MUMBAI: As part of its engagement with fans for the upcoming IPL season, Kings XI Punjab has tied up with Indraprastha All India Sports Foundation for its talent search based reality ?Cricket Champs".

The show that aims at providing a platform for budding cricketers to showcase their talent in front of millions of viewers will be aired by UTV Bindass.

Since the reality show is being powered by Kings XI Punjab, a number of players from the franchisee shall also form part of the proceedings. These players would render their view points on player selection, ability, tasks, game strategy, etc.
 
Speaking on the initiative, KXIP COO Col. Arvinder Singh said, ?Kings XI Punjab has always been at the forefront of unearthing fresh cricketing talent. Our association with the venture aims to provide these young guns with a platform to perform. I wish the participants all the very best and am sanguine that we should be able to spot ?real talent? whom we shall help groom for their future cricketing endeavors.?

A total of eight teams from Bihar/Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore/Hyderabad, and Haryana comprising 15 players each will participate in the show.

The fate of these players will later rest in the hands of the public/viewers, who can choose their favourite captain out of the three for each team through national voting.

The team which emerges as the winner would be awarded with the National Trophy and a cash prize of Rs 1 million. Besides, top 10 cricketers would get a chance to get training with Kings XI Punjab players and an opportunity to play first class cricket.

MUMBAI: FIFA president Sepp Blatter is set to make his second visit to India next month as the world body looks to develop the largely untapped market which has been realising its potential off late.

Blatter, who had last visted India in 2007, will touchdown on India on 9 March.

"Blatter?s visit shows how much importance FIFA is giving to India," All-India Football Federation (AIFF) vice-president Subrata Dutta said in a statement. "The world body?s support in building the right kind of infrastructure in the country has been beyond our expectations."

Four football academies supported by FIFA are being built in Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore and New Delhi, Dutta said.

According to Dutta, the AIFF?s plans to bid for U-17 World Cup in 2017 will be a real changer if all goes through as per plans.

"If India becomes the host nation, we will get a direct entry into the tournament," said Dutta. "It will encourage more kids to play football and take it up as a career option. It will also enable us to develop a quality structure for the sport."