NEW DELHI: The confrontation between broadcasters and IPL reached a flashpoint with the News Broadcasters Association, the body of top news channels of India, announcing that all its members would boycott the IPL.

Talks between IPL and official broadcaster SET Max, on the one hand, and the news channel, on the other, broke down when IPL/SET Max refused to consider any of the issues raised by NBA and said the terms set down by them for coverage were non-negotiable.

This means there will be no surround sound about IPL matches on TV channels, although the game itself would be telecast by SET Max.

IPL chairman Lalit Modi did not respond to calls or messages. But he tweeted, ‘‘News channels never had rights to broadcast IPL. Those are exclusively SET Max. You will see all matches on Set live…You can get regular news of all IPL related stories as they happen on IPLT20.com.’’

The NBA, which represents 34 news channels, is opposed to the new terms that are more stringent than those set down by IPL in 2008, the last time IPL was played in India. The new terms have slashed the amount of time footage can be shown to just 7 minutes in a day, stipulated that nothing can be shown until 30 minutes after the post-match prize distribution ceremony, and set down certain ownership restrictions for channels.

The channels have joined cause with international news agencies that have boycotted the first two editions of the event because of contentious clauses in the media accreditation guidelines.

LAHORE Pakistan: The training camp of the national hockey team has concluded here at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore on Tuesday while the team will leave for Delhi on February 22 to participate in the Hockey World Cup.

The mega event is scheduled to begin from February 28 in the capital city of India.

Pakistan hockey players held three-week long tough training sessions at National Hockey Stadium in Lahore.

The players will gather in Lahore in the evening on February 20 and will again hold training session on February 21 before leaving for Delhi via bus on February 22.

Before the World Cup, the national team will play warm-up matches against New Zealand on February 24, Canada on February 25 and Germany on February 26.

The Head Coach of national hockey team Shahid Ali Khan was hopeful for Pakistan to put on fighting show during the mega event.

New Zealand 553/7d & 9/1 (5.0 ov)
Bangladesh 408
Mahmudullah, 115
Shakib, 87
New Zealand lead by 154 runs with 9 wickets remaining
Bangladesh played an innings of 408 on the third day of Hamilton Test vs New Zealand putting off follow on.
Bangladesh started the game with 87 runs. Rounder Mahmudullah’s century and Shakib Al Hasan 87 lifted the team to 408. Daniel Vettori and Chris Martin each took three wickets. The black caps are still 154 runs ahead Bangladesh.