IPL 5: Marauding Delhi up against scratchy Mumbai

The recent form of Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians suggests that the clash between the two IPL heavyweights on Friday will be more than just another round-robin tie. While the former has emerged as a formidable unit in this edition of the tournament, the latter has just about managed to scrape through so far.
Delhi are sitting top of the table and are coming into this match after a resounding eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors India. Their batting and bowling are clicking simultaneously, and it would be hard to deny the fact that the arrival of their 'big ticket' players – Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor – has given Delhi a big boost. While Pietersen, coming at No. 3, has enthused self-belief in the side with his big-hitting, Jayawardene opening the batting with skipper Virender Sehwag has proved ideal for the team's fortunes. Although New Zealand skipper Taylor has had quiet four matches, one would expect him to join the big-hitting bandwagon sooner rather than later. And the Delhi think-tank must be credited for playing their best batsmen at the top, which has earned them rich dividends.


Just like their batting, their bowling too is dependent heavily on the prowess of their foreign recruit Morne Morkel. The South African speedster has troubled all the batsmen in the league so far, picking up 16 wickets and wearing the Purple Cap as a result. And although there are no major contributors apart from Morkel, as far as taking wickets is concerned, Umesh Yadav and Shahbaz Nadeem have supported their South African spearhead well. And the news of Varun Aaron also being fit for the rest of the event will add an extra spark to the Delhi firepower. Aaron's return after a long injury layoff will also force Yadav to put in extra effort. But it's hard to see the hosts making any changes to the side that beat Pune in an away tie.
Mumbai, on the other hand, will enter Friday's contest after beating Kings XI Punjab in a nervy last-over battle. Some audacious batting at the end by Ambati Rayudu and Robin Peterson and some ordinary bowling by Piyush Chawla allowed Mumbai to get the better of a side that had beaten them in the first leg of this season. Mumbai’s batting, although strengthened with the arrival of Sachin Tendulkar, still hasn't performed on the expected lines. Though Rohit Sharma has played two match-winning innings – his 73 not out against Deccan Chargers and 50 against Punjab – the visitors will want their No. 3 batsman to do that on a consistent basis. Kieron Pollard too has been patchy so far this season. In fact, he has contributed more with the ball than bat, taking 11 wickets for the team.
Mumbai's bowling has been looking thin in the absence of Lasith Malinga, who is nursing a back injury. The team will also want Munaf Patel to do the talking with his bowling rather than swearing at his opponents. The medium-pacer went for 44 in his four-over spell against Punjab. And if Harbhajan Singh was not leading the side, he might have found it difficult to maintain his place in the playing eleven. The offspinner has shockingly taken just one wicket in seven matches so far.
Pragyan Ojha may once again find himself out of the line-up as his replacement, left-armer Peterson, can also contribute with the bat lower down the order. RP Singh is bound to get another game after his 1 for 27 in the last game. It also remains to be seen if the team management gives the Australian paceman Clint McKay another chance. But since the wicket at the Feroz Shah Kotla yielded plenty of runs in the last game, Mumbai may want to pack their line-up with players who can contribute both with the bat and ball.
Probable XIs:
Delhi Daredevils: 1 Mahela Jayawardene, 2 Virender Sehwag (capt), 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Naman Ojha, 6 Irfan Pathan, 7 Yogesh Nagar, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Pawan Negi
Mumbai Indians: 1 James Franklin, 2 Sachin 3 Tendulkar, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Kieron Pollard, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Ambati Rayudu, 7 Harbhajan Singh (capt), 8 Robin Peterson, 9 RP Singh, 10 Munaf Patel, 11 Clint McKay

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Kumar Sangakkara relieved after Deccan Chargers' first win

Pune: Deccan Chargers’ captain Kumar Sangakkara expressed his satisfaction after his side registered its first win of this year’s IPL when they beat Pune Warriors India by 18 runs on Thursday.
Deccan suffered five consecutive losses before opening their account with one point from the wash out match against Kolkata Knight Riders a few days ago. But despite a victory against Pune, and gaining two points from the match, Deccan are still at the bottom of the points table. "[We are] finally on the board [took full points]. A great effort, especially by Cameron White with the bat," Sangakkara said after the match on Thursday. "We played Rusty [Theron] for a purpose and he was outstanding. And young Ashish Reddy [also] played well," he added praising his players.


Pune’s captain Sourav Ganguly accepted that it’s not the toss but the extra 15-20 runs given by his bowlers proved decisive at the end. "As I said at the toss I would have fielded [anyway], [but] we gave away 15-20 runs extra. We did not have partnerships. Someone [any of the batsmen] needed to carry on [and score big runs]," Ganguly said after his team’s back-to-back losses, first against Delhi Daredevils on April 24 and now against Deccan.
White, who was adjudged Man-of-the-Match for his whirlwind 46-ball 78, hoped that the win would begin a series of good performances. "It's a good feeling to get a win. [We have] been under pressure as a team. Hopefully it's the start of a few wins in a row," he said.

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IPL 5: Gayle wants to be an allrounder for RCB

Mumbai: Having smashed the bowlers around with impunity in the Indian Premier League (IPL), West Indian batting powerhouse Chris Gayle is ready to roll his arm over as well and chip in for Royal Challengers Bangalore. "I want to play my part with both bat and bowl. I am ready for the chance whenever the captain asks me," he told PTI.
While Gayle has amassed 250 runs, the highest for the Bangalore franchise, in seven games, he has bowled only a few overs and gone wicket-less. The former Windies skipper, who has a top score of 87 this IPL season and a strike rate of plus 150, is happy with his display so far and hoped he can continue to perform well for the remainder of the tournament.


"It is good to get some runs at the start. Hopefully can continue and capitalise on the start and try and make the best use of it. You want to start good and have runs under the belt. You don't want to leave it too late. It is going to be a key as well going into the tournament. As a player you want to start well and have some confidence. It is a situation where you get a start but you don't want to settle for it and want to keep going."
About the number of last ball or last over results in this season, Gayle said the credit should go to the bowlers of various teams. "Sometimes you need to give credit to the bowler as well. Bowlers try to restrict the batsmen and then the last one or two overs can change the game. But it also depends on the number of wickets you have. Guys bowl well and you have to appreciate that," he observed.
Gayle said that it has been a very close tournament so far with only Deccan Chargers without a victory under their belt.
"Honestly it is going to be tough (to predict about teams finishing in the top 4 and qualify for the play-offs) as all the teams are playing well. Deccan are the only team who haven't won a game yet. Later on things might be difficult for all the teams. It is a situation where everyone is neck and neck."

