Lalit Modi turns quizmaster

New Delhi: Suspended IPL chief Lalit Modi continues to use social networking site Twitter for playing more games.New Delhi: Suspended IPL chief Lalit Modi continues to use social networking site Twitter for playing more games.

This time he's turned a quizmaster asking his tweet followers questions about the recently concluded IPL.

Modi asked: "Who performed better in IPL 2010? Right-handed openers or left-handed openers?"

He later gave the answer: " Right-handed openers averaged 32.80 (22.28 in '08), while left-handed openers averaged 25.83 (36.36 in '08)."

No surprises there since Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis (both right-handers) topped the batting charts by a quite a margin.

Modi also asked: "Which was (the) most productive over in IPL 2010 for chasing sides? No it wasn't the 20th. Think!"

The answer was a surprising one. Fourth over was the most one in IPL 2010 for chasing sides. It produced 9.35 runs per over.

Meanwhile, Modi arrived here this morning amid speculation that he is set to take legal action against the BCCI. He, however, was very agitated with the barrage of reporters who were seeking a comment from him at the airport and merely said, "nothing, nothing" at first before losing his cool


"Why aren't you letting me reach my car? Why are you blocking me? Can't you be gentlemen?" he fumed before being escorted to his car by his bodyguards.

Sena invites Mukesh, not SRK; Sachin, Big B say no

Months after training its guns on Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani for his “Mumbai for all” comments, the Shiv Sena has invited him to its May 1 function at the BKC, and says he has agreed to attend. But two other Mumbai icons, actor Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, have informed the Sena that they cannot.Months after training its guns on Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani for his “Mumbai for all” comments, the Shiv Sena has invited him to its May 1 function at the BKC, and says he has agreed to attend. But two other Mumbai icons, actor Amitabh Bachchan and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, have informed the Sena that they cannot.

In January, the party had slammed Ambani for describing as “unfortunate” the government decision to make knowledge of Marathi mandatory for taxi permits. Now, a party leader in charge of the guest list said, “That was a personal thing then and it has nothing to do with the May 1 event. Ambani has informed us he plans to attend, as of now. We hope he comes.”

The Sena was hoping to get Bachchan and Lata Mangeshkar on the same stage, but the actor has told the party he will be out of the state. “Bachchan has informed us he will be attending a family function, while Tendulkar will not be in the city either,” said the leader.
Tendulkar, too, had been targeted by the Sena for his comments on Mumbai. On Bachchan, on the other hand, the Sena has always been soft, with party chief Bal Thackeray writing in his favour every time he has been mired in controversy.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, who offended the Sena with his statements in support of Pakistan cricketers at the IPL, has not been invited. “The function is open to all. If he wants, he can come,” said a party leader.Columnist Shobha De, historian Babasaheb Purandare, actor and BJP leader Hema Malini and the top brass of BJP will attend.

IPL 2010 Final Match (CSK vs MI)

While the Mumbai Indians were runaway leaders in the league stage with 20 points, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings struggled to a 50:50 win-loss record to just make it to the final four. If we were to compare the two sides on paper, the Mumbai Indians have the look of comfortable winners. Sachin Tendulkar though, would know well that his side is up against the most consistent team of the IPL, a team which has gone beyond the league stages in all three seasons. Though Sachin’s presence at the final is in doubt as he got injured in last match. So overall, Mumbai has the edge in case a ‘fit’ Tendulkar returns, while Dhoni’s team would have to be favourites in case Mumbai go into the game without Sachin. Knowing Sachin though, he wouldn’t want to sit out of a big final, and expect the Master Blaster to play even if he has to hold the bat with one hand. So it will be the contest to watch out for and the winner of this battle will win the war.

Wish Sachin wins World Cup: John Wright

Ahmedabad: The best way to excel in a job is to enjoy it. And that is the secret of maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s long and consistent innings at the top flight of the game, observed former Team India coach John Wright. The New Zealander is here as a brand ambassador of the Southern Institute of Technology, New Zealand.

“I think he is still looking fit. He is enjoying the game and hungry for more…He is nearing 100 tons in international matches, which is truly Bradmanesque.

Sachin is the best batsman I have ever seen,” Wright said. Tendulkar has scored 47 Test and 46 ODI centuries in his career spanning over two decades.

The Kiwi heaped praise on the Little Master for his enthusiasm and hard work in the ongoing Indian Premier League. “You can’t imagine how much hard work Sachin is putting in to win the league for Mumbai Indians,” said Wright, who has been keenly following IPL action.

