Dhoni nominated in three categories for ICC awards

Mumbai: India's recent superb run in Test and One-day cricket on Wednesday was reflected in the ICC's annual awards nominations as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was listed in three categories for honour.

Dhoni was nominated for ICC Cricketer of the Year, Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year awards.

Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh were the other Indian nominees for the prestigious Cricketer of the Year award.

VVS Laxman joined the trio of Dhoni, Gambhir and Harbhajan to be in the line for the Test Player of the Year award while Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag were also in the fray for the honour of ODI Player of the Year.

Dhoni has already been the ODI Player of the Year in 2008 besides being named in the ODI Team of the Year.

Zaheer Khan was nominated for Twenty20 Performer of the Year award while Amit Mishra will be vying for the honour in the Emerging Player of the year category as Indians led the overall nominations for the award.

Mithali Raj was nominated for the Women's Cricketer of the year award.

The nominations were announced by dashing Indian opener Virender Sehwag and former captain Ravi Shastri in the presence of International Cricket Council Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat while the awards will be presented on October 1 in Johannesburg, South Africa during the Champions Trophy.

PTI

Harbhajan sells rights to licence his name

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Harbhajan sells rights to licence his name

NEW DELHI: Ace cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Wednesday sold licensing rights to his name as a brand to Delhi-based License India for an undisclosed Harbhajan Singh displays various merchandise while launching of brand 'Harbhajan Singh' with License India.

The deal, which has been dubbed as the first in the history of Indian cricket, could see the off-spinner's name being used in various types of merchandise and even in chain of restaurants as 'Bhajji Da Dhaba'.

"Licensing is a $191 billion business worldwide, although it is still nascent in India. Harbhajan is one of the most recognised faces of Indian cricket and we have signed an agreement with him to licence his brand name," License India president Gaurav Marya said.

He said the company would explore avenues to design and develop the brand 'Harbhajan' with established firms in the field of merchandise, manufacturing and retail, besides franchise operators.

"It is very important to have one's own brand and having merchandise and a restaurant chain with my own name bring me closer to my fans," Harbhajan Singh said.

Asked about future plans with his brand, Singh said: "There will be lot of surprises, not just in apparels and accessories but in other segments also."

A brand owner would help during post-retirement years "when established brands do not ask for frequent endorsements," Singh quipped in a lighter vein.

Singh is the first cricketer to have signed a licensing agreement with License India. It had earlier entered into agreements with management guru Shiv Khera and the children's book series Diamond Comics.

"We have started the process to identify prospective partners and franchise operators for brand Harbhajan Singh. We are hopeful that the first products would roll out into the market by end of 2009," License India business head Anupama Bindra said.

She, however, refused to give details regarding the contract signed with the cricketer.

Source: TOI

Harbhajan, Munaf to return in ODI, T20 squads

Chennai, Feb 12 (PTI) Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and pacer Munaf Patel are set to return for the New Zealand tour when the selectors meet here tomorrow to pick the Indian cricket squad for the one-day series and two Twenty20 matches.
The national selectors are likely to retain most of the players who played in the just-concluded one-day series against Sri Lanka. The Indians won the series by an emphatic 4-1 margin and most of the players chipped in with useful contributions.

Sachin Tendulkar has pulled out of the two Twenty20 matches as the star batsman has always prefered to stay away from the shortest format of the game.

The squad for the Test series which starts in Hamilton from March 18 will be picked later.

Harbhajan, who did not tour Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, and Munaf, who injured himself after playing the first ODI in Dambulla, are certain to make it to the ODI squad.

The duo will most probably replace Saurashtra all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and Tamil Nadu pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Jadeja, who made 60 not out in his debut match in Colombo against Sri Lanka, will have to wait for his next call up while Balaji failed to impress the selectors with his wicketless performance in the fifth ODI against Sri Lanka. PTI