ICC Twenty20 World Cup News

India's campaign at the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa received a shot in the arm after opener Gautam Gambhir was cleared to take part in the September 22 - October 5 tournament.

Gambhir, who was forced to sit out of the just-concluded Compaq Cup tri-series in Sri Lanka, which India won, due to a groin injury, cleared a fitness test on Thursday afternoon and will leave for South Africa along with the rest of the players from Mumbai on Friday.

Since returning from Sri Lanka, Gambhir was treated for his injury at the NCA under the supervision of physio Paul Close.

Favourites India start their campaign with a high-voltage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in Centurion, on September 26.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and opener Gautam Gambhir got twin nominations, while Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag were shortlisted for the ODI Player of the Year category of the ICC Annual Awards to be announced on October 1 in Johannesburg.

Gambhir, Dhoni, Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson and Englishman Andrew Strauss have been short-listed for the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for Cricketer of the Year after voting by an independent 25-member academy.

In addition, Gambhir, Johnson and Strauss were also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year alongside Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera.

The inaugural Karnataka Premier League was inaugurated on Wednesday evening - with eight teams representing different regions of the state all set to battle it out.

Mysore Maharajas, Mangalore United, Bijapur Bulls were some of the teams representing different regions of Karnataka at the first ever KPL.

The show was launched with lasers and fireworks, song and dance with all the showmanship that was expected from this version of the game. Some film stars shared the spotlight with the cricketers too.

Sudeep, one of the actors present gracing the event, said, "I love cricket - I am an Indian. Acting is my profession, cricket is my passion."

Ricky Ponting has announced his retirement from international Twenty20 cricket in a bid to extend his Test and ODI playing career. Ponting will retain the captaincy of Australia's Test and one-day sides and Michael Clarke is expected to take the reins of the Twenty20 outfit, although a formal decision on Ponting's successor has not yet been made.

"After much thought and careful consideration I have advised Cricket Australia of my decision to retire from international Twenty20 cricket," Ponting said in a statement. "I have also spoken to [chairman of selectors] Andrew Hilditch, [coach] Tim Nielsen and [vice-captain] Michael Clarke and I feel this decision provides me the opportunity to prolong my Australian Test and one-day career, an opportunity I am extremely determined about.

"As I said after the fifth Test in London, I am hoping to continue playing Test cricket for as long as possible and retiring from the Twenty20 format gives me the best chance of doing this. I will now have set periods of rest throughout the Australian summer and while touring which I feel will be very beneficial."

The Twenty20 world champions tag has put a lot of pressure on the Pakistan cricket team ahead of next month's Champions Trophy in South Africa, vice-captain Shahid Afridi has said.

"Carrying the tag of T20 World Cup champions into the Champions Trophy means there automatically going to be a lot of expectations from us to do well," Afridi said.

"The way we won the T20 World Cup means we have the ability to win the Champions trophy but the only thing is we have to develop a mindset to handle the pressure as well," he added.

India, along with hosts South Africa and Australia, are the strongest contenders for next month's Champions Trophy with Yuvraj Singh posing a massive threat to bowlers' economy, fears New Zealand medium pacer Ian Butler.

"India plays good one-day cricket. So, I wouldn't like to put a finger on who is favourite to win the 5 October final. You've got to look after your own backyard and not worry about what other teams are doing," Butler said in an ICC newsletter.

"Yuvraj Singh is a massive danger, especially with some of the short boundaries he can get," the 27-year-old added.

Apart from Yuvraj, the right-arm pacer tipped South African pacer Dale Steyn and Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal as players to watch out for.