Mohali teams fans, can chat with IPL players online

VADODARA: Fans of Team Mohali will be able to interact with their favourite cricketers during the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) next month. The team management has decided to allow the players of Team Mohali to chat online with their fans. It is probably the only team that has decided to allow the players' interaction with the fans online.

The players will be able to login on the team's website and chat with the fans an hour after the match is over.

"It is an innovative and exciting idea and I am looking forward to chat with my fans online. I have never interacted with cricket fans online and this is a great opportunity for me," said Irfan Pathan, who plays for Team Mohali.

"Such interactions will help us know the views and ideas of our fans. Many cricket followers want to ask lot of questions to the players and such chatting will help us connect with them," Irfan added.

The chatting facility is also expected to help cricketers, who will be playing in South Africa, connect with their fans back home. The Team Mohali players will also be allowed to post blogs on the team website wherein they will express their views on several aspects of cricket.

[credit : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Vadodara/Team-Mohali-fans-can-chat-with-IPL-players-online/articleshow/4331537.cms]

IPL Shift won't hamper international cricket in India - Miandad

Karachi : Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad believes that relocation of the Indian Premier League would not have any adverse impact on future of international cricket in India.

"I don't think it will affect future tours. Because their general elections were a bigger issue for the government than the IPL and it had to be shifted by the organisers," Miandad said on Tuesday.

"Secondly, India is the biggest commercial market for cricket and I don't think the International Cricket Council or its member countries can afford to not to play in that country for any reason. There is lot of money involved," he added.

Miandad, who has played 124 Tests, also feels the Asian countries should sit together to find a way to restore cricket in Pakistan after the terror attack on Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

"After the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore obviously Pakistan cricket has been hurt badly. But overall I think the Asian nations need to sit down together and come up a joint strategy to provide security to touring teams that are acceptable to the ICC and its member nations," he said.

"I just feel that India has to play a lead role in ensuring security issues, don't kill the sport in the region," he added.

Miandad also hoped that the Pakistan cricketers who were stopped by the government from playing in IPL earlier, would now get a chance to appear after relocation of the tournament.

"I just hope our players also get a chance to play in the tournament now as it is not being held in India," he said.

[credit : http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?id=14874980 ]