Mahendra Singh Dhoni ought to have fond memories of South Africa. It was here, in the Rainbow nation, that he transported Indian cricket from despair to glory. Given the reins of Indian cricket, Dhoni led the team to a sensational triumph in the inaugural edition of the ICC World T20 in 2007. Since then he has grown in stature-both as a cricketer and captain.

Now, as he leads the IPL 3 champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a clash of titans in their Champions League debut, his entire team would look up to him to lead by example. Of course, having won their maiden IPL title this season, Chennai won’t be short of confidence or self-belief.

One witnessed those attributes in the crunch games during the IPL. They seemed dead and buried in the do-or-die game against Kings XI Punjab at Dharamshala. Then came Dhoni and brought with him a sublime six-hitting form to steer the team home. After that great escape, Chennai lifted their game by several notches in the semifinals and finals where they set aside the challenge of Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians respectively.

Doug Bollinger made light work of Deccan’s batting with his aggressive bowling while Suresh Raina expressed himself with authority against Mumbai as Dhoni’s men stole the thunder in the big games. The good thing about CSK is the fact that it is a close, well-knit unit and has the right mix of youth and experience. Add to that the understated, yet immense, contribution of their shrewd coach Stephen Fleming and you have a team ready to take on any opponent. And yes, Dhoni’s team has the fire power too to succeed in the alien conditions of South Africa.

Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey have a proven track record in South Africa. Along with Suresh Raina and Dhoni, they will form the nucleus of the Chennai batting. Murali Vijay Albie Morkel, Srikkanth Anirudh and S Badrinath will also be keen to prove a point.

In the bowling department, Bollinger and Albie Morkel form a potent strike force among pacers. They would be complemented in the slow bowling section by R Ashwin, who had an excellent IPL 3, and Shadab Jakati, who impressed with his left-arm spin in IPL 2 played in South Africa. Veteran Muttiah Muralitharan’s experience and guile will also be handy.

Indeed, if their mindset and talent combine, MS Dhoni’s well-populated trophy cabinet will need to make space for another one.

Star watch

Michael Hussey: ‘Mr Cricket’ was a late-bloomer. But since 2006, he’s been Mr. consistent in all forms.

Suresh Raina: Can be both anchor and aggressor. He can build a partnership and can even take the attack apart. Chennai would look up to him to replicate the consistency of IPL 3.

Doug Bollinger: This 28-year old’s arrival proved to be a huge blessing for Chennai who were struggling with their pace bowling in the first half of IPL 3. However, his arrival gave CSK a cutting edge.

NEW DELHI: With investigators closing
in on former Indian Premier League boss Lalit Modi’s links with an alleged
payoff in terms of a facilitation fee paid to the Mauritius-based World Sports
Group (WSG), the fallen T20 czar seems to be avoiding repeated income tax
summons.

Modi has left for London and is staying out of reach of a
probe that could be getting too hot for him. His non-compliance may have been
triggered by the questioning of his close associates, including secretary Deepa
Palekar in Mumbai last week. Palekar was asked about a payment of nearly Rs 80
crore made in the purchase of a private jet.

Sources said an I-T
probe has been able to link the aircraft purchase – extensively used by Modi as
his private transport – to the Rs 425 crore “facilitation fee” paid to WSG by
Multi Screen Media (MSM), formerly Sony Entertainment TV, for media rights of
IPL matches. It is understood that Sony has given evidence of a payment it
believes should have been made to BCCI.

The “payoff” was part of
renegotiation of IPL’s TV rights contract with MSM. WSG was given the rights for
10 years with a bid of $918 million. Following a dispute, WSG’s contract with
MSM was scrapped. The question arose as to why after renegotiation, MSM paid $80
million or Rs 425 crore to WSG.

The I-T probe found WSG had only $1
as share capital. It had entered into a back-to-back deal with MSM where Modi
allegedly played a vital role in negotiation.

This is a major
breakthrough in IPLgate probe with first links of an alleged payoff of Rs 100
crore being sourced to the beneficiaries.