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Kevin Pietersen terms Sachin Tendulkar the greatest ever

Noida: England and Delhi Daredevils’ batsman Kevin Pietersen believes that Sachin Tendulkar is the "greatest ever" to have played the game of cricket. "Sachin is a magnificent player. He is the greatest player ever played [the game], he said on the sidelines of an event.
Pietersen, along with Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene, has added stability to Delhi’s batting and has been in a good form ever since he joined the team after playing a series with England in Sri Lanka. When asked about the team’s strategy for their game against Mumbai Indians on Friday, the right-hander, said it’s hard to predict the outcome of a T20 game and getting two points against Mumbai will be their top priority. “In Twenty20, anything can happen. It's hard to predict the result and we will try to win two points [against Mumbai]," he said.


The South African-born English cricketer, who scored a whirlwind century (103 not out) in his third match for Delhi against Deccan Chargers, said while growing up, though he saw a number of good batsmen play, he didn’t copy anyone of them. "I don't follow anybody. I grew up in South Africa and loved watching Jonty Rhodes and Hansie Cronje. Other than that I liked Mark Waugh [batting]. There are a few people I enjoy watching them play but I can't be somebody else."
When asked to compare playing at the Lord’s and Feroz Shah Kotla, Pietersen said, "Lord's is a traditional, English [ground]. There are knowledgeable people [there]. At Kotla it is intense [and] loud. I have a lot of respect for the crowd here. It's louder than any other [venue]."

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IPL 5: Yuvraj Singh visits Pune dug-out

Pune: Yuvraj Singh, who is recovering from a rare germ cell cancer between his lungs, Thursday met his Pune Warriors India team-mates and was seen in good spirits, enjoying his side's IPL match against Deccan Chargers here. Yuvraj, who returned to the country earlier this month after treatment in the United States for more than two months, was seen waving to the crowd at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium and talking to his team-mates.
He hugged Robin Uthappa and Murali Kartik before having a chat with team owner Subrata Roy's son Seemanto Roy. Yuvraj said he was feeling better and aiming to return to cricket in two or three months. "I'm starting to feel better, eating a lot of organic food. Doesn't taste good but I have to eat it. I'm starting to walk more. I can't say a time. Maybe two or three months. Depends on my body. Hopefully I'll come back fast," Yuvraj said just before the match.


"I wanted to go and take guard today but I was happy to hit a few balls and see my team-mates. I am happy to see my friends and of course the crowd. It's nice to be back among my team-mates and friends. It's special today," he said.
Yuvraj, who captained Pune Warriors India last season, thanked the fans, friends and well wishers for supporting him in his hour of crisis. "It was hard for me to digest when I was diagnosed. But that's the way life is. I've fought a tough battle, it's been gruelling for me and my family. I've had a lot of support, a lot of love. If you have your family's support it helps. I had support from the nation," an emotional Yuvraj said.
"At the moment I'm fine, hopefully I can return soon. Chemotherapy is tough on the body, but I was positive. I want to thank the fans, friends and the BCCI for their support," he added. Asked about the chances of Pune Warriors India's in the tournament, Yuvraj said, "The team is playing well. Dada [Sourav Ganguly] is leading the team well. The younger players are doing well. You never know we can go to the final." Pune skipper Ganguly, meanwhile, was happy that Yuvraj came here to boost the morale of the team. "It's good to see him, he's in the dug out."

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IPL 5: Bhajji's wicket drought does not worry Pollock

New Delhi: Mumbai Indians bowling coach and mentor Shaun Pollock on Thursday said that there is nothing to worry about captain Harbhajan Singh's extended lean patch with the ball. The Mumbai skipper has so far got only one wicket from seven Indian Premier League games, but Pollock feels it's just a matter of time before the senior offspinner strikes form.
"Harbhajan sets very high standards for himself and his performance hasn't been that bad. Obviously, he hasn't got a lot wickets but that is not something we are worried about," Pollock said here ahead of Mumbai Indians match against Delhi Daredevils here on Friday.


Asked whether Harbhajan was bowling a bit flat considering a bowlers limitations in Twenty20 cricket, Pollock tried to put things into perspective. "It depends on what situation you are bowling and to whom you are bowling. There are times when he is coming to bowl with two set batsmen at the crease. It is difficult to throw the ball up in these situations as to when you are bowling to a new batsmen," the former South African captain said.
"But there is no doubt about the fact that he has played a lot of cricket here and knows the conditions very well." Asked about Lasith Malinga, who has just joined the squad after a brief lay-off due to back injury, Pollock said, "Lasith knows his body best. He will understand how he feels after bowling on Thursday. He will take a call on his availability for Friday's match."
Robin Peterson, who changed the complexion of the match against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday with his innovative switch-hits, bowled only one over in the last game, but Pollock defended the decision. "It was decided that Peterson will come into bowl at later stages, but then something happened in the previous over which forced the skipper to change the decision. Hopefully, he will bowl more in the coming matches," he said.
Pollock feels there is no reason why the Mumbai outfit can't repeat their terrific performance against Punjab again. "Obviously, this kind of performance boost the confidence and also help gain momentum and self belief." Asked about the Indian government's decision to nominate Sachin Tendulkar for the Upper House, Rajya Sabha, Pollock said in zest, "I don't know anything about Parliament. For me MP means 'My Player'."

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IPL 5: Nadeem nervy ahead of contest with Sachin

New Delhi: It's not everyday that a domestic cricketer gets an opportunity to bowl to a legend like Sachin Tendulkar in a competitive match and talented Jharkhand left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem is the first one to admit that there is a lot of pressure on him. Nadeem, who has been a surprise package for the Delhi Daredevils having bowled at an economy rate of less than six runs per over in the seven matches, "I have bowled against Sachin paaji in the nets during IPL 3 but I will be bowling against him for the first time in a competitive game. Of course there is additional pressure but I know that I have to perform well," Nadeem told PTI Bhasha.
Asked if he had some strategy planned for Tendulkar, Nadeem went on the defensive. "Can anyone succeed by just having a particular strategy against a batsman of his calibre? My only job will be to perform to the best of my abilities." The Jharkhand lad idolises Daniel Vettori and wants to get tips from the New Zealander on how to get better as a bowler. "Vettori is my idol. I grew up watching him. I could not get chance to meet him but I would love to seek some tips from the great bowler," the 23-year-old from Bokaro, said.


Nadeem feels that Delhi Daredevils captain Virender Sehwag has been an inspiration and his constant encouragement has helped him evolve as a bowler. "Everyone knows Virubhai's calibre as a batsman. As a captain, he is inspirational and always motivates youngsters."
Son of a policeman, Nadeem's interest in sport grew watching youngsters train at the big ground near his house. Having played for India U-19, Nadeem also played club cricket for Kolkata's first division club Town AC. He harboured aspirations to play for Bengal (in Ranji Elite division) but was pipped by another outstation boy Iresh Saxena from Faridabad. That prompted his return to Jharkhand and play for them in the Plate League. But with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and to some extent Saurabh Tiwary's example right in front of him, the slightly built left-arm spinner could aim at bigger glories. "Dhoni has taught us, the small-town boys, that one must dare to dream. From Ranchi, he not only captained India but also created new milestones," he signed off.