Wright is following IPL so much so that he quickly turned around to check the live telecast timing of the first semifinal of the cash-rich league between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Unfortunately for Wright, he missed the live action as was in transit to catch a Hyderabad-bound flight.

Aware of the fact that Sachin will turn 37 in three days, he wished him success for the ICC World Cup 2011. “He has conquered everything, but the World Cup. I hope he does it in 2011,” he said.

The former New Zealand captain looked pleased with the chemistry between India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten. “They have developed a good rapport. I guess this is reflected in their position as No.1 in ICC Test rankings. Against South Africa, they showed a lot of character to retain the top spot,” Wright felt.

Wright also recollected his association with the Indian team. Terming Sourav Ganguly as acharismatic leader, Wright said, “it was a privilege to work with the team, led by Sourav. He never took a step backward, which turned out to be very important. Moreover, the team had fine players like VVS (Laxman), (Rahul) Dravid, Sachin (Tendulkar), (Anil) Kumble and (Javagal) Srinath, who were the bridge between newcomers and veterans,” Wright signed off

Tendulkar's hand injury to be assessed: Zaheer

Mumbai: The condition of Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar`s hand injury would be assessed in a couple of days and a call taken whether he will play in the April 25 IPL final or not, pacer Zaheer Khan said.

"I did not have a chance to talk to Sachin in dressing room because everyone was celebrating by jumping up and down but (coach) Robin (Singh) said that the injury needed five stitches and a call will be taken on his playing (in the final) in two days` time," said Zaheer at the post-match press-conference after his side thumped Bangalore by 35 runs to storm into their maiden IPL final here.

Tendulkar suffered a right hand webbing split while taking a dropped catch of Dravid in the fourth over and he did not field after that during Bangalore`s run chase.

Zaheer said Tendulkar`s injury just three days before his 37th birthday was a "bit of worry".

"It (Tendulkar`s injury) is a bit of a worry. We hope and all Mumbai Indians fans hope that he can play in the final. We would take a call in a couple of days," he said.

Zaheer gave credit to Ambati Rayudu, who made 40 in 38 balls, and Saurabh Tiwary, who came up with a quick-fire unbeaten 52 in 31 balls, for setting up the victory for Mumbai after they lost Tendulkar and Shikhar Dhawan with only 29 on board.

"I thought both Rayudu and Tiwary batted very well. Our aim was to get to 170 as the wicket was turning and it was difficult to play Kevin Pietersen and (Anil) Kumble. And 180-plus (184 for 5) was a good total to defend. We knew we had the bowling attack," he said.

Zaheer, who captained the side with Tendulkar off the field, said the team was happy to make it to the final.

Asked if an IPL title triumph would be the ideal birthday gift to Tendulkar, Zaheer said, "It would be a belated gift."

We'll look for Sachin's mistake if face MI in semis: Dhoni

19 Apr 2010

DHARAMSALA: After guiding Chennai Super Kings to the Indian Premier League semifinal, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said his side would look for mistakes of Sachin Tendulkar if they face Mumbai Indians in the knock-out stage.DHARAMSALA: After guiding Chennai Super Kings to the Indian Premier League semifinal, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said his side would look for mistakes of Sachin Tendulkar if they face Mumbai Indians in the knock-out stage.

"If we face Mumbai Indians in the knock-out stage, we have to wait for the mistake of Sachin because little master is in top form right now and they are the hot favorites to win the IPL 3," Dhoni said at the post match press conference.

Speaking about Sunday's match, Dhoni made it clear that he was not satisfied with his bowling department which is still struggling to find rhythm.

"The main strike bowlers are still struggling to find form. They are not even capable of utilising the full quota," he said.

Asked about the last over, in which he hit a hapless Irfan Pathan for 18 runs, Dhoni said: "I am not a top-class technical player and knowing that I used my power to wrap up the show but Pathan bowled well."

Dhoni cracked an unbeaten 54 off just 29 balls to guide his team to a six-wicket victory.

He was also all praise for the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium.

"This is one of the most beautiful cricket stadiums of the world. But to host the international matches the venue has to improve. The wicket also needs improvement," he said.

"The facilities for staying here are not up to the mark and the teams have to travel 18kms and back even for practice. Air facilities also need improvement," he added.

Ooh and aah for Sachin

19 Apr 2010

Bangalore lived up to the spirit of cricket when they braved bombs, crude ones though, and stayed on to watch their boys play the game on Saturday. However, Royal Challengers Bangalore failed to show the derring-do that their fans did and chickened out when faced with a huge total put up by Mumbai Indians.The RCB vs Mumbai Indians match was one of the most crucial matches ever played. For a change, the support off the field was not unanimous. here were a large number of Sachin Tendulkar fans among the crowd.

