Modi has been under fire ever since relinquishing office and has hit back hard this time.
Modi has been under fire ever since relinquishing office and has hit back hard this time.

Sri Lanka League row prompts Modi to expose BCCI's errant ways



Gone out of favour with the powerful Indian cricket board (BCCI), the former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi went into an overdrive today to expose what he called the corrupt ways of his former bosses on the social networking platform of Twitter.

The barrage came after it was reported that the BCCI had reneged on their promise to allow players to play in Sri Lanka's version of the IPL because they merely suspected that Modi was behind the organisation and operations of the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL).

That prompted Modi to not just laugh it off, describing the allegations as 'amazing', but also tweeted: "It just shows that Mandarins at Bcci have no clue what is happening in the cricket world. They can't see beyond there own shadow."

A series of tweets followed mainly revealing how he and the BCCI mandarins had similarly victimised the Indian Cricket League (ICL), which could lay claim to the first tournament to promote the now immensely popular Twenty20 format of cricket.

"It seems best way to scuttle any plans is to say Lalit Modi is behind it. Good to know that just mentioning my name can send a shiver down there spines. Guess they are a bunch of spineless people running the show. Who have no clue as to what to do. Not that they ever had. I had to do it for them.

"When I was at BCCI - the mandate given then was to scuttle ICL. BCCI arm twisted every cricket board and ICC to change there constitution.

"Yes I was part of the Bcci when we scuttled ICL. That was the mandate of the organization. It was not my personal agenda.

"Yes I admit it was a mistake to have systematically used everything in Bcci's arsenal to finish ICL.

"Yes we as Bcci called all and Sundry to oppose ICL. Cricket associations were told not to give there grounds or fear loosing matches.

"Advertisers were called and told if you advertise on ICL than you will be barred from all bcci cricket...

"Players were told do not play for ICL or we will black list you. This then Bcci had to implement thru change of constitution.

"The final Straw was to offer ICL players an amnesty Scheme so that they would desert ICL and join IPL.

"Bcci than called every member of icc to ensure that they all help in changing the icc constitution to outlaw ICL.

"Bcci even went to the extent of black listing suppliers like Tv Production cos, Event Managers who worked with ICL.

"Bcci used Champions League to induce other ICC members to Vote on the resolution to outlaw ICL, that way they get part of the earnings. England resisted. Thus lost right to be a shareholder of CL. Eventually capitulated as the money was too big to ignore

"Why am I revealing all this now - I always said I will reveal everything one day. So what better day to start then Today."

Modi followed it up by using the television medium next to repeat his admissions and insisted that he is not hiding anywhere and will make a comeback.

Modi has been away from the limelight after the Indian government agencies started probing financial irregularities that he allegedly committed during his IPL days but was the subject of probing after his fall from office.

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries

Pakistan v New Zealand Test series

Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza

New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner

Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)

Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES EPISODE 1: LOT 36

Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Tim Blake Nelson, Sebastian Roche, Elpidia Carrillo
Rating: 4/5

Country-size land deals

US interest in purchasing territory is not as outlandish as it sounds. Here's a look at some big land transactions between nations:

Louisiana Purchase

If Donald Trump is one who aims to broker "a deal of the century", then this was the "deal of the 19th Century". In 1803, the US nearly doubled in size when it bought 2,140,000 square kilometres from France for $15 million.

Florida Purchase Treaty

The US courted Spain for Florida for years. Spain eventually realised its burden in holding on to the territory and in 1819 effectively ceded it to America in a wider border treaty. 

Alaska purchase

America's spending spree continued in 1867 when it acquired 1,518,800 km2 of  Alaskan land from Russia for $7.2m. Critics panned the government for buying "useless land".

The Philippines

At the end of the Spanish-American War, a provision in the 1898 Treaty of Paris saw Spain surrender the Philippines for a payment of $20 million. 

US Virgin Islands

It's not like a US president has never reached a deal with Denmark before. In 1917 the US purchased the Danish West Indies for $25m and renamed them the US Virgin Islands.

Gwadar

The most recent sovereign land purchase was in 1958 when Pakistan bought the southwestern port of Gwadar from Oman for 5.5bn Pakistan rupees. 

1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything

Director: Asif Kapadia

4/5

The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books

MATCH INFO

Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')

Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')

TWISTERS

Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung

Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos

Rating:+2.5/5

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Xpanceo

Started: 2018

Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov

Based: Dubai, UAE

Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality

Funding: $40 million

Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)


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