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IPL 5: Delhi aware of Tendulkar threat, says Simmons

New Delhi: Delhi Daredevils coach Eric Simmons Thursday said his team was aware of the threat posed by the return of Sachin Tendulkar from injury as they get ready to host Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday. "Sachin [Tendulkar] is back, that makes a difference. They [Mumbai] are coming off a good win," Simmons told reporters here.
Tendulkar missed action after getting hit on his finger in the opening game on April 4 and returned to the opening slot against Kings XI Punjab Wednesday. Simmons said Delhi would look to take the positives from their big win in the first-leg match against the Harbhajan Singh-led side. "Good win against them last time. We will take the positives from that game."


Delhi thrashed Mumbai Indians by seven wickets after bowling them out for 92 at the Wankhede Stadium on April 17. While Delhi are expecting a tough encounter, Simmons said winning matches from the jaws of defeat test a team. "It's good to win from losing position, it's always good to win from tough situations."
Delhi could not train on Thursday due to bad weather. "Today was an optional practice. Ideally, we would have loved to have a few hits," the coach said. From skipper Virender Sehwag to New Zealander Ross Taylor, the hosts' batting is loaded with world-class strokemakers. Asked if there is a tendency to get complacent at times, especially with the presence of stars such as Kevin Pietersen and Mahela Jayawardene in the line-up, Simmons said, "We have three very experienced overseas players. They are all very experienced and know their roles."
He lauded the bowlers for their consistent showings. Talking about the tweakers, the South African said, "Four important aspects for spinners are loop, turn, bounce and drift." Simmons was delighted to see Sehwag scoring runs consistently and also praised promising youngster Pawan Negi. "Viru has played some exceptional knocks and Negi is a very talented player," Simmons, who prefers to keep the opposition guessing as far as his team's strategies are concerned, said.

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IPL 5: Harbhajan Singh falling apart as Mumbai Indians skipper

Mumbai Indians have been playing far below their potential in this IPL season. Apply cricketing logic to it, and you will get reasons aplenty for their indifferent show. But the change they made just before the commencement of their IPL 5 campaign could have a lot to do with Mumbai's topsy-turvy ride.
Sachin Tendulkar handed over the Mumbai Indians captaincy to Harbhajan Singh before the tournament opener against Chennai Super Kings. And it won't be wrong to admit that after his successful Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) sojourn last season, the Turbantor - who has just one wicket in seven matches this season - has so far failed miserably as a player and been an average captain.


India's top spinner 12 months back has looked a spent force ever since India's debacle in England. And when the Ranji Trophy rigours failed to get the best out of him, he had everything to play for in the IPL. Considering that captaincy brought the best out of him in Mumbai's CLT20 triumph, Sachin's decision to step down must have been to give Harbhajan the best chance to make an India comeback.
Historically in the IPL, there have been instances where inspiring captaincy has taken the team forward. The best that comes to mind is former Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist, who guided Deccan to the title in 2009 after they had finished last in the league's inaugural edition. And this year, it looks like the turn of Indian stalwarts Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, who are proving inspirational as the skippers of Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals respectively.
One has to stop short of putting Harbhajan in that category despite a CLT20 trophy in his kitty, because where Ganguly, Gilchrist and Dravid have led from the front, Harbhajan's personal performance for Mumbai Indians has been up and down. Plus, Harbhajan's handling of the team is poles apart from how Tendulkar did the job in the previous four editions. His act of forcing the on-field umpire to ask for a review and inability to keep Munaf Patel's unnecessary aggression in check have shown Harbhajan in bad light as a captain.
At the same time, Harbhajan is a lucky captain as well, as he leads a team brimming with talent and players with the ability to win matches single-handedly. Tendulkar, Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Lasith Malinga are names that need to introduction. And even when Harbhajan has failed to deliver as the team's leading spin option, these names have stepped up to hide their captain's mediocre performance.
But there is still time left for the Mumbai skipper to get his train back on track. The league is just at its midway stage, and a back-in-form Harbhajan will not only strengthen the team but also give Mumbai a more confident skipper, who in turn will brighten his chances of a return to the Indian team.

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IPL 5 is Immigrant Premier League

New Delhi: Almost half of the cash-rich Indian Premier League's fifth season has passed, and until now, other than Ajinkya Rahane and Shahbaz Nadeem, no other Indian player has hit the consistency curve. No doubt, Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel and Sourav Ganguly have done some brilliant job with the wood and leather, but none of them have been consistent.
This season, teams have been seen to be relying more on their four foreign players rather than the seven Indians in the XI. Be it Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, Morkel brothers Albie and Morne, Jesse Ryder, Shaun Marsh, Kieron Pollard, Dale Steyn or AB de Villiers, all have so far proved pivotal to where their respective team stands.

No matter whether it's a wining team like Delhi Daredevils or consistent losers like Deccan Chargers, the overseas players in their ranks have been the most impressive. And especially in Deccan's case, it’s quite apparent that if they were to be rescued from their current rock-bottom position, they can only look up to their foreign recruits Kumar Sangakkara, Steyn, Cameron White, JP Duminy and Daniel Christian, as they don't have enough Indian firepower in their camp.
Morne Morkel's spell against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings helped Delhi hold their position on top of the points table. Pietersen's century against Deccan was a sight to behold, Marsh's knocks are scripting Kings XI Punjab's resurgence, Steyn has proved to be unplayable, de Villiers can’t seem to do anything wrong even when trying innovative strokes and Chris Gayle's five consecutive sixes off Rahul Sharma have given IPL 5 some unforgettable memories.
And ironically, IPL, which has been regarded as the platform to identify India's domestic talents, isn't throwing up many young players in the limelight in its fifth season. Barring Ajinkya Rahane, who looks ready to play all three formats for India, there's no other name that flashes before the eyes. Rather it's the foreigners who are dominating top positions in the batting and bowling charts.
All we can hope for is that the fringe Indian players will come to the fore towards the business end of the league and match the foreigners shoulder to shoulder.

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Pune eager to bounce back against Hyderabad

PUNE: Team Hyderabad finally opened their points tally after a rained-out tie over Team Kolkata at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday. Team Pune too enjoyed a first.

Their first major partnership when Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey batted 18.4 overs together for 145 runs. When both teams face off at the Subrata Roy Sahara stadium here on Thursday night, they may not be able to take heart from the above positives.

Hyderabad arrived in the city late on Wednesday and won't have much time adjusting to the heat and humidity. A washout generally has a negative effect on the body and mind.