“While my heart belongs to RCB, my head belongs to Mumbai Indians because we know they’re among the top teams,” said actress Jennifer Kotwal.

Chinnaswamy Stadium was packed but the enthusiasm didn’t reach the expected level. It was clearly the ‘Sachin factor’ that divided the crowd. There were roars and cheering when Sachin hit a six or a four and the disappointment was palpable when Sachin was bowled out by Kallis.

The fact that Sachin hadn’t performed up to people’s expectations left many unhappy. Then came A Rayudu, who hit sixes and fours and drove the team to a neat run rate, while challenging the RCB to get to that level.

RCB, who had won six of their seven matches batting second, performed below expectations. Their net run rate was affected to a considerable extent.
All along, there were Sachin fans wearing t-shirts carrying each letter of his name. Posters too screamed Sachin’s names.

The ‘Sachin mania’ among the audience was just too visible. There were a good number of Mumbai Indians’ fans most of whom came well dressed in Mumbai Indians’ t-shirts, trousers and caps.

But the DJ kept cheering on the RCB whose theme song was played in between. He applauded the Mumbai Indians also when they did well.The people were upbeat. Most of them had come mentally prepared for a fifty-fifty chance of RCB winning.

Mihi Joshi, a student from the US, who was holidaying in the City, said she loved the energy of the crowd, “I like it better when the crowd cheers for only one team. Here you have people hooting every time a six of a four is hit.”

Anindita, who is working with Accenture, said, “It was a nail-biting game and one of the most crucial matches I’ve ever watched. I will always support RCB, come what may.”
N Vinay said while he was a great Sachin fan, “I am here to cheer for RCB. It’s a tough game when the master striker is on the other side. More than the match, I come to IPL for the ambience.”

Sachin, the T20 star

19 Apr 2010

As the league stage draws to a close, a few surprises deserve to be listed. The biggest has been the success of Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. The men at the other side of 30s are now the poster boys of Twenty20 cricket.As the league stage draws to a close, a few surprises deserve to be listed. The biggest has been the success of Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis. The men at the other side of 30s are now the poster boys of Twenty20 cricket.

A couple of retired cricketers have also stood the test of time. Anil Kumble still can’t be trifled with and Sourav Ganguly can still get runs. Much as these seniors have bucked the trend, Yuvraj Singh’s form has been most disappointing.

Everyone expected Shane Warne to be a bigger force in bowling than has been the case.

Among the foreign biggies, Adam Gilchrist hasn’t lived up to his billing. Matthew Hayden is another whose failure is surprising. It’s been also a no-show from AB de Villiers and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

A few youngsters have seized the opportunity. Saurabh Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu, Naman Ojha and T. Suman have all been noticed. Harmeet Singh and R Ashwin too have had their dream moments.

Irfan Pathan’s success has gone unnoticed. He has bowled and batted manfully but everybody seems in a hurry to forget him. Robin Uthappa has been sensational and deserved to be on the plane to the Caribbean. The same is true for Amit Mishra and Murali Kartik.

A couple of other stars have gone unnoticed. Rahul Dravid batted too low down while VVS Laxman was laid low by injury and poor selection.

IPL 2010 :Tendulkar: Leading by example

12 Apr 2010

It was his highest ever score in the Indian Premier League

It ensured his team a spot in the semi-finals of the lucrative competition for the first time in three attempts.

And it helped him grab hold of the Orange Cap - for the highest scorer in the tournament with 512 runs - from Jacques Kallis' [ Images ] head.

You guessed it right - we are talking about Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ].

Tendulkar's unbeaten 59-ball 89, inclusive of 10 boundaries and two sixes, helped Mumbai Indians [ Images ] post a formidable 174 for five and eventually beat Rajasthan Royals [ Images ] at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur [ Images ] on Sunday.

The Mumbai skipper, shared a crucial 63-run fourth wicket partnership with JP Duminy [ Images ] (31) and then added 50 runs with Kieron Pollard (25) for the fifth wicket to help the table toppers recover from 30 for three.

Tendulkar, when on 45 was dropped by Aditya Dole off Siddharth Trivedi [ Images ], and the Master Blaster made the Rajasthan side pay heavily for their blunder, smashing 20 in the bowler's final over.

During his knock he surpassed Royal Banngalore Challengers' Jacques Kallis tally of 501 runs and took possession of the Orange Cap.

