Kolkata goes gay over KKR’s Indian Premier League victory

TENS of thousands of people turned out on the streets of Kolkata yesterday to receive the Kolkata Knight Riders team, returning home as Indian Premier League (IPL) winners.

The political leadership, top actors and musicians, and the local cricket establishment – including former ICC president, Jagmohan Dalmiya – joined the team in the celebrations.

The team began with a five-kilometre open-top parade from the Hazra area of south Kolkata to Writers’ Buildings, the seat of government; the crowds – estimated at more than 50,000 – were packed 10 and sometimes 20 people deep, with many more on rooftops and balconies. After a short function there, the team headed for Eden Gardens, which had been thrown open to the public for free entry.

At Eden Gardens, almost every seat was occupied – a larger crowd than at most cricket matches. The ceremony there included the traditional presentation of scarves to the squad by the state’s chief minister and the cutting of a cake.

However, the event was marred by chaotic scenes at the end, with crowds being beaten back by baton-wielding policemen resulting in some injuries.

While most of the Knight Riders’ overseas players left the squad at Chennai, Shakib Al Hasan remained behind, as did most of the coaching staff, including head coach, Trevor Bayliss, and mental skills coach, Rudi Webster.

Meanwhile, the IPL has said that India’s domestic, uncapped cricketers will be part of an auction ahead of next year’s competition, the league’s chairman, Rajiv Shukla, has said.

Only those that had played for India in one format or the other were part of previous auctions among local players, but that rule, Shukla said, will be changed as a measure to prevent corruption in the game.

“It was the proposal of Shashank Manohar (former BCCI president) to auction all the domestic cricketers to avoid any form of corruption in the game,” Shukla told Times of India.

“All domestic players will be auctioned from the next edition.” The auction purse for each franchise, Shukla added, will be raised accordingly though the details were still to be worked out.

In a recent sting operation by news channel India TV, at least three uncapped Indian cricketers were shown on camera, allegedly seeking more lucrative deals – including extra money that would have violated their IPL contracts – with other league franchises through an undercover reporter posing as a sports agent. Five players in all have been suspended by the BCCI pending investigations.