Smooth
run for Delhi leg of Olympic torch
NEW DELHI, Apr 17: Guarded by about
17,000 security personnel, the Beijing
Olympic torch was taken through a 2.3 km
stretch in the national capital without
any disruption today amid anti-China
protests by Tibetans in some parts of the
country.
The
majestic Rajpath witnessed unprecedented
security for a symbolic event which was
smooth and incident free.
The Prime
Minister’s Office and Ministries of
Defence, External Affairs and Finance
lining the torch route from Rashtrapati
Bhavan remained closed for five hours.
The run
lasting for about 40 minutes was
truncated from nine km in contrast to the
31-km relay four years back when the
Athens Olympic flame passed through the
capital and was witnessed by thousands of
people with gusto.
Nearly 70
participants in the relay were guided by
chinese security guards in blue and white
tracksuits while crack Delhi Police
commandos wearing a red and white
sportsgear ran alongside.
With a
three-layered security ring akin to
Republic Day arrangements in place, Delhi
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit handed over
the Olympic flame to Indian Olympic
Association (IOA) president Suresh
Kalmadi after it was lit by vice-chairman
of Beijing Olympics organising committee
Jiang Yu with the imposing Rashtrapati
Bhavan forming the backdrop.
‘Flying
Sikh’ Milkha Singh, one of
India’s greatest athletes, had the
honour to lead the relay before the torch
changed hands with the celebrites
including sportsmen, film stars and
politicians taking short runs culminating
at the India Gate.
The Delhi
Run saw ace tennis duo of Leander Paes
and Mahesh Bhupathi, who took over the
torch from former Olympian Randhir Singh,
together lighting the Olympic cauldron at
the India Gate bringing an end to the
traditional ceremony which kept security
pesonnel on tenterhooks.
Sportsmen
Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupati, Aslam Sher
Khan, Dhanraj Pillay, Zafar Iqbal, Wilson
Cherian, Khazan Singh, K Malleswari, K
Kunjurani, Bishen Singh Bedi and P T Usha
were among others who took part in the
event.
The tinsel
industry was represented by Aamir Khan
and Saif Ali Khan. Adding glamour to the
run, bollywood actress Sagarika Ghatge of
‘Chak De India’ fame made a
brief appearance.
Barring a
few school children and special invitees,
the event was kept out of bounds for
public. All the roads leading to the
historic stretch was cut off for several
hours to ensure a smooth passage of the
torch relay which was earlier plagued by
disruptions in London, San Francisco and
Paris.
Para
Olympian Rajinder Singh Rahelu, who was
on a wheelchair, was among those who
carried the torch which was kept at a
five star hotel overnight after it was
brought from Islamabad amid tight
security. The torch will be later taken
to Bangkok.
The India
leg of the torch relay is considered one
of the most sensitive in its global
voyage as the country is home to about
one lakh exiled Tibetans, who organised a
wave of protests against chinese
crackdown in Lhasa. (PTI)
Two
more days left to get in shape for IPL:
Tendulkar
MUMBAI, Apr 17: Sachin Tendulkar
today brushed aside reports saying he was
doubtful for the opening Mumbai Indians
IPL tie against Bangalore Royal
Challengers.
He said
there were two more days left for him to
get into shape to lead his team at the
Wankhede stadium here.
"I am
following the fitness regime given to me
by the physio. There are two more days
for the match. No decision has been taken
as yet (whether he will play or not). It
will be decided before the 20th,"
said the champion batsman at the team
launch.
Tendulkar
has not played any competitive cricket
since being ruled out of the last two
test matches against South Africa after
aggravating an old groin injury. He could
not take part in the Olympic torch relay
event in New Delhi for the same reason.
Team coach
Lalchand Rajput announced that
off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been
appointed vice-captain of the team.
Also
present at the official launch of the
squad was guest of honour Sunil Gavaskar
and Nita Ambani, wife of industrialist
Mukesh Ambani, the franchise owner of the
team.
Tendulkar
said surprise was the key element in
Twenty20 matches.
"The
key factor in Twenty20 (matches) is
introduction of surprise element and we
will have quite a few of these planned
(for our rivals)," he said.
