IPL-II schedule is finally out: See you in South Africa

Mumbai: The DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced the schedule for its second edition, to be held in South Africa from April 18. The league is set to start in Cape Town with an exciting double-header weekend that will see all eight teams pitted against each other.

The double header on April 18 will see the winner of the first season the Rajasthan Royals play against the Royal Challengers while the Mumbai Indians will do battle against the Chennai Super Kings. On April 19, the Deccan Chargers will face the Kolkata Knight Riders and the second game will see the Delhi Dare Devils clash with the Kings XI Punjab.

IPL will see the eight franchises play a total of 56 league matches to be staged in 34 days at eight venues. The venues are Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria, East Lodon, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Kimberley. The schedule also features 22 days of action packed double-headers. The two semi-finals have been scheduled for May 22 and 23 at Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively, with the grand final schedule for May 24 at Johannesburg.

At www.IPLT20.com, the official online destination for the IPL, fans from around the world will now have access to the 36-day long season. The site will offer access to official league content including live video & audio, photographs, live scoreboards and summaries, match results, fantasy cricket, player interviews, profiles, schedules, statistics, ticketing and a fan community with interaction through polls, contests, newsletters and more.

Not to mention video blog updates from the chairman and commissioner of the IPL, Lalit Modi. Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and former India captain Ravi Shastri will further add to the flavour of the league with video blogs of their own over the duration of the league and will also interact directly with the fans.

But for all the IPL fans across India and the globe this would perhaps be the best chance to experience a new web broadcast format never ever experienced before – taking the IPL fans closer to the LIVE entertainment and excitement of the on-field game.

Schedule: All times IST (GMT + 0530)

April 18: Rajasthan Royals (RR) v Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) (4 pm) at Cape Town; Mumbai Indians (MI) v Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 19: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) v Deccan Chargers (DC) (4 pm) at Cape Town; Delhi Daredevils (DD) v Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 20: RCB V CSK (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

April 21: RR v MI (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v KXIP (8 pm) at Durban

April 22: DD v CSK (4 pm) at Durban; RCB v DC (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 23: KKR v RR (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

April 24: KXIP v RCB (4 pm) at Johannesburg

April 25: KKR v CSK (4 pm) at Cape Town; DC v MI (8 pm) at Durban

April 26: RR v KXIP (4 pm) at Cape Town; RCB v DD (8 pm) Port Elizabeth

April 27: KKR v MI (4 pm) at Cape Town; CSK v DC (8 pm) at Durban

April 28: DD v RR (4 pm) at Pretoria

April 29: MI v KXIP (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v RCB (8 pm) at Durban

April 30: DD v DC (4 pm) at Pretoria; RR v CSK (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 1: RCB v KXIP (4 pm) at East London; MI v KKR (8 pm) at Durban

May 2: RR v DC (4 pm) at Johannesburg; CSK v DD (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 3: MI v RCB (4 pm) at Durban; KXIP v KKR (8 pm) at East London

May 4: DC v CSK (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 5: DD v KKR (4 pm) at Durban; KXIP v RR (8 pm) at Durban

May 6: MI v DC (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 7: KXIP v CSK (4 pm) at Pretoria; RCB v RR (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 8: DD v MI (4 pm) at East London

May 9: DC v KXIP (4 pm) at Bloemfontein; CSK v RR (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 10: KKR v DD (4 pm) at East London; RCB v MI (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 11: DC v RR (4 pm) at Bloemfontein

May 12: RCB v KKR (4 pm) at Pretoria; KXIP v MI (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 13: DC v DD (4 pm) at Durban

May 14: MI v RR (4 pm) at Durban; CSK v RCB (8 pm) at Durban

May 15: KXIP v DD (4 pm) at Kimberley

May 16: CSK v MI (4 pm) at Johannesburg; DC v KKR (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 17: RR v DD (4 pm) at Kimberley; KXIP v DC (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 18: CSK v KKR (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 19: DD v RCB (4 pm) at Johannesburg

May 20: CSK v KXIP (4 pm) at Durban; RR v KKR (8 pm) at Durban

May 21: DC v RCB (4 pm) at Pretoria; MI v DD (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 22: Semi Final 1 at Pretoria

May 23: Semi Final 2 at Johannesburg

May 24: Final at Johannesburg

Story of my contract termination: India's rifle coach Szucsak

(This is Laszlo Szucsak's version of the story. Watch this space for the other side of the controversy...coming soon)

New Delhi: I am not the kind of person to get into any kind of mudslinging with someone. But it would be silly on my part to keep silent when someone wants to sully my name in the media by feeding them with one-sided information.

Many a times, I've expressed my true love for Indian shooting by going out of the way to help them. I wanted to stay back in the country for a longer period and finish the task I had started. But given the way I was treated, I couldn't have stayed any longer; it was beyond my interest and safety.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary general Baljeet Sethi personally called me back after the Athens Games. But for months, I continued without salary or any kind of contract.

During the last four years, my boys have won a basketful of medals in various competitions at the Asian and World level. We've had a huge medals haul at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. We were one of the richest countries as far as bagging Olympic quotas in rifle was concerned.

Nine months before my contact expiry, I expressed my willingness to continue in India till the next Olympics. I gave the authorities two conditions, and I though it was fair given the six years of service I had rendered to Indian shooters. My conditions contained not just the salary element but also the working methods.

I got no answer, just verbal promises. Six month before the expiry of my contract, I got another verbal promise. Three months before the expiry of my term, I was still waiting for a response.

I never wanted to bargain. I just wanted a plain 'Yes' or 'No'. My contact expired on August 31 2008 and still I had no offer from India. I returned home but kept in touch with my shooters. I was shocked to see that the entire training programme had been erased when I returned.

In November, I came back to India at my own risk. After some negotiations the SAI gave me a three-month contract. What a deal after six years of service! Later, on it was extended to six month. With great difficulties we were able to start training in December and it seemed everything was falling in place. The NRAI promised to 'complete' my salary but I never got it. Also, I did not get the two-year contract as promised.

I submitted my resignation on March 1. But till that time I had not signed up for any other country. I overheard two officials saying that 'Laszlo is bluffing'. My work is not a charity; it is a profession with a certain price and with required conditions.

My heart bleeds knowing that I will leave such great shooters and students like Anjali Bhagwat, Deepali Deshpande, Anuja Jung and Kuheli Gangulee who are the most experienced and still strong and the presently most shining Gagan Narang, Suma Shirur, Tejaswini Sawant, PT Raghunath, Sanjeev Rajput and Avneet Sidhu, I cannot mention everyone by name here as the list is very long. India is perhaps the richest country in terms of talented shooters.

It is not at all true that I am leaving India for higher salary. I hope to work in better condition. I am taking a big challenge as am starting again from zero but am confident about what I can do.
(Courtesy: indianshooting.com)