And his side ensured that his record - of not losing a match having scored a fifty in this tournament - remained in tact for a fifth match in succession.

IPL 2010: Rajasthan Royals & Warne beaten by Sachin Tendulkar of Mumbai Indians

12 Apr 2010

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals failed the 'Tendulkar Test' on Sunday night in the IPL3 as they were comprehensively beaten by the Mumbai Indians by 37 runs. With this win Mumbai Indians sealed their place for the semi final.aipur: Rajasthan Royals failed the 'Tendulkar Test' on Sunday night in the IPL3 as they were comprehensively beaten by the Mumbai Indians by 37 runs. With this win Mumbai Indians sealed their place for the semi final.

Sachin Tendulkr helped the Mumbai Indians to recover from thirty for three to get a competetive 174 runs in twenty overs. In reply there was complete chaos and panic in Rajasthan Royals camp as they lost eight wickets in 20 overs making 137 runs. There were three consecutive run outs in Rajasthan Royals innings.

RR paid a heavy price for dropping Sachin in his forties as he made a power packed 89 runs in just 59 balls with two sixes and ten fours. Sachin got his fifty runs in 45 balls while his last 39 runs came in 14 balls, which included two sixes and five fours. With highest runs in the IPL3 Sachin Tendulkar got the orange cap from Jacques Kallis.

Playing for the target of 175 runs Rajasthan Royals got a bad start and soon slumped to eleven for three wickets as Micheal Lumb got out for eight, Ojha got a duck and Faiz Fazal was run out for 10. They lost Fazal on 34 as their fourth wicket.

Yusuf Pathan too was a failure making just 10 runs. AC Voges, AS Raut and AP Dole put some respectability to RR's score.

For MI Zaheer Khan took tow for seventeen in his four overs. Lasith Malinga and Harbhajhan Singh too bolwed quite economocally giving 23 an 21 runs respectively.

Earlier Mumbai Indians lost their first wicket on twelve when the comeback man and the newly elected MP of Sri Lanka Mr. Sanath Jayasuriya was caught by Jhunjhunwala off the bowling of Shane Watson on his personal score of one. MI got another jolt on the same score as Ambati Rayudu was caught by the wicketkeepr Naman Ojha for a nought. Shane Watson was the bowler. Eighteen runs later MI's another hero Saurabh Tiwary was consumed by yet again Shane Watson. He was caught by Dole on his personal score of 15. JP Duminy stopped the slide and too the score to 93 runs with Tendulkar. Duminy was out on his personal score of 31 runs in 32 balls hitting four forus. In the end KA Pollard provided the peg with a quickfire 25 runs in just 13 balls hitting one six and three fours.

For the RR Shane Watson returned with the best figure of three wickets for 37 runs in four overs. Shane Warne could not get any wicket for his thirty four runs in four overs.

IPL 2010: Sachin helps Mumbai Indians secure semis spot

12 Apr 2010

JAIPUR: Skipper Sachin Tendulkar helped put up a formidable total on the board against Rajasthan Royals and his teammates then responded well as Mumbai Indians became the first team in IPL 3 to secure a semifinal spot on Sunday.JAIPUR: Skipper Sachin Tendulkar helped put up a formidable total on the board against Rajasthan Royals and his teammates then responded well as Mumbai Indians became the first team in IPL 3 to secure a semifinal spot on Sunday.

An emphatic 37-run win meant Warne's Royals were handed their first defeat in Jaipur.

The triumph maintains Mumbai Indians' stranglehold at the top of the IPL table with 16 points from 11 matches, while Shane Warne's men are at fourth spot (12 points) with two more matches to go. The loss comes as a big blow for Royals as it not only ends their eight-match winning streak at Jaipur but leaves them in a situation where they need to win both their remaining games.

Chasing a target of 175, largely built around Tendulkar's unbeaten 89 (59b; 10x4, 2x6) and some extremely poor fielding, Royals were reduced to 11/3 inside three overs and that eventually became too tough a situation to recover from. Aditya Dole (30), Adam Voges (28) and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (22) tried their best but the visitors were too good on the day, keeping the hosts down to 137-8.

Zaheer Khan led the way for Mumbai Indians, taking 2-17 in his four overs. The visitors were also brilliant on the field, securing three run-outs but they all but they were assisted by some abysmal calling between the batsmen. Harbhajan ended with figures of 1-21.

Sachin got an able ally in the form of Kieron Pollard, who struck 25 off 13 balls.