Pune skipped practice on the eve of the match. Despite losing just two wickets against Delhi on a slowish pitch on Tuesday, their batting wasn't up to T20 standards.

Inspirational paceman Ashok Dinda, who has missed three games due to a side strain, is still not certain to play against Hyderabad. He is a huge asset to the team because he opens up one more foreigner's slot in the team by edging out one overseas paceman and gives the team the possibility of bringing in the all-round skills of Marlon Samuels.

If the Gahunje wicket behaves differently, the visitors have Dale Steyn, the most skilful cricketer by miles from either side, to make a mark. Although the Pune fans would want the home team to win, they wouldn't mind a fast-bowling exhibition from the South African star.

Both captains have a lot of work to do. They are not in a position to sit back and enjoy. Pune's Sourav Ganguly has to get his four foreigners right.

Luke Wright looked ordinary against Delhi, but the Hyderabad batsmen are 'capable' enough to make a hero out of him. Alfonso Thomas is a blow hot, blow cold bowler. He needs runs on the board, batsmen of less pedigree and a little bit of luck to deliver. Steven Smith didn't get to bat against Delhi. Undoubtedly, the lower middle-order is the ideal spot to bat for him.

Kumar Sangakkara can continue to say in the team meetings that they are just one step away from turnaround. But until they do it, the team morale would remain low.

If Hyderabad take the field low on spirit, Ganguly is more than capable to capitalise on that without scoring much. The batting line-up of Sangakkara, Duminy, Shikhar Dhawan, Cameron White, Daniel Christian and Parthiv Patel can't match the big names of Delhi. But they have wicket-takers in Steyn and leggie Amit Mishra.

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IPL 5: CSK, RCB share points after wash-out

Bangalore: The return leg match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai Super Kings was called off without a single ball being bowled. The two on-field umpires Sudhir Asnani and Billy Doctrove abandoned the match at 11 pm as persistent downpour played a spoilsport.
Both CSK and RCB got a point each from the game and have nine points from eight matches. With points split, CSK moved up to the third spot, while Bangalore are placed fourth in the nine-team table. Earlier, umpires Doctrove and Asnani inspected the pitch twice at 7.45 pm and 8.15 pm and decided to start a full 20-over match at 9 pm.

RCB's stand-in captain Virat Kohli opted to field after winning the toss. Just as the match was about to begin, the heavens opened up once again and this time it was fairly consistent drizzle. It only got worse with passage of time as the frustrated spectators at the Chinnaswamy headed back home.

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Peterson, Rayudu pickpocket Kings XI Punjab

Robin Peterson and Ambati Rayudu proved to be the unlikely heroes for Mumbai Indians as they pulled off a four-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab that had looked highly improbable until the penultimate over of this IPL 5 game. 32 runs were required off 12 balls when Piyush Chawla came on to bowl, the equation was down to 5 off 6 by the time he was done. And despite the best efforts of the excellent Azhar Mahmood, Rayudu smacked a four to finish off the match in Mohali on Wednesday with one ball to spare.
Peterson began the late assault with two switch-hits, earning himself two boundaries before slamming Chawla for a six over deep midwicket. Man-of-the-Match Rayudu then got into the act, coming down the track to go way over deep extra cover, before lofting the stunned Chawla over long-on to make it 27 runs off the 19th over. The game had been turned on its head, and what made the onslaught even more remarkable was that Mumbai had lost two wickets in the previous over.


Young fast bowler Parvinder Awana put Punjab in pole position to do the double over Mumbai, dismissing the dangerous Rohit Sharma and skipper Harbhajan Singh within the space of two balls in the 18th. Sharma, in particular, was a key wicket and was dismissed right after he reached his half-century with a six.
Sharma and Rayudu had kept the visitors in the game, after a sedate opening stand between Sachin Tendulkar (34) and James Franklin (22) was followed by two quick wickets – including Kieron Pollard, caught by Mandeep Singh off Awana for just 3 – that disrupted Mumbai’s chase. At one point the required run-rate was nearing 13 – thanks to some decent bowling from Praveen Kumar and Bhargav Bhatt – but Sharma hit boundaries at regular intervals to keep Mumbai in the hunt. The India batsman’s fifty included three fours and three sixes, and they were as critical to Mumbai’s eventual success as the late heroics from Peterson and Rayudu.
Meanwhile, Punjab owed their total – their highest in this year’s IPL so far – largely to an unbroken 89-run stand between David Hussey and David Miller, after a quiet start saw them manage just 56 for 2 in 10 overs. Even though none of the Mumbai bowlers was particularly threatening, runs were not easy to come by on a slow surface, and Punjab were further pegged back by the loss of openers Mandeep Singh and Nitin Saini in quick succession after a maiden over from Munaf Patel.
Harbhajan, meanwhile, rotated his bowlers frequently, though why Peterson, having been included in the team for his first game of the season and conceded just three runs off the opening over, was not brought back again is something only the Mumbai skipper can explain. Instead, Harbhajan turned to six other bowlers, and the strategy seemed to pay off when Franklin - brought on for his one and only over in the 13th – dismissed Shaun Marsh for a scratchy 17 off 26 balls. The Australian, perhaps attempting to up the run-rate, went for the big shot but could only manage a top edge to Harbhajan at cover.
With the Mumbai bowlers struggling with their line and length, however, Hussey and Miller more than doubled Punjab’s score after that - picking up 88 runs in the next 7 overs - to take their side to a fighting total of 168 for 3. Stand-in skipper Hussey’s unbeaten 68 included 4 fours and an equal number of sixes, while Miller finished off things with a bang, hitting Munaf for two sixes off the final two deliveries of the innings, to finish not out on 34 off 17 balls.
Luckily for Mumbai though, Rayudu ensured their profligacy at the death would not prove to be too costly. With strike bowler Lasith Malinga also landing back in India today, it turned out to be a good day for the Mumbai side overall, as they ended their two-match losing streak to move ahead in the points table with their fourth win in seven matches, while also avoiding defeat to Punjab in both the home and away games.

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I've never practised switch hit: Peterson

MOHALI: It takes courage to play a reverse sweep and then follow it up with a switch hit of the first two balls one faces in a tournament.

Robin Peterson did exactly the same to help Mumbai take the game away from Punjab on Wednesday. His blitz saw the southpaw score 15 runs off his first four balls to bring his team back into the game.

Though he may not be Kevin, he is still a Peterson, by his own right. But the 32-year-old said that unlike the more famous Pietersen, he had never practiced the switch hit.

"The switch hit and reverse shots were played by instinct. I had not practised them. But I am happy my innings helped the team win. It is nice to get over the line in such close games. Such wins act as a catalyst for the team."

The 32-year-old batsman praised Ambati Rayudu for his cool and composed knock.

