Indian Premier League ticket information

Bangalore Tickets
Online booking: http://www.ticketpro.in/ipl/buy_tickets.html
Hotline Numbers: All India: 99101 18888, Bangalore: 99002 38888

Chennai Tickets
Ticket pricing details: http://www.chennaisuperkings.com/ticket/ticket.aspx
Buying: Tickets available from April 11th noon at M.A. Chidambaram stadium, chepauk, Chennai

Delhi Tickets
Online booking: http://www.kyazoonga.com/delhidaredevils/default.aspx
Hotline Numbers: Call 011 4307-1010 to book tickets
Tickets also sold at box-office in Ambedkar Stadium.

Hyderabad Tickets
Online booking: http://www.deccanchargers.com/node/835
Hotline Numbers: For all queries on Online Ticketing, please call 040 66250311 between 7 AM and 10 PM on all days.
Tickets available at ICICI Bank Branches
From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 12(Twin Cities only)
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 13 and 14 (All Locations)
ICICI Branch Locations: http://www.deccanchargers.com/node/841

Jaipur Tickets
Online booking: http://www.ticketpro.in/ipl/buy_tickets.html
Hotline Numbers: All India: 99101 18888, Jaipur: 99283 38888
For information on Corporate Hospitality, contact: Amit Mehta: +91 99809 99900
or Kaunain Mechant: +91 99809 99983

Kolkata Tickets
Online booking: http://www.ticketpro.in/ipl/buy_tickets.html
Hotline Numbers: All India: 99101 18888, Kolkata: 98677 48888

Mohali Tickets
Online booking: http://www.ticketpro.in/ipl/buy_tickets.html
Hotline Numbers: All India: 99101 18888, Mohali: 98768 48888
For all enquiries on Corporate Hospitality tickets call Wizcraft no. +91 99309 09996.

Mumbai Tickets
Online booking: http://www.kyazoonga.com/mumbaiindians/default.aspx
Hotline Numbers: call 022 4064-7500 to book tickets

Check Out Official Indian Premier League website

The official Indian premier league website is live. It is ‘Powered by Cricket.com.’ The website is neat featuring, news, downloads, blogs, photos, and fantasy cricket. It might not be so flashy as other franchisee websites. Wonder… 50 million USD for this website ??? Fantasy cricket link goes to facebook application. I thought they would do something like ESPN-Star Super selector. A bit disappointed with the official website.

Check out: http://www.indianpremierleague.com

Explosive Delhi Daredevils

NEW DELHI, (IANS): If the Indian Premier League is all about flamboyance and showbiz, Delhi Daredevils have in their skipper Virender Sehwag everything wrapped up in one explosive package.

The marauding opener apart, the squad pales in comparison with the star value of some of the other franchises. The GMR-owned team might not boast of top stars but they have roped in some bright youngsters from domestic circuit and that could make a huge difference in the Twenty20 version as it demands high levels of energy and athleticism.

Among the foreign recruits, Daredevils' biggest catch is South African A B de Villiers and New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori. AB is going through the form of his life and would be the player to watch in the tournament. Vettori is one of the world's best spinner at present and he will play a big role in the competition as he is handy bat too.

As Vettori rightly put it, any of the eight teams with quality Indian players will have an advantage. Since there is a cap on the number of international players in the team, the Indian support cast will play a major role. The Indians will be the real strength of the side.(AFP Photo)

glamourous Mumbai Indians

MUMBAI, (IANS): For sheer glamour quotient, Mumbai Indians are matchless. Their captain Sachin Tendulkar's stature is enough for Mukesh Ambani to rake in profits in the first year itself, having spent $111.9 million to buy the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 side - the costliest of the eight teams auctioned.

While every team would like to be the champion side, winning just the first prize of $1.2 million might not have been the top priority of the business tycoons and Bollywood stars who have invested millions of dollars in the IPL. But for coaches, captains and players, cricket will surely come first. It is no different with the Mumbai Indians.