IPL 2010: Sachin special takes MI into the semis

12 Apr 2010

The Mumbai Indians have a powerful batting order, some handy pacemen, but it counts for nought unless Sachin Tendulkar pulls his weight.The Mumbai Indians have a powerful batting order, some handy pacemen, but it counts for nought unless Sachin Tendulkar pulls his weight.

This has been the case in the visitors’ last two away matches and it could have been the same on Sunday. But the Mumbai skipper’s valiant knock of 89 not out bailed his team out of a batting collapse, gave a decent score to defend, and, finally got them that elusive victory.

Mumbai Indians beat the Rajasthan Royals by 37 runs and with it confirmed a semifinal berth.

Given that these are final stages of the league matches, every tie is a pressure game and Tendulkar proved smarter in a contest that didn’t favour him initially.

No one could breach Shane Warne’s fortress in the first IPL, but the Master Blaster is used to doing the unthinkable. Combative, industrious and fertile, Tendulkar showed why he is a cricketer of the highest calibre whose record and speed of scoring speak for themselves.

Being pegged back after Shane Watson made early inroads in the Mumbai top order, Tendulkar played a waiting game after Sanath Jayasuriya and Ambati Rayudu were sent back in the second over and Saurabh Tiwary’s wicket in the fourth proved to be a big blow.

It takes guts and imagination to recover after losing three quick wickets and Tendulkar showed both qualities in plenty. He carved a partnership with JP Duminy to get hold of a match that was fast slipping away. They pushed for the singles, punished the loose deliveries and avoided anything silly to negate wicket-taking opportunities.

Tendulkar deployed the sweep shot against Warne, often stepped out for the big hits and never showed any sign of vulnerability.

Mumbai reached 100 in the 14th over, Tendulkar clinched his 50 in the 16th and the visitors finished with 174 at the end of 20 overs.

Mumbai scored 68 runs in the last five overs and carried that momentum with the ball to beat the Royals convincingly.

DLF IPL 2010: Sachin’s knock helps Mumbai to reach Semi-finals

12 Apr 2010

Captain Sachin Tendulkar played a brilliant knock of 89 of 59 balls to get his team in the last four of this year’s Indian Premier League.Captain Sachin Tendulkar played a brilliant knock of 89 of 59 balls to get his team in the last four of this year’s Indian Premier League.

Mumbai started their innings by losing the wickets of Sanath Jayasuriya but Captain Tendulkar kept the thing going from the other end. He got some support from JP Duminy , 31 off 32 balls and Kieron Pollard’s 21 of 13 balls. Pollar again failed to get a big score but somehow he helped his captain to play his natural game.

The turning point of the match was surely Dole dropping Sachin’s catch at 45. If he had taken that catch then Royals would have taken the match away from the Indians. But the odds favoured Sachin and Co. as they ended their innings at 174/5 from 20 Overs.

Royals’ opening duo was in a good form but Mumbai bowling line-up was too strong for them. Michael Lumb was the first one to go after JP Duminy picked up a superb catch in the point of Dhawal Kulkarni’s delivery.

Zaheer Khan bowled out a brilliant first spell that also saw a chaotic run out that cost Shane Watson’s wickets for the Royals.

Wicket Keeper Naman Ojha who is having a brilliant IPL with his bat went out for a duck after Zaheer Khan hit the right spot and Sachin Tendulkar took a brilliant catch in the slips.

Royals’ lower order tried to fight it out but then it didn’t help. There was an attempt of recovery from Abhishek Jhunjhunwala(22), Adam Voges, Abhishek Raut and Aditya Dole but Indians ensured that they reach the Semi-final by winning this game and so they did.

Zaheer Khan was spot on and was well supported by ace bowlers Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh.

Captain Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged the Man of the Match last night for his brilliant innings. He is also the Orange Cap holder in IPL with that great knock.

Game changed after Tendulkar's retirement: Harbhajan

07 Apr 2010

After Chennai Super Kings hauled its semifinal bid back on course with a 24-run win over Mumbai Indians, Harbhajan Singh acknowledged that the complexion of the game changed after Sachin Tendulkar's retirement in the ninth over.

“If Sachin had stayed till the 15th over, things might have been very different,” he said.

Though Sachin returned at the fall of the seventh wicket, Mumbai's batting collapse meant that there was too much to do, even for Sachin.

Harbhajan, however, refused to blame the batsmen for their first collective failure in the tournament. “We have to give them a lot of encouragement for what they have done (so far in the tournament). They have done a tremendous job and have won us a lot of games. It is just this one match that they haven't clicked.”

