Cummins, Head offered Rs 58 crore each by IPL franchises to play exclusively in T20 leagues: Report
Sydney (PTI): A group of leading IPL franchises offered Australia captain Pat Cummins and his deputy Travis Head staggering multi-year deals worth AUD 10 million (Rs 58.46 crore) each to play exclusively in T20 leagues, but both players turned them down, according to a report.
The offers, nearly six times more than what top Australian players earn under their board's central contracts, were made earlier this year as part of a push by IPL-backed investors to assemble full-time franchise squads, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.
"The offers, made this year by an IPL team group, were politely rebuffed by two of Australia's most valuable cricket assets, who remain firmly committed to the national team," stated the report.
Senior Australian players earn around AUD 1.5 million (Rs 8.77 crore) annually from Cricket Australia (CA) contracts, with Cummins' total income rising to AUD 3 million (Rs 17.54 crore) including captaincy allowances.
The report said the development came to light during discussions between Cricket Australia, state bodies and the players' association on possible privatisation of the Big Bash League, underscoring the growing financial might of global T20 franchises.
Head, who featured in both the IPL and Major League Cricket last year, admitted that playing franchise tournaments gave him a glimpse of life outside international cricket but insisted his focus remained with Australia.
"Currently I'm playing for Australia, and I don't see a timeline where I can play anything (else) really... I want to commit, as much as I can, to Australia," Head said.
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
