India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Although the Pakistan Premier League (PPL) looks like a distant possibility, with no fixed dates and plans being kept behind closed doors, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Zaka Ashraf has confirmed that an invite will be sent out to the Indian players for the event's maiden edition. "It's up to them whether they want to take part or not but the PCB will send out an invitation," The Express Tribune quoted Ashraf, as saying. "My aim is to do whatever I can to put the relations between the two boards back on track because the fans want to see Pakistan and India in action," he added. Meanwhile, Ashraf severely criticised the Punjab government and said the unwanted interference - bringing down a wall of Gaddafi Stadium - could harm Pakistan 's image and also the prospects of holding PPL matches in the province. "Politics should be kept separate from sports because it'll hurt Pakistan 's image. We are trying to launch the revival of international cricket here and the Punjab government is doing such things. We can't even think of hosting an international team or a league match in Punjab in the current scenario," Ashraf said. (ANI) xxxxxx 094 (Sports/Cricket) Sri Lanka Cricket to trim staff by 60 percent Colombo , June 7 (Xinhua-ANI): Sri Lanka 's cricket governing board has decided to reduce its staff by 60 percent to reduce losses and improve management, the Sports Ministry said here on Thursday. Sri Lanka Cricket, which has been mired in serious finance difficulties since the World Cup in April 2011, has decided to trip its staff by 60 percent to reduce financial pressure. "We have decided to reduce the staff under contract by 60 percent," Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told Parliament adding that Sri Lanka Cricket employees 226 staff under contract. He pointed out that most of these contracted employees are unnecessary and therefore needed to be laid off once their current tenures come to a close. Sri Lanka Cricket suffered significant financial losses after co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup with India and Bangladesh to the tune of 69 million U.S. dollars. As a result cricketers' salaries were delayed for around six months and the governing body has had to tighten its belt to stave off bankruptcy after the Sri Lankan government refused loan assistance.

Pak to invite Indian players to Pakistan Premier League