Asked if the slow nature of the pitch surprised him, especially after the run-fest against Rajasthan Royals, Harbhajan said, “It looked quick on tv, but while batting it seemed slow. Keeping them to 165 was not a bad bowling effort, but we should have got there. Chennai bowled and fielded really well.”

Suresh Raina said that Chennai was slowly gathering momentum and that he was pleased with the intensity that the side displayed in the field.

“The bowlers did a great job, especially Ashwin, Jakati and Mirando. The total was not very defendable and we knew we had to do well in the fielding department.”

Chennai caught well in the outfield, and barring one near collision in the deep between M. Vijay and Thushara which almost let off Kieron Pollard, the fielding was solid.

“Overall if you enjoy it (fielding) you do well, and I thought we went out there and enjoyed ourselves,” summed up Raina.

"Sachin's injury cost us the match"

Mumbai bowler Harbhajan Singh said that captain Sachin Tendulkar’s injury was the cause for the team's loss.Mumbai bowler Harbhajan Singh said that captain Sachin Tendulkar’s injury was the cause for the team's loss.

By Aditya Ramachandran

“Sachin is obviously better now. His coming out due to cramp was also a cause for our loss. Youngsters like Rayadu and Tiwari were out quickly and we were not able to put up good partnerships. It is part of the game. If Sachin had stayed at the wicket for 15 overs, the story would have been different. Sachin showed tremendous commitment. And I would give full credits to him for the effort he put in,” Harbhajan said.

On the performance of youngsters in the team, who have contributed in Mumbai’s winning streak, Harbhajan said “We have to congratulate them for what they have done. They have won a lot of games for us. This is one of the games where they did not click. We have a lot of faith in them. They are all young and exciting cricketers. They all have done well for us and I am sure they will do better in our future games too.”

“It was quite a wicket to bat on. It is a little on the slower side from what I have seen from the last two three games. It looked pretty quick on the television, but when I was batting there it looked pretty slow to me. May be they have been playing a lot of games on this strip. I think 166 is still a very good bowling effort.”

Harbhajan also said, “I must say that Chennai bowled very well and their fielding was also brilliant. They played better cricket than us. Hopefully, we will get our act together and go back to the winning ways.”

On sharing the new ball, Harbhajan said, “I had to take the responsibility as the senior bowler in the team and I bowled three overs. We had the plan to use the slower bowlers against Matthew Hayden since he is a very dangerous player when he is in his flow. We were just trying to use slower bowlers and I have done well against him. Luckily it went my way today. Normally in T20 bowlers are the ones on the receiving end. God has been kind to me.”

Harbhajan said that it was great to play under Tendulkar, who is leading the team from the front. “To me Sachin is a very good captain. It is great to have a player like Sachin Tendulkar leading the side from the front and scoring runs and winning matches for us. I am really enjoying each and every moment playing alongside him and under him.”

On Zaheer Khan's fitness, Harbhajan was happy that he is available for their next match. “Zaheer is much better than before. All I can say is that he is ready for the next game. He had a bit of swelling on his left knee due to a hit the other day. His being ready for the next match should be good for us.”

On Murali Vijay's knocks in their previous two outings and dismissing him rather cheaply, Harbhajan said, “I had plans on how to take his wicket. Vijay has been batting really well. It is great to see another youngster performing like this. He will get a lot of confidence out of this. And, when he comes out to play for India, it is a great thing for us to have a player like him in the Indian side.

Harbhajan explained that his plan was to get Vijay out instead of bowling dot balls. “I wanted to get him out rather than just bowl dot balls because he is a kind of player who can score of a lot of runs in a very short time.”

Suresh Raina, the man of the match, said, “Everyone bowled well. I think 190 is a defendable total, but 150-160 is tough to defend. In such a scenario, we need to field well, and we fielded exceptionally. The more we enjoy, the better we field. Also, bowlers such as Jakati, Thushara and Ashwin bowled well. They didn’t give away too many boundaries.”

He said that they have to keep the momentum going. “I am happy that we have struck momentum. Having won three matches in a row, we are in a good position to reach the semi-finals. But we want to keep this streak going, and we have a few big matches coming up. All of them are do-or-die matches.

“Murali Vijay and Matthew Hayden have been batting well. Badrinath and Hussey made a valuable contribution. Skipper’s knock was equally important. Cricket is a team game and we are enjoying each other’s success.”

