The Rawalpindi Express is gearing up to thunder over the Indian cricket scene in a big way. Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is in Mumbai to meet Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who is also the owner of the Kolkata IPL team.
On Monday night, Shoaib met King Khan at his Bandstand bungalow, Mannat and another meeting is scheduled for later. Shoaib is currently staying at the Hilton Towers and will be in the city for eight days.
A well-placed source in the industry, who is close to Shoaib, says, “Shah Rukh will definitely offer Shoaib a bomb of a price to be on his team. However, both are unlikely to disagree over money as they go back a long way. Shoaib and Shah Rukh are very friendly and have interacted with each other on more than one occasion.”
The source adds, “Shah Rukh has made it clear to all his associates that he wants very fiery players on his team; players who will only play to win."
Shoaib has already met with Shah Rukh’s associates and team members. Sources say that Shoaib is also eager to meet with Sanjay Dutt while he is in Mumbai. He apparently called Dutt as soon as he landed on Monday morning and Dutt has agreed to meet him.
Meanwhile, prospective Kolkata IPL skipper Sourav Ganguly said on Sunday that there was no question of IPL games moving out of Eden Garden. Ganguly capped the controversy regarding IPL matches in Kolkata, saying, “There is no question of the matches being played anywhere else.” Asked about the demands made by the members for tickets, he said, “The Cricket Association of Bengal will get Rs 10 crore. If the members don’t agree, buy them tickets with that money.”
Indian Premier League commissioner and Chairman Lalit Modi threatened CAB that the Kolkata team would be withdrawn and brought to Ahmedabad if CAB does not adhere to the rules and regulations of the glitzy event set to roll out in April this year. Modi’s terse four-line reply was in response to a number of queries raised by CAB president Prasoon Mukherjee. One of the key points raised was allotment of tickets.
Spinner Mohammad Rafique, who will retire when Bangladesh’s home series against South Africa ends in March, has evinced interest in playing for Kolkata, but has said he will wait before making a final decision.
Ganguly is apparently in talks with hard-hitting Australian batsman Adam Gilchrist on Shah Rukh’s behalf to rope him in for the team.
Before reaching his hotel on Monday morning, Shoaib Akhtar headed straight for Haji Ali Dargah where he offered a chadar of Rs 5,000.
Shah Rukh has made it clear to all his associates that he wants very fiery players on his team; players who will only play to win, says source close to Shoaib Akhtar.
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It seems the embers of the fireworks of last Diwali have not died down, just yet. Even as one thought enough newsprint had been dedicated to the coverage of the ‘clash’ between Om Shanti Om and Saawariya, it seems the next round of the duel is about to begin.
