Dhoni silent on conflict of interest controversy

New Delhi: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has maintained his silence on the issue of conflict of interest controversy.

He was addressing a press conference today before India take on South Africa in the opening match of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy on Thursday

Dhoni said that the team is focused on the game.

In a startling revelation on Monday, a leading Indian business daily reported that Mahendra Singh Dhoni has 15 percent stake in a sports marketing firm that manages him and three other Indian cricketers.

Rhiti Sports is owned by Arun Pandey, a close friend of Dhoni. In 2010, Dhoni signed up with Rhiti reportedly for Rs 210 crore, an average of Rs 70 crore a year, the costliest deal in Indian cricket.

Even last week the Indian skipper had refused to answer questions related to the IPL spot-fixing scandal saying he’ll talk when the right time comes.

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Karthik`s unbeaten ton shows to Australia

Yadav took five for 18 as Australia collapsed to 34 for six wickets by the end of the 12th over and were eventually bowled out for a paltry 65 in 23.3 overs.

Gangly paceman Ishant Sharma supported Yadav well by taking three wickets for just 11 runs in his five overs.

Before that, India rattled up a challenging 308 for six as Karthik smashed an unbeaten 146 and added 211 runs for the sixth wicket with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (91).

India scored exactly 100 runs in their last 10 overs as Australia failed to turn the screws after polishing off five top Indian wickets for only 55 runs at the Swalec Stadium.

It was India`s second consecutive win, having beaten Sri Lanka earlier and it gives them the confidence ahead of their tournament-opener against South Africa on Thursday.

Yadav bowled at the right lengths as Australian batsmen played loose strokes too early in the innings. Matthew Wade (5) and Phil Hughes (14) were bowled playing across the line to fuller balls while David Warner (0) was caught at first slip playing an expansive drive.

Australia missed their injured captain Michael Clarke as stand-in skipper George Bailey (1) was beaten by pace and late movement while the in-form Shane Watson (4) dragged the ball onto his stumps while trying to cut.

Mitchell Marsh (0) got a faint inside edge that landed in the keeper`s gloves as the Australian procession confounded pundits of the game.

Except Hughes and Adam Voges (23 off 49 balls), none of the top seven batsmen got into double digits.

Earlier, Like India`s first warm-up game, the lower middle-order batsmen saved the blushes with both Karthik and Dhoni magnificently pacing their innings on a track that had plenty for the batsmen. Their stand came off 191 balls.

Karthik faced 140 balls and hit 17 fours and a six while Dhoni took 77 balls for his knock, laced with 10 boundaries, including four sixes.

Karthik`s back-to-back centuries, he scored an unbeaten 106 in Birmingham against Sri Lanka, will help him improve his chances for a slot in the playing XI when begin their campaign on Thursday. 

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