The game of attack and counter attack continued but the gaol remained elusive.

Even frequent chances in the strategy, by replacing the players, failed to bear any dividend for both the vistors and the host.

Marcos missed a golden opportunity to take a lead in the 86th minute when he failed to slot in a brilliant pass of Barreto into the blank goal.

Branco's last minute effort failed to change the fate of the game and the rookies, who were routed by Bagan 1-3 in the first leg, successfully reined the Green and Marron's winning streak.

Host now have 24 points from 15 matches and are placed at 4th position, while visitors remained just behind Bagan with 23 points from as many matches.

Meanwhile, in a dull encounter Salgaocar Sports Club came from behind to hold the fancied Punjab outfit, JCT Phagwara to a 1-1 draw at Ludhiana.

The local outfit took the lead in the 48th minute through Nna Henry Ezeh while the Goans equalised through Ekene Ikenwa in the 69th minute. (UNI)

"We have to cut down on the spaces against India and then get down to man to man marking. I think if we can execute our plans properly then it would be tough for India," Lombi said after Argentina defeated Canada 4-2 and finished fourth in Pool A.

Asked if the crowd would be a factor, Lombi said: "I don't think so. But it would be exciting to play against them. They are improving as a team and we can give them a tough fight."

Lombi said his boys were desperate to finish seventh as it would give a massive boost to the game back home.

"We are 14th in world rankings and if we finish seventh here, it would be a great achievement for the boys. But I know it is a tough task for them as well, because we are up against a good team like India," he said. (IANS)

New Delhi: After much criticism from all quarters, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is set to review the newly-introduced video referral system in its executive committee meeting here on March 15.

In a media summit organised here on the sidelines of the hockey World Cup, FIH Umpires' Manager Clive McMurray said the referral system would be analysed and the grey areas sorted out after the ongoing mega event.

"The referral system has come up with some issues but it is very much in trial stage. The system has some grey areas and we (FIH) completely understand that," McMurray said at a city hotel.

"Any rule can be problematic while interpreting. That is happening here. The referral system is not to make the game error free but to eliminate gross errors and decision which can change the result of a match," he said.

Besides the review of the referral system, the executive committee will discuss an annual world club championships to be hosted by India for five years with the inaugural edition likely to be held in December, drafting of a new FIH calendar which would provide fixed slots for top FIH events.

McMurray, however, came in support of his colleagues and said the field officials are doing their job with sincerity.

"The umpires are here to serve the game and not to be bullies. They are here to promote the game of hockey. They are here to make it more attractive and entertaining spectacle. They are here to ensure that the teams play their part in all decisions," McMurray said.

The referral system, introduced for the first time in a World Cup here after making its debut in the Champions Trophy in Australia last year, has been under the scanner right from the start of the tournament. Not only India coach Jose Brasa and his Australian counterpart Ric Charlesworth were the strong protesters of the system, it also irked South African captain Austin Smith. (PTI)

London: Arsenal dismantled FC Porto 5-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals along with Bayern Munich.

Nicklas Bendtner scored the first hat trick of his career to help Arsenal overcome a first-leg deficit in the Champions League for only the second time, while Bayern advanced past Fiorentina on away goals despite a 3-2 loss in Italy that made it 4-4 on aggregate on Wednesday night.

Arsenal and four-time European champion Bayern are the first sides through to the March 19 quarterfinal draw in Nyon, Switzerland. Manchester United, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Lyon will try to join them today and the other four spots will be decided next week.

Arsenal trailed 2-1 from the first-leg match in Portugal but drew level on aggregate when Bendnter scored in the 10th minute. The Premier League side never looked like falling behind again.

"It will give us a lot of confidence," Bendtner said. "We want to win the Champions League. It's something we haven't done."

Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin ran an attacking display that more than compensated for a defense shaky without the injured William Gallas, while Bendtner improved on a display that included several missed chances in Saturday's 3-1 Premier League win over Burnley.

"I hope it will not give him too much confidence," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "He played well on Saturday but missed chances. Today he had less chances and scored more goals. I hope it gives him the desire to work even harder."

Nasri's pass through the middle cut open the visiting defense and, although Arshavin's attempt to get to the ball was blocked by defender Jorge Fucile and goalkeeper Helton, it fell to Bendtner just inside the area for the Denmark striker to sweep it in for the opener.