The 27
players, barring the absent Lasith
Malinga and Loots Bosman, and support
staff, were applied "tilak"
mixed with mud from Tendulkar’s
nursery Shivaji Park ground in Dadar.
Tendulkar
turned nostalgic and said he could never
forget Shivaji Park and the way he had
been taken around the ground and other
places on a scooter by boyhood mentor
Ramakant Achrekar.
Achrekar
was specially present on the occasion to
apply ‘tilak’ on the forehead
of all Mumbai Indians Players.
"I
have grown up in that area and can never
forget those days. I used to be taken
around by Sir (Achrekar) on his scooter
for playing matches. I would not have
reached where I am without those
happenings," he said.
Tendulkar,
who skipped last year’s World
Twenty20 Championship won by India, said
he had limited experience of playing the
shortest form of the game when
representing Mumbai last year in domestic
cricket.
"I
have played a few Twenty20 games for
Mumbai last year and I enjoyed it.
It’s a great challenge and I am
looking forward to it," he said.
"Shaun
(Pollock) has already started giving tips
to the young fast bowlers of our team. I
am not sure how the wickets and
conditions will be as the matches would
start at 8 pm.
"I
don’t know how much dew will be
there. We will have a few practice
sessions to see how the conditions
are," he added. (PTI)
T20
is not as easy as it appears: Inzamam
KARACHI, Apr 17: Former Pakistan
captain Inzamam-ul Haq has admitted that
the Twenty20 format of cricket was not as
easy as it appeared to the spectators
while it had also taken its toll on the
fitness of the squad which played in the
Indian Cricket League.
"We
have learnt that Twenty20 cricket is not
as easy as it appears to many people. It
is a very tough form of the sport. And I
think playing consistent matches in the
ICL eventually took its toll on our
players," Inzamam, who captained the
‘Lahore Badshah’ team in the
ICL, said on returning home.
"We
faced many fitness issues with our
players and had to juggle around the
combination and that affected our
performances," the burly batsman
added.
The
‘Lahore Badshah’ players, who
lost to ‘Hyderabad Heroes’ in
the final and also were defeated against
the World XI, returned home to a quiet
reception with no fans at the airport to
greet the players.
"The
next tournament is around December and
before going there we will be having a
proper training and conditioning camp so
that we are well prepare for the rigors
of Twenty20 cricket," Inzamam said.
He said
that it was a good move by the ICL to
seek recognition from the International
Cricket Council.
Former
Pakistan players Abdul Razzaq and Imran
Farhat said they were hopeful the ice
would break between the ICL and the
cricket boards and ICC.
"Hopefully
this would also result in our cricket
board lifting their ban on us from
playing domestic cricket. But if they
don’t then we have no option but to
seek legal help," Razzaq said.
Razzaq
said he was still keen to resume his
Pakistan career which was his first
priority.
"We
can only hope the distance between the
ICL and our board is bridge and this
unjustified ban on us is lifted."
Inzamam
said that the ICL events were a success
and they showed how the young Indian
players had benefited from playing
against and with international players.
"The
Indian players kept on improving and
eventually they went on to win the world
series independently," he said.
The ICL
organisers are said to be contemplating
adding teams from Karachi and Colombo in
their next league to make it more
attractive.
Sources
close to the players said they had also
got offers to play in a Twenty20 event in
Florida in May. (PTI)
Sunil
Gavaskar bats for Twenty20 cricket
MUMBAI, Apr 17: Cricket legend
Sunil Gavaskar feels Twenty20 cricket is
the ideal way to spread the game to
countries not well-versed in it as it
gets over in three hours unlike the
longer versions of the game.
"It’s
a terrific for the emerging nations. It
gets over in three hours. A football
match gets over in say two hours
(including extra-time etc). This form of
the game can be taken to China, USA and
parts of Europe, but the important factor
is preparation of wickets," the
former India captain said on the
sidelines of the launch of Mumbai Indians
IPL team here today.
"No
regrets," he said when queried
whether he wished this format was in
vogue during his playing days. (PTI)
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