They're catching on fast

India is rolling out the fast(er)-paced version of cricket known as Twenty20 to create mass appeal in the form of a professional Indian Premier League. Beer baron Vijay Mallya who founded the league has even imported the Washington Redskins cheerleaders to tantalize the crowds.



They've quickly added petulance and violence to the league - two of the cornerstones of the modern professional athlete.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh has been handed an 11-match ban by the Indian Premier League after pleading guilty to slapping fellow India star Sree Santh.

The suspension will end his involvement in the competition unless his team, Mumbai Indians, reach the semi-finals.

Harbhajan, 27, will also lose his match fees for the whole tournament after the incident in a game last Friday between Mumbai and Santh's Kings XI Punjab.

This is not Harby's first flare up.

Harbhajan faced controversy in January over allegations he called Australia's Andrew Symonds a monkey during the second Test in Sydney.

The off-spinner was eventually cleared of the charge of racial abuse, but found guilty of using abusive language.

Following the incident, Australia's Matthew Hayden described him as "an obnoxious little weed".

Now it all makes sense!