Fucile then tried to save a corner deep in Porto's half and instead gave the ball away. Arshavin dodged Fucile's sliding attempt to retrieve the ball and weaved between another two defenders before slipping the ball across the six-yard box for Bendnter to tap in completely unmarked for 2-0 after 25 minutes.

Nasri made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute with a solo effort - beating three defenders, two of them twice, to twist into the area and score with a swerving shot across Helton.(AP)

Mumbai: Tennis ace Ramesh Krishnan feels that the need of the hour for India to do well in the Davis Cup competition is to produce more quality singles players to compliment Somdev Devvarman.

"We need two or three more singles players of Somdev's calibre to do well in Davis Cup which has four singles matches and only one doubles tie," the former Davis Cup skipper told reporters here on Wednesday.

Ramesh, who was here to promote the TCS Corporate Tennis Cup event to be played at the Bombay Gymkhana on weekends from March 13, said during his time he got better exposure as he had the chance to play against top men like Premjit Lall, Jaideep Mukerjea and Vijay Amritraj even while in his teens.

"Exposure is a lot less now than it was 30-40 years ago. Now a 14-year-old is playing only against another 14-year-old," said the one-time touch-artist who piloted India to two Cup finals in his career.

Talking about India's comprehensive defeat against Russia in their World Group first round tie in the latter's backyard, Ramesh said it was always on the cards.

"Playing Russia in Russia was always going to be tough," he commented.

He was not willing to criticise the decision of young Yuki Bhambri to skip the clash. "It was a personal decision and I don't know the details," he said.

Bhambri missed the tie against Russia earlier this month by opting to play in a Challenger tournament in the USA.

Ramesh was not sure whether the "Indian Express" duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi would be around to lead the country's doubles campaign in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"That's too far away. Though Leander has said he would like to play I'm not sure," he said.

Paying glowing tributes to India's best-ever doubles combination, Ramesh said what they had achieved in doubles since 1996 was "phenomenal".

"It will be very difficult to fill in their shoes when they call it a day," he said.

The former India number one felt that it was better for youngsters to start learning the game on clay courts and then graduate to faster courts. (PTI)

New Delhi: Plans for the 2010 Commonwealth Games ceremonies are a bit of a secret. There is speculation that India will showcase its Bollywood formula yet again in Delhi like it did in Melbourne. But here's what - you can actually expect a cultural fiesta replete with classical and folk dances and music!

Holding the spectacle together will be the ceremony's theme -- "the wheel of life" -- a take on the country's 5,000-year-long civilisation and colourful celebrations, say organisers. The Games will take place from October 3-14.

"Our key concept is 'the wheel of life'. We are also incorporating the idea that the 'whole world is one family', which is affirmed in the ancient Upanishad scriptures as 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'," a top official in the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) told IANS.

The organisers say the opening and closing galas have a budget of Rs.84 crore and will blend India's classical and folk dances, with music being the thrust of it.

Unlike the Indian show at the Melbourne Games in 2006, where only popular Bollywood dance numbers and stars like Aishwarya Rai, Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee took centre stage, this time around 8,000 professional artists will be out in the middle.

"Bollywood is an integral part of India and recognised the world over. It could be a part of our closing ceremony but we aren't considering it for the opening," the official said, not wanting to be identified because of organisational rules.

The theme will, as Queen Elizabeth II said while declaring open the Melbourne Games, be to celebrate the value of sport as a means of bringing together people from 71 nations and territories and from a wide range of cultures, traditions and beliefs, the official said.

With rehearsals set to begin next month, the ceremonies department of the OC is buzzing with elaborate plans to dazzle the international gala.

The team working non-stop on the extravaganza is being guided by Kathak exponent Shovana Narayan who is also the ceremonies department's joint director general. Along with her, the creative heads incharge include Bharat Bala, India's noted creative director, filmmaker Shyam Benegal and script writer Javed Akhtar.

The organising committee has hired international consultants for the gala, including Australian producer Ric Birch and renowned creative engineer Mark Fisher.

While Birch boasts of having managed various Olympic Games ceremonies like the magnificent Beijing Games, Fisher is the man behind creative marvels like the Cirque-du-Soleil show.

"India is culturally very diverse and we want our best to come out on the international platform. We have Ric and Mark on board to provide an international outlook and execution. India will be holding such a grand show, perhaps, for the first time. In addition, the organising committee is organising a horde of cultural events for players and visitors at different venues," said the person in charge of the show. For the opening ceremony alone there are around 15,000 participants. (IANS)

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