He said that players have gained a lot playing under Dhoni. “When you know that you are playing alongside him, you tend to put in a better effort, and obviously many players like Manpreet Gony, Shadab Jakati, S Badrinath and M Vijay have benefited.

On the team having a week's rest before playing Kolkata, Raina said, “It’s good to have a few days to refresh ourselves now, so that the players get enough time to think about their game, and obviously we are pretty tired. It won’t stop our momentum.”

Chennai Beats Mumbai Indians while Sachin Tendulkar gets hurt

07 Mar 2010

Chennai Beats Mumbai Indians while Sachin Tendulkar gets hurt  In another pulsating encounter of the Indian Premier League the Chennai Super Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by 24 runs.

Batting first at the Chidambram stadium in Chennai, the hosts posted a challenging total of 165 for the loss of 4 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Interestingly the highest score by a Chennai batsman was a paltry 35, as almost all the batsmen contributed with useful twenties and thirties to propel the hosts to a total beyond the 150 run mark. Skipper MS Dhoni was the second best contributor scoring a stroke filled 31, while Suresh Badrinath provided the late impetus to the innings with 30 runs of a mere 22 balls, Badrinath’s innings included 4 fours in all.

Suresh Raina scored 23, while Mike Hussey and Murali Vijay the centurion from the last match managed 14 runs each.

The Mumbai Indians generally kept a tight leash on the Chennai Super Kings who had smashed the Rajashtan Royals to the tune of a 240 run plus total in their last encounter. The hosts succeeded in clearing the boundary just twice in their innings, with Hayden, and Raina hitting one six each.

For the Indians their powerful bowling line-up was at the fore again, with Kevin Pollard proving to be an unlikely hero with his medium pacers claiming figures of 2 for 27 in his four over quota.

The chase for the Mumbai Indians did not seem much of a challenge for a team that has in their ranks arguably the greatest batsman of all time Sachin Tendulkar.

The master blaster started the chase cautiously as 46 runs were posted on the board in the opening partnership between him and Suresh Dhawan, the left-handed Dhawan fell for 16 in the seventh over.

In a body blow to the Indians Tendulkar retired hurt with the total at 62 in the ninth over of the innings, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, suffered cramps after contributing 45 runs off only 35 balls, with six fours.

Perhaps after 20 years of international cricket, Tendulkar’s body is finally giving in! His departure meant that the Indians needed 104 of the last eleven overs.

The Indians failed to sustain the pressure losing six wickets for the addition of only 24 runs, as the chase withered away, the match was all but over when the eighth wicket fell with only 105 runs on the board.

The middle-order comprising of Bravo, Pollard, Tiwary, Rayudu, Satish and Mclaren had no answer to the Chennai Super Kings attack.

Ashwin, and Sri lankan import Thilan Tushara captured two sclaps each, conceding only 22 and 16 runs respectively.

With the total at 105 for 8, “turbanator” Harbhajan Singh slammed a rapid fire 33 off only 23 balls his innings included three sixes, and two fours, yet it was too little too late for the Mumbai Indians.

They were restricted to 141 for 9 in their 20 overs, handing a 24 run win to the hosts, who have now made a grand comeback in the tournament after a string of defeats.

Suresh Rania was declared the man of the match for his all-round show, in the crucial encounter.

Despite the defeat the Mumbai Indians, still sit pretty at the top of the ranking with seven wins from a total of nine matches.

The Chennai Super Kings have now somewhat resurrected their campaign, and still have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals, they are currently placed at the fourth spot in the eight team league, with five wins from ten matches.

IPL 2010: All captains except Sachin under pressure

04 Apr 2010

MUMBAI: As the third edition of the IPL enters the second half, an introspection of captains’ makes an interesting reading. Out of the eight captains, Sachin Tendulkar of Mumbai Indians has a 90 per cent success record with only one loss (against Royal Challengers) from seven matches while other captains have been under some sort of pressure to perform. 

The 36-year-old Tendulkar is leading by example. His batting has been exemplary. He is the second highest run-getter with 314 runs. He is calm and has kept things under control. Some young players think it is a golden chance to play under the little master. Even cricketers like Kieron Pollard of West Indies have respected the way he has handled the team. “As a captain he does a lot of little things which you really can’t explain. I’m really cherishing this opportunity,” said Pollard on Tendulkar’s captaincy.

There is more determination in Tendulkar’s methods this season. 