"Ambati has a good head over his shoulders. Both of us were trying to keep things calm and luckily the 19th over came good for us," he said.

Punjab skipper Gilchrist too praised Peterson for his brilliant knock and admitted that his first three shots changed the game for them.

Regarding Piyush Chawla's penultimate over, Gilly said, "He is also disappointed, but such tests of character will help him learn the game more. I had a chat with him and I am sure he will get over it."

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IPL 5: Tendulkar credits youngsters for beating KXIP

Mohali: Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged the brilliant batting effort by the young batsmen of Mumbai Indians as they recorded a stunning four-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab in an IPL match on Wednesday. Tendulkar, who skippered the IPL side in the previous four seasons, praised the trio of Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu and Robin Peterson for not throwing in the towel under pressure.
Tendulkar, though, felt he and James Franklin could have done better while opening the batting. "[The boys were] fabulous. We sort of made the foundation, but ideally we should have more runs on the board in the first six overs. The good thing was that we did not lose wickets up front," Tendulkar, said.


"Later, Rohit Sharma was charged up. Rayudu and Peterson were amazing," Tendulkar, who was presented a plaque by Kings XI Punjab co-owner Ness Wadia for scoring 100 international hundreds, said.
Asked about his monumental achievement, Tendulkar said, "I have put on some weight after that. Now it's back to square one. I am glad I have achieved it. Better late than never." Tendulkar, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday, also thanked all the fans who wished him. "It was wonderful that so many people wished me. I got many messages and I value all wishes."
Rayudu, who was declared Man-of-the-Match, said that Tendulkar had helped him in batting in the last three-four days and "it paid off today." Rayudu scored a match-winning 17-ball 34-run cameo while chasing 169 to win.

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IPL 5: Gilchrist defends expensive Chawla

Mohali: He is out with an injury but Kings XI Punjab skipper Adam Gilchrist played the role of a mentor to perfection when he lavished praise on Piyush Chawla, who leaked 27 runs in the 19th over to pave the way for Mumbai Indians' win. Instead of blaming Chawla, Gilchrist decided to praise Robin Peterson whose innovative switch hits got MI back into the game. "I think we should celebrate the positive cricket played by Peterson," Gilchrist, who is currently out with a hamstring injury, told reporters after the match. "A reverse sweep, switch hit, slog to the boundary."
Chasing 169 to win in 20 overs, MI surpassed the target with a ball to go.


Defending stand-in captain David Hussey's decision to use Chawla in the 19th over, Gilchrist said he had bowled very well in the first three overs. "When you are in an important situation, I am sure every captain will go to his best bowlers," he said.
Gilchrist said that Chawla was disappointed and that he had had a chat with him after the match. "He has a good record in the tournament and I told him he needs to look ahead," he said. He also said that Hussey has captained well in his absence. Gilchrist while responding to a question said no total can be safe the way T20s were being played these days. "No situation is lost until the last ball has been bowled," he said.
Medium pacer Parvinder Awana, who had brought Punjab back in the hunt taking two crucial wickets in the 18th over including that of Rohit Sharma, also earned praise from Gilchrist. "He has brought a real breath of fresh air with his bowling," he said. MI's Ambati Rayudu (34 no) and Robin Peterson (17 no) creamed legspinner Chawla for 27 runs in the penultimate over to snatch a stunning four-wicket victory.
Peterson and Rayudu helped the visitors chase down the target. In a separate interaction with reporters, left-arm spinner Peterson said the victory would act as a catalyst for them in the matches up ahead. "Well, you back each other when you are under pressure. It could be a catalyst, but there is still a long way to go," he said. He said MI bowlers did exceptionally well and the team was confident of chasing down the total. He gave credit to Rohit Sharma and Rayudu, who batted sensibly to guide his side to victory.

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It's exciting to be part of a hungry group: Irfan Pathan

NEW DELHI: Irfan Pathan is enjoying a second wind in his career, post a debilitating back injury. If he continues to show quality with consistency, he may well become the pace-bowling all-rounder the Indian team is looking for desperately, especially in ODIs.

Irfan has been bowling well for Team Delhi too in the IPL besides striking the ball well with the bat.

Irfan, during a chat with the TOI on Wednesday, said, "I am thankful to God for what I am able to do right now. Yes, I have gained better control over my game. I don't know what others are saying about me, but I am certainly feeling better. I am looking forward to improving in every department -- batting, bowling or fielding."

Bowling in the T20 is a challenge of a different kind. Does he enjoy it? "One tries to either take wickets or contain runs. But you can have a bad day but one has to remain positive all the time," he said.

Playing for Delhi has been quite an experience for Irfan.

"When you have stars like Mahela Jayawardene, Kevin Pietersen and Ross Taylor, the dressing room has to be buzzing with positive activity. Viru bhai (Sehwag) has been outstanding as a captain and I have seen Mahela setting fields for Sri Lanka. It has been exciting to be a part of a group which is hungry for success," Irfan said.

Talking about the pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi's home ground, Irfan stressed that the team has been happy with the way it has been playing.

When asked about elder brother Yusuf's recent struggles with the bat, Irfan said, "I have been talking to him and it's only a matter of one big knock before he starts scoring consistently. I am not worried about his form. IPL is a long tournament and I am confident that he is going to come good for Kolkata."

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Knew spinners wouldn't bowl full to me: Sehwag

PUNE: When your team is outclassed and you are not captain of the ship, follow the simple rule: say the opposition played really well.

Robin Uthappa displayed this wisdom after Pune's crushing eight-wicket defeat to Delhi on Tuesday. When asked if they batted too slowly in the first 10 overs, Uthappa said: "I was asking the same question to myself when Sehwag was batting. He made batting look so easy."

Uthappa added that it was not an easy wicket to bat on since the ball was stopping and not coming on to the bat nicely. When pointed out that Pune won the toss and opted to bat, he said: "Still early days for this wicket. It's just the third match. It was difficult to judge the wicket. It's settling down and in time, we will have a better understanding of the strip."

Uthappa admitted in saying that they were missing paceman Ashok Dinda, who has been out of three games now due to a side-strain.

When asked why he didn't step out against spinners, Sehwag said: "What's the need if I can get boundaries by playing within the crease? I knew the spinners would not bowl too slow or full to me. The cut shot was always on."

Sehwag said they didn't bowl well at Kotla but it was his duty as captain to support his bowlers. "Bowlers win you matches. Give them the field they want and back them."

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Guys like Sachin can't play forever: Rhodes

Johannesburg: Stating that players of Sachin Tendulkar's potential would not be playing forever, former South Africa cricketer and Mumbai Indians' fielding coach Jonty Rhodes said that it is important that the youngsters who emerge from tournaments like the Indian Premier League (IPL) are good all-round cricketers.
"Guys like Sachin can't play forever and it's important that the young Indian players who come through the IPL are all-round players, not just in batting and bowling, as most of the Indian players are, but also good fielders," Rhodes told PTI.