Although money is no problem for the Mukesh Ambani's Reliance group, no businessman would like to splurge without adequate mileage from investment in return.

An indication as to which way the Mumbai Indians are headed in the tournament can be had April 20 when they play Chennai Super Kings.(Reuters Photo)

Kolkata Knight Riders all set for battle

Knights all set for battle
Kolkata, (IANS): Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla may have bought the Kolkata Knight Riders for the seventh lowest price at the eight-team auction, but the Sourav Ganguly-led Indian Premier League (IPL) side has variety, all-round look and bench strength to take on any team in the Twenty20 competition.

Business partners, Shah Rukh and Juhi and Jay Mehta, should be mighty pleased with the way they went about the auctions. They first bought the franchise for $75.09 million for a 10-year period and then raised a team that has some of the best batsmen and bowlers of the present era besides India's most successful Test captain.

With hard-hitting batsmen like Chris Gayle of West Indies and Australia captain Ricky Ponting and a bowling attack that has Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar and Indian pace sensation Ishant Sharma, Kolkata is capable of taking on any side in the tournament.(Reuters Photo)

Indian Premier League could seriously damage international cricket: Wasim Akram

The lucrative IPL, which starts from Thursday, has already stirred controversy with high profile players willing to retire to feature in the multi-million dollar bonanza. “I fear the IPL can be a serious distraction and destruction if the International Cricket Council (ICC) doesn't intervene because it involves huge money and players are ready to abandon international cricket,'' Akram said. The Twenty20 competition, promoted by the Indian cricket board and featuring stars from around the world, lines up eight teams bought by franchises which selected their players via auction last month. The tournament marks the first time that international cricketers will put aside national allegiances to play for privately-owned and city-based teams. “The ICC should have foreseen the danger 10 years ago because the ICC and cricket boards of countries earn billions of dollars with players getting a small percentage, so such a thing was bound to happen,'' Akram said. “Had players been paid properly by the ICC and the boards they would not have joined such leagues. Now there has come a stage where players are willing to opt out of international cricket, which is dangerous.'' Akram, who played 104 Tests and 356 one-day matches during an illustrious career for Pakistan, said he hoped new ICC chief Haroon Lorgat, who will replace Malcolm Speed in June, would tackle the problem. “The new ICC chief executive seems a level-headed man and I hope he finds a solution,'' he said. Akram also said that huge interest in Twenty20 was a potential danger for 50-over one-day cricket. “Test cricket will stay on as it is but I think the ICC will have to find some ways to keep the 50-over interest alive,'' said Akram who holds the world record of most one-day wickets with 502. “Overs 20 to 40 are starting to prove boring for fans - even I would not watch the middle overs if players like Adam Gilchrist, Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi aren't batting,'' he said. Akram further criticised the IPL authorities for their strict media guidelines, which have forced international agencies to boycott the event. “In a culture like ours no event can get off without media coverage,'' Akram said. “I see these restrictions as odd, unwise and hope they relent because people want to see pictures and coverage in print.''

Vishwanath, Javagal Srinath and S Venkatraghavan will be match referees for the forthcoming IPL matches

Mumbai: Former India cricketers — Gundappa Vishwanath, Javagal Srinath and S Venkatraghavan will be match referees for the forthcoming IPL matches, according to the IPL director Dheeraj Malhotra.

"We have also decided to hire the services of some international match-referees for this inagural major domestic event and accordingly they have been approached," he further added without disclosing their names.

Former Pakistani referee Talat Ali is believed to have been one of the invitees as referee, it is learnt here. Talat Ali is now acting as a manager for the Pakistan cricket team. He has served on the ICC panel of match referees in the past.

Former India opener Vishwanath also served on the ICC panel whereas Srinath is now the member of the ICC's referee panel.

The other members on this ICC panel are Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Alan Hurst, Ranjan Madugalle, Roshan Mahanama and Mike Procter. Few from these list are also invited for the IPL matches.