TAUNTON: Pakistan test captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amer and Mohammad Asif will meet their country’s High Commissioner later on Thursday to discuss corruption allegations levelled against the team.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt will also attend the meeting which follows British newspaper allegations Amer and Asif were bribed to bowl deliberate no-balls in the fourth test against England at Lord’s which finished on Sunday.

Shahid Afridi, who retired from test cricket after Pakistan lost to Australia at Lord’s this year, will lead the one-day side in a warm up match against Somerset at Taunton on Thursday.

The 50-over match precedes a seven-game, one-day series against England which starts with a Twenty20 match in Cardiff on Sunday.

The PCB is to hold an internal investigation into the allegations while the Lahore High Court has summoned Ijaz Butt, the federal sports minister and seven players to hear a petition calling for the players to be charged with treason.

British police and customs officials are also investigating the allegations.

LONDON: The International Cricket Council said on Thursday it has charged Pakistan’s Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif with various offences under its anti-corruption code.

The players “have been officially notified of the offences they are alleged to have committed and have been provisionally suspended pending a decision on those charges”, the ICC said in a statement on its website.

“In accordance with the provisions of the code, this means they are immediately barred from participating in all cricket and related activities until the case has been concluded.”

Test captain Butt and fast bowlers Aamer and Asif were all named in a News of the World report which alleged they were involved in a “spot-fixing” scam by bowling deliberate no-balls in last week’s Test match with England in exchange for cash.

The trio have protested their innocence and the ICC said they have the right to contest their suspension, and have two weeks to request a hearing before anti-corruption tribunal where they can defend themselves.

However, ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “We will not tolerate corruption in cricket – simple as that.

“We must be decisive with such matters and if proven, these offences carry serious penalties up to a life ban.

“The ICC will do everything possible to keep such conduct out of the game and we will stop at nothing to protect the sport’s integrity. While we believe the problem is not widespread, we must always be vigilant.”

If you walk around the non-descript Tamil Union ground in a quiet corner of Colombo, you’ll see a bunch of young guys sweating it out in the hot sun.

There’s every possibility that you’ll dismiss them as a local team getting ready for a city tournament, but that’s far from the truth. It’s Wayamba Elevens and they are quietly preparing themselves for the Champions League in South Africa. There’s no hype or hoopla about the way this team goes about their job. They don’t have the stars of the IPL biggies, but it’s a quiet confidence in their own abilities that characterises the Lankan champions.

The likes of Jehan Mubarak and Jeevantha Kulathunga aren’t the biggest stars in the business, but they’re the right kind of all-rounders on whom the Wayamba team believes in. Lanka De Silva, their coach, during a chat with the TOI, said: “It’s our all-rounders who will make us a force to reckon with in the Champions League. No one expects much from us, but we have it in us to spring a few surprises.”

They have been clubbed with South Africa’s Warriors, IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, Big Bash winners Victoria and New Zealand’s Central Districts—not an easy group by any stretch of imagination. De Silva was prompt to concede that right away. “It’s a very difficult group. But given the nature of our side, we firmly believe we can give these big teams a good run for their money.” The beauty of the team is the perfect balance of experience and youth, a key to success in T20 cricket.

And the man who holds the team together is none other than Mahela Jayawardene. He was a pillar of strength for the Kings XI Punjab in all three IPLs and now he is ready to do it for Wayamba. “Though he is not our captain, Mahela is the man to whom the guys look up to. He opens the batting, he guides the team and he has all the experience in the world to guide us to the top,” De Silva said.

Jayawardene, too, is keen to forget the disappointment of the first Champions League, when Wayamba failed to make much of an impression. “Last year was a bit of an eye-opener for us. We had quite a few players who hadn’t played against international teams. It was a great opportunity for them. We realise where we went wrong and now we have the experience playing T20 cricket, playing domestically as well.”

Jayawardene apart, there are the likes of Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis, who are very much a part of the current Sri Lanka set-up. Both the spinners lend variety to their attack and De Silva hopes they will play a big role in Champions League too. “Quality spinners have a role to play in T20 cricket. Ajantha and Herath know how to handle pressure,” De Silva added.

If the confidence of the coach is anything to go by, the Wayamba boys can really be the surprise package.