NEW DELHI // David Hussey, the Kings XI Punjab acting captain, today defended his team's integrity amid allegations of corruption in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Amit Yadav and Shalabh Srivastava, two of the five players suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) following a television sting, are contracted to the Punjab IPL team, but have not played in the ongoing tournament.
Hussey, leading the team in the absence of injured fellow Australian Adam Gilchrist, said he would be disappointed if fingers were pointed at any of his players.
"Everyone in my team, everyone in Kings XI Punjab as a brand, plays with utmost integrity and if any print or TV media tries to write differently or say something differently about my team, then I will be very disappointed," Hussey told reporters.
"I can't really comment on the sting," he added.
Reporters from the Hindi-language India TV, posing as sports agents, recorded the low-profile players as saying that spot-fixing and black money was prevalent in the Twenty20 league.
TP Sudhindra, Mohnish Mishra and Abhinav Bali were the other first-class cricketers suspended from the game yesterday by the BCCI until preliminary investigations were completed.
The probe will be carried out by former police officer Ravi Sawani, who has previously served on the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
Sudhindra has played in three IPL matches for the Deccan Chargers this year and Mishra played one game for Pune Warriors. Bali has not featured in the tournament.
India TV showed Sudhindra allegedly agreeing to bowl pre-arranged no-balls in a local amateur match, while Srivastava was reportedly heard boasting he could do the same in the IPL.
Mishra was filmed as saying he was paid a major part of his IPL salary by Pune Warriors in "black" (illegal) money, while Yadav and Bali alleged spot-fixing existed in the tournament.
Srivastava has denied that the voice in the audio was his, and Mishra apologised, saying he made the comment "casually for personal gain".
The Hindu newspaper said corruption rumours had swirled around the IPL for a long time.
"Since millions ride on IPL, this 'domestic' tournament has not escaped the talk of fixed matches," the paper said.
The IPL, a mix of glamour, rich purses for world-class players and the excitement of T20 cricket, has endured a difficult ride over the past four years.
The tournament is already being investigated for alleged fraud and foreign exchange violations.
Its founder Lalit Modi, who was suspended in 2010, is living in London facing Indian government and BCCI charges of misappropriation of funds.
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Champions League Last 16
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER)
Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG)
Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED)
Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA)
Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG)
Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA)
Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)
Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
Results
Male 51kg Round 1
Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.
Male 54kg Round 1
Yelaman Sayassatov (KAZ) beat Chen Huang (TPE) TKO Round 1; Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) beat Fahad Anakkayi (IND) RSC Round 2; Qais Al Jamal (JOR) beat Man Long Ng (MAC) by points 3-0; Ayad Albadr (IRQ) beat Yashar Yazdani (IRI) by points 2-1.
Male 57kg Round 1
Natthawat Suzikong (THA) beat Abdallah Ondash (LBN) by points 3-0; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Ahmed Al Jubainawi (IRQ) by points 2-1; Hamed Almatari (YEM) beat Nasser Al Rugheeb (KUW) by points 3-0; Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) beat Yu Xi Chen (TPE) by points 3-0.
Men 86kg Round 1
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) beat Mohammad Al Khatib (PAL) by points 2-1
Men 63.5kg Round 1
Noureddin Samir (UAE) beat Polash Chakma (BAN) RSC Round 1.
Female 45kg quarter finals
Narges Mohammadpour (IRI) beat Yuen Wai Chan (HKG) by points.
Female 48kg quarter finals
Szi Ki Wong (HKG) beat Dimple Vaishnav (IND) RSC round 2; Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Nastaran Soori (IRI) by points; Shabnam Hussain Zada (AFG) beat Tzu Ching Lin (TPE) by points.
Female 57kg quarter finals
Nguyen Thi Nguyet (VIE) beat Anisha Shetty (IND) by points 2-1; Areeya Sahot (THA) beat Dana Al Mayyal (KUW) RSC Round 1; Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Ching Yee Tsang (HKG) by points 3-0.
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