"They've got quite a few young Indian players and what I think the organisers are trying to do is to make sure that once the Tendulkars and the Harbhajans retire, the younger guys coming through will carry India," he added. Rhodes also said that his job is to try and teach the players the importance of fielding.
"What I'm trying to get across to them is that fielding is important to a one-day game, especially in 20-over games where one run can make a difference. I've seen that in the 1999 World Cup against Australia and the World Cup against Sri Lanka in South Africa.
"I'm not asking them to do miraculous things. I'm saying just find me one run that you can save for the team. It's more about attitude than anything else," he said. Rhodes said IPL has proved to be a great platform for the budding cricketers.
"It's always been my view that Indian cricket is going to strengthen and improve because of the IPL. I think that was the key for the BCCI, who were very wise in making sure that the youngsters were getting great coaching and opportunity to play with international cricketers.
"The IPL is a great platform where you get international players and international coaches working with the young players."
Meanwhile, Rhodes made it clear that coaching South Africa national team again was not a likely option. "I don't think so. Coaching a national team involves nine months of the year. The IPL for me is a 10-week commitment. Taking on something full-time with a national team is hard work," said Rhodes.

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IPL 5: I am now focusing on my batting, says Shakib

Kolkata: No one can fault his effort as far as his bowling in this IPL is concerned, but star allrounder Shakib Al Hasan feels that it's about time that he started contributing with the willow. He has taken six wickets at an average of less than 11 run per wicket but according to Shakib that's only half the job done. "From the three matches I played, I was Man of the Match once. I've done well as a bowler. I'm now focusing on my batting. By the God's grace, I hope to do well as a batsman," the unassuming Bangladeshi all-rounder, said here on Wednesday.
Shakib said he was hopeful that the team would do better on the last year. "The team atmosphere is just perfect. We are improving match by match. We are looking to be more consistent. We are taking one match at a time. Our first aim is to make it to the last four [play-offs]. Then we will focus on winning the title. But I'm sure we will do better than last year."


The Bangladeshi further said the conditions here were similar to that of his country and that helped him a lot. "I always feel at home here. I've have been playing here since U-15 days. I always feel confident playing here," he said. Asked whether they are all geared up to face the Sourav Ganguly-led Pune Warriors at home on May 5, Shakib said: "It's just any other match. As I said, we are taking one match at a time, so our target now is to win against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 28. There will not be any additional pressure against Pune Warriors India. The spectators, though, may feel the heat."
"Here you get to play against all the big players. A good performance here definitely boosts your confidence. I hope everybody will be happy with my performance in IPL. I always played for the team, to contribute in all the three departments." The allrounder credited everybody in Bangladesh for his rise in international cricket. "I owe my success to everybody in Bangladesh. Right from the groundsmen to coach, my family, friends...everybody. It's difficult to name anybody particular," the 25-year-old said.

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Darren Bravo may not play in IPL this season

Kolkata: Left-handed West Indies strokemaker Darren Bravo may not play in the current edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) even after the current Australia series ends in the Caribbean. The 23-year-old signed for the Deccan Chargers earlier this year, but opted to play the full Australia series which ends this week.
With the West Indies set to leave for the tour of England next week, Deccan Chargers team manager Paul Skinner said, Bravo's window of opportunity may be too limited to allow any real time with the Chargers. "Darren will only be available for two-three games even if he comes to India at the end of the Australia Test series because the West Indies will be going to England in early May," Skinner, a Barbadian, told Indian media.


"It's possible that he may not make the trip. A decision will be taken shortly after consultation between the franchise and the West Indies Cricket Board." Bravo was one of several West Indies players to sign with IPL franchises for the current season but the only one to stay on for the three-Test series.
Darren's elder brother Dwayne Bravo, allrounder Marlon Samuels and Kieron Pollard all played in the limited-overs games of the Australia series before joining their IPL franchises. Former West Indies captain Chris Gayle, seeking to end his year-long impasse with the West Indies Cricket Board, also indicated he would play the full IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore before making himself available for the tour of England.
The IPL runs until May 27 while the West Indies tour of England goes from May 5 to June 24.

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IPL 5: Back-in-form RCB, CSK lock horns in Bangalore

An intense battle is on the cards as the two finalists of IPL 4 - runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore and defending champions Chennai Super Kings - face off once again on Thursday in the league's fifth season at the M Chinnaswmay Stadium in Bangalore. The battle - which will mark the midway of the round-robin stage - assumes even greater significance as nothing but run-rate separates the two teams, with both on 8 points from 7 matches.
It was one of the most thrilling encounter when these two teams met in the first leg this season, where CSK edged RCB in a last-ball thriller by chasing down 204 runs - this year's highest total thus far. But with both Bangalore and Chennai coming into this match with three wins on the trot, it confirms that after an uncharacteristically scratchy start, the 'Big Daddies' of the IPL are back in business.


Looking at the bigger picture, RCB's batting could hold the key in this return match, as we have already seen Chris Gayle and AB de Villers sending oppositions into submission mode. To add to RCB's delight, Tillakaratne Dilshan regained his lost touch against Rajasthan, which should make the sound of warning bells even stronger for Chennai. But Virat Kohli's dismal form remains a concern for the Bangalore skipper Daniel Vettori despite giving him a chance to open the innings against Rajasthan. Kohli has only scored 129 runs at an average of 18.42 but he can take a leaf out of Dilshan's book whose longish stay at the crease allowed him to rediscover his touch.
On the bowling front, KP Appanna's four-wicket haul against Rajasthan has added more firepower to Bangalore's bowling attack, especially the spin department, which will be spearheaded by skipper Vettori himself in the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan, who is expected to be benched again. Though Zaheer Khan and Vinay Kumar have not been as effective as one would want them to be, they are expected to perform a few notches higher as the league enters its business end.
Story for Chennai has been much the same as Bangalore. After a disappointing start to the season, three consecutive wins have allowed CSK to gain some momentum. Chennai's opening pair has been instrumental in their team's win in a couple of matches. Faf du Plessis has been a revelation with the bat and has been well supported by fellow opener Subramaniam Badrinath since his promotion to the top in place of out-of-form Murali Vijay.
But the form of Suresh Raina and the absence of allrounder Albie Morkel, who was away in South Africa to attend his friend's funeral, has been felt badly. Morkel is expected to be back in time for the game and will possibly replace the Sri Lankan Nuwan Kulasekara. But skipper MS Dhoni would want Raina, who has been leading the middle order in the past four IPL seasons, to get his game up to the desired standards. Other than that, Dhoni and Dwayne Bravo have been perfect in performing the role of a finisher, which adds meat to the lower middle order.
In bowling, Chennai have an exciting mix of pace and spin. The pace attack, led by Zaheer Khan and Doug Bollinger, has been in decent form, especially with able support from allrounders Bravo and Morkel. R Ashwin remains Dhoni's trump card as the skipper has the confidence of using him at the top, in the middle as well as at the death. Shadab Jakati has performed the role of a container pretty well, and Chennai's only buy for IPL 5, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, remains Dhoni's choice to lead the attack in the middle overs as well as play the role of a floater in the batting order.
Probable XIs
Chennai Super Kings: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Subramaniam Badrinath, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Albie Morkel, 7 Wriddhiman Saha, 8 Ravindara Jadeja, 9 Ravichandran Ashwin, 10 Shadab Jakati, 11 Doug Bollinger
Royal Challengers Bangalore: 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 AB deVillers, 5 Mayank Aggarwal, 6 Saurabh Tiwary, 7 Daniel Vettori, 8 Zaheer Khan, 9 Vinay Kumar, 10 KP Appanna, 11 Harshal Patel