TA Sekar, the Mumbai Indians team director, too, thinks highly of Tendulkar’s role as a captain. “After 20 years of international cricket Sachin knows better than anyone exactly what to do and what not to do in crunch situations.” But for other captains like Anil Kumble (Royal Challengers), MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings), Gautam Gambhir (Delhi Daredeveils), Sourav Ganguly (Kolkata Knight Riders) Shane Warne (Rajasthan Royals), Adam Gilchrist (Deccan Chargers) and Kumar Sangakkara, it has varied from mixed fortunes to desperation.

Kumble and Dhoni have been hard taskmasters. Their leadership will be tested in the next few days. Ganguly and Warne are known for their aggressive captaincy. Ganguly faces a stern test as KKR are wobbling at the half-way stage. Warne has always been an inspirational captain as evident from Rajasthan Royals rise from the bottom of the table. Young Gambhir, in his first year as captain, is learning the tricks with two good shows. Gilchrist, winning captain of the last year’s IPL, seems to be struggling. But Sangakkara, the Lankan captain, seems to be worst affected this time. The fissure in the Kings XI team has not been the right recipe for success. Yuvraj Singh has reportedly failed to come to terms ever since Sangakkara was given the captaincy. It is no surprise that the team is languishing at the bottom of the table with only a win from seven matches

IPL 2010: Sachin in danger of being banned

1 Apr 2010

Mumbai: Mumbai Indians' bowlers have their job cut out. Bowl your overs within the stipulated time or lose your skipper for the next game. Sachin Tendulkar has been fined USD 40,000 after his team failed to maintain the over-rate in the game against Punjab on Tuesday night. This is their second such offence and a third will mean that Tendulkar will be banned for a game.

Each of the players of the team were also slapped with a USD 10,000 fine. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the IPL said: "Mumbai Indians have been fined for maintaining a slow over rate during last night's IPL match against Kings XI Punjab in Mumbai."

At the end of the match, Mumbai Indians were assessed to be one over behind the required rate after allowances were taken into consideration.

Mumbai next take on Deccan Chargers on April 3 at the Brabourne Stadium, which will also be their sixth home game. Any slip-up in the over-rate in that game means they will miss Tendulkar in their away game against Chennai on April 6.

Ipl 2010: Mumbai Indians bowlers can save Sachin from ban

1 Apr 2010

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is in danger of being suspended for a match. If the bowlers of Mumbai Indians, of which he is skipper, continue with their slow over rate in one more match, the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) premier batsman could pay for their action.Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is in danger of being suspended for a match. If the bowlers of Mumbai Indians, of which he is skipper, continue with their slow over rate in one more match, the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) premier batsman could pay for their action.

Tendulkar has been slapped with a fine of $40,000 for his team not completing their quota of overs in the stipulated time, in their match against Kings XI Punjab on Tuesday. It was the second such offence by the team. The third will result in the skipper’s suspension as per IPL rules.

“Since it was Mumbai Indians’ second offence of the season, under the IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over rate offences, captain Sachin Tendulkar was fined $40,000 and each player in the team $10,000,” an IPL release said on Wednesday.

At the end of Tuesday’s match, Mumbai Indians were assessed to be one over behind the required rate after allowances were taken into consideration. Each team is required to complete their 20 overs in 75 minutes.

As part of the IPL’s crackdown on slow over rates, one captain has already had to face suspension. Kings XI Punjab skipper Kumar Sangakkara had to sit out of Tuesday’s match at the Brabourne because his side committed the offence thrice. Stand-in skipper Mahela Jayawardene has said the time allowed for 20 overs is not enough as too many things happen too fast during an innings. 

Mumbai Indians’ next match is against the Deccan Chargers at the Brabourne stadium on Saturday.

Wins for Super Kings, Daredevils

1 Apr 2010

Jacques Kallis regained the orange cap for the IPL's top scorer from Sachin Tendulkar yesterday.Unfortunately that was the extent of the good news for his team, the Bangalore Royal Challengers, as they lost by five wickets to the Chennai Super Kings.

Bangalore batted first, scoring 161/4, which seemed below par. Kallis made 52 off 49 balls but the rest of the batting flattered to deceive, getting starts but never staying at the wicket for very long.

In reply Chennai made 166/5, winning with an over to spare, Murali Vijay hammering 78 from 39 balls.

The Delhi Daredevils batted first against the Rajasthan Royals, and totalled 188/6.

Dinesh Karthik starred for Delhi, making 69 from 38 balls. Shaun Tait bowled the most expensive spell in the IPL so far, conceding 53 runs.

The Royals lost two wickets in the first over, one of them Michael Lumb, just selected for the England team in the World Twenty20, and slumped to 121 all out in the 18th over, losing by 67 runs.