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IPL 5: Mumbai itching to settle scores with Punjab

Mumbai Indians travel to Mohali, the backyard of Kings XI Punjab, on Wednesday for the return leg of IPL 5 between the two teams and will hope to turn the tables on their north Indian rivals to avenge their defeat at home last weekend. The last meeting between the two teams ended with Punjab prevailing in a last-over finish by chasing down a target of 164 in a match that saw Munaf Patel being slapped with a fine after losing his temper and going eyeball to eyeball with Punjab opener Nitin Saini. So Mumbai will not only want to settle scores with Punjab but also show that the Patel incident was just a one-off and the team has learned from that mistake.
The biggest boost Mumbai have received recently is the return of Sachin Tendulkar, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday. So while his presence in the XI addresses Mumbai's opening woes, the team will want to gift their former skipper with a win against Punjab. On the other hand, Punjab have played some inspired cricket in the last couple of games despite the absence of captain Adam Gilchrist, who is still recuperating from a hamstring injury. David Hussey as stand-in captain and Shaun Marsh as the leading batsmen have stepped up to the plate and orchestrated much-needed wins for the team.


The gamble of opening with two inexperienced openers, Nitin Saini and Mandeep Singh, paid off for Punjab in the last match as both the young batsmen showed a great measure of composure mixed with aggression to give their team a good start. And with three wins under their belt, the confidence is showing in the team. Marsh's love-affair with the IPL continues, but while enjoying his good form, the Aussie needs to be aware of the fact that the team's batting revolves around him, especially in Gilchrist's absence.
On the bowling front, Parwinder Awana has been a welcome addition to the attack. He brings with him raw pace that can rattle any batting attack, which is exactly what he has done for the team. He will also benefit bowling alongside the experienced Praveen Kumar, who remains the team's bowling spearhead, along with leg-spinning allrounder Piyush Chawla.
Mumbai, on the other hand, have shown signs of breaking under pressure and losing grip in tight situations. Players like Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayadu are being wasted down the order and should be promoted to give some momentum to the innings. Rohit Sharma has been patchy and needs to be consistent in order to be more effective, while wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik needs just one more failure before he is dropped by the team management. Mumbai have also failed to utilise the all-round skills of Thissara Perera, which is what they can look to do more effectively against Punjab.
James Franklin was the surprise up the order in Mumbai's last match and the half-century he scored in that outing should help him keep his place in the XI.
In the absence Lasith Malinga, who is in Sri Lanka to recover from back spasms, Mumbai's bowling attack looks blunted. In this situation, skipper Harbhajan Singh needs to step up and lead by example, with support from Pragyan Ojha, who has looked difficult to be scored off. Munaf Patel, while taking wickets, is just one reprimand away from suspension and not only has to keep a check on his line and length but also his over-aggressive body language.
All in all, the match holds a lot of importance for both the teams for more than one reason. While a win will push them further up on the leaderboard, a loss will dampen the morale as the league hits midway. Plus, for Mumbai, this is also a chance to improve their image on the field, which has taken a serious hit since Sachin Tendulkar handed captaincy to Harbhajan at the start of this season.
Probable XIs:
Mumbai Indians: 1 Sachin Tendulkar, 2 James Franklin, 3 Kieron Pollard, 4 Rohit Sharma, 5 Dinesh Karthik (wk), 6 Ambati Rayudu, 7 Harbhajan Singh (capt), 8 Thissara Perera, 9 Munaf Patel, 10 RP Singh, 11 Pragyan Ojha
Kings XI Punjab: 1 Nitin Saini (wk), 2 Mandeep Singh, 3 David Hussey (capt), 4 Shaun Marsh, 5 Piyush Chawla, 6 Azhar Mahmood, 7 David Miller, 8 Parwinder Awana, 9 Bharghav Bhatt, 10 Praveen Kumar, 11 Siddharth Chitnis

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IPL 5: Sehwag shines in Delhi's big win over Pune

Pune: A captain’s knock of 87 not out by Virender Sehwag proved decisive as Delhi Daredevils cruised to an eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors India and maintained their top spot in the IPL 5 points table.
Sehwag made 87 off 48 as Delhi overhauled Pune’s 146 with four overs to spare to register their fifth win in seven matches. Mahela Jayawardene (18 off 14) and Kevin Pietersen (27 off 21) were the two batsmen who got out, while Ross Taylor remained not out with Sehwag, who ended the match with a one-handed six over the long-on fence off leg-spinner Rahul Sharma. The right-hander was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match for the ten fours and three sixes he hit during his innings.


Earlier, Manish Pandey returned to form with his 56-ball 80 and Robin Uthappa struck a 58-ball 60 as their unbeaten 145-run partnership for the third wicket took Pune to a fighting total. Electing to bat first, Pune were off to a disastrous start, losing both the in-form Jesse Ryder and skipper Sourav Ganguly inside the first two overs. The former played on an Irfan Pathan delivery back onto the stumps, while the latter was caught at third-man by Shahbaz Nadeem when he charged Morne Morkel.
Pandey and Uthappa got together when the team’s score was 1 for 2 and they batted through the innings. After adding 50 in the first ten overs, the Karnataka players accumulated 96 in the last ten, 51of which came in the last five. Pandey, who smashed three sixes and seven fours in his 56-ball knock, was also lucky as he was dropped twice during his innings. First Pietersen spilled a straightforward chance at long-on off Pawan Negi and then slow-left arm bowler Nadeem dropped a rather difficult chance in his follow-through.
Uthappa, on the other hand, played second fiddle to Pandey, giving his younger partner most of the strike. Though the home side needed a solid platform having lost two early wickets, the 50 runs scored by Pandey and Uthappa took almost 60 balls. It also denied Pune an opportunity to make use of the in-form Australian Steven Smith and attacking English batsman Luke Wright.
In their chase, although Delhi lost the wicket of Jayawardene early through a run-out, Pietersen, with his 89-run stand with Sehwag, ensured that they avenge their 20-run loss against the same opposition a few days back.

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Kolkata-Hyderabad match called off after squall hits Eden

KOLKATA: The Venue Operations Centre, a temporary structure which accommodates some police personnel on match days, collapsed as squall hit the Eden Gardens half-an-hour before Tuesday's IPL 5 match between Team Kolkata and Team Hyderabad.

Several spectators were injured with three rushed to hospital. "All three have been discharged after a thorough medical examination," a statement from the Cricket Association of Bengal said later in the night.

The match, meanwhile, was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The teams shared the two points which meant Hyderabad finally opened their account on the points table though they are still winless after six games. Kolkata are now lying second in the table.

The fans had taken shelter under the wooden structure in J Block when it fell on them in the blinding rain that lasted close to an hour and flooded much of the ground, which had been covered by large plastic sheets by then.

The structure had to be lifted and dismantled to free those trapped underneath.

The squall, which brought down the temperature in the city and suburbs, left many trees uprooted in the Maidan area, one of them damaging the nearby Mohun Bagan tent.

Ironically, the Public Works Department and the Kolkata Police who have often put CAB officials in a spot by asking them to modify or strengthen structures they thought were weak or dangerous, overlooked the vulnerability of one that was right in the path of wind-flow into the Eden and which would be manned by their own personnel.

"The PWD never objected to it, and they gave us the green light before this IPL as well," Sujan Mukherjee, one of the CAB joint secretaries, told the TOI.

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IPL 5: Storm creates havoc at Kolkata's Eden Gardens

Kolkata: Thunderstorm and rain lashed the Eden Gardens - venue of the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers - here on Tuesday, causing the roof of a makeshift venue operating centre to collapse, which injured some of the spectators.
The temporary operating centre was enacted to seat policemen and IMG officials but heavy wind followed by rain caused the roof of the structure to come off. The storm also uprooted a hoarding at the 'J' block of the stadium.


"Two spectators, Sambhu Prasad and Om Prakash Barui, were injured after the venue operating management box collapsed on them. They have been shifted to a hospital. Disaster management and police personnel are at the site," Assistant Commissioner of Police Deepak Kumar Dutta said.
The MeT department had predicted a thunder squall with wind speed reaching between 40 and 50 kmph.
Former Zimbabwe player Pommie Mbangawa, who is part of the IPL commentary team, also tweeted about the damage caused by the storm. "Part of a stand has fallen and there might be some injuries. Not sure yet but doesn't look good #Eden Gardens."
According to reports, a tent belonging to the Mohun Bagan Football Club was also reported to be damaged as the match remains suspended, with the chances of it commencing being second only to none.

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Why blame the selectors for Yusuf's IPL failure?

NEW DELHI: Wasim Akram's assertion that Yusuf Pathan's poor run in IPL 5 has been caused by his axing from the Indian team post 2011 World Cup is interesting but logic-defying.

The Pakistani legend, who is the bowling coach of Team Kolkata for which Yusuf plays in the IPL, feels that the sack led to the player losing confidence which consequently caused his horror run in the IPL this season.

Akram went on to tell the media on Monday, "Why he was dropped is beyond me. The selectors didn't do any favour to his confidence by omitting him. Pathan is a big-match player and will surely come good."

One wonders why Akram is so scathing on Indian selectors who dropped Yusuf only after he failed to perform despite getting a fair run in the World Cup. Yusuf's 74 runs at 14.80 from six World Cup games tell their own story. But more than the runs, it was the way he went about his business which diminished the team management's confidence in him.

That Suresh Raina, who replaced him midway during the World Cup, played critical knocks in the quarterfinal and semifinal to help India reach the final, only magnified Yusuf's failure.

Everyone knows Yusuf is a gifted strokemaker who can destroy any attack on his day. But he has not done justice to his talent by being reckless in the middle. Often, he throws his wicket away by trying a low-percentage slog very early in his innings.


After starting off as a sensation - he was one of the key factors in underdogs Rajasthan winning the first IPL in 2008 - Yusuf has become a misfiring missile who now finds himself at the crossroads. It's no use stressing "it's how he bats and one should not tinker with his natural style."

Clearly, his "natural style" is not serving him well. The stats tell you as much -- they are high on promise, a bit short on deliverance. And if Kolkata captain Gautam Gambhir's words are any indication, Yusuf may be in for a drop in this IPL too.

Even T20 slogging is not completely mindless. The big run makers all combine great skills with presence of mind and an awareness of match situation. And they know their game. Yusuf needs to keep his thinking cap on or else he will continue to commit hara-kiri as he has been doing, in T20 as well as in ODIs.

Akram suggests that India have lost a "match-winner" in Yusuf. The fact is the Indian ODI team has been full of match-winning batsmen like Tendulkar, Sehwag, Kohli, Dhoni, Yuvraj and Raina. Thus, losing one "match-winner" does not really dent India's quality substantially.

If Yusuf gets back his form and consistency, India will only benefit. But that will not be achieved only through praise via the media.

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Appanna was the real Man of the Match: De Villiers

Jaipur: His blistering 23-ball 59 formed the cornerstone of Royal Challengers Bangalore's easy win, but AB de Villiers, in a nice gesture, shared his Man-of-the-Match award with KP Appanna, who turned in an impressive performance with the ball on Monday. Appanna picked up four wickets after de Villiers' heroics as RCB defeated Rajasthan Royals by 46 runs in their Indian Premier League match in Jaipur.
"I had a good game, I enjoyed my batting. I'd like to hand over this award to the man who took four wickets, KP Appanna. I haven't done this before. It's a team game," de Villiers said. "He [Appanna] took four wickets and it doesn't happen every time... That should be the Man-of-the-Match award."


Appanna thanked the batsmen for posting a solid total. After being put into bat, Bangalore posted a big total of 189 for 3, with Tillakaratne Dilshan making 76 in addition to de Villiers' 59. Appanna then led the bowling as Rajasthan were restricted to 143 for 7. "On this track, getting to 190 was a great effort, and I got some turn from the track," Appanna said.
Appanna credited Muttiah Muralitharan for his match-winning performance. The Indian spinner said the Sri Lankan spin wizard's guidance was of great help to him, and he also said that he is not overawed by the fact that while Murlidharan was sitting out, he was getting the opportunity to represent RCB. "He [Murali] is a great bowler and he is sitting out only because we can play only four overseas players, but his contribution is there. He always guides me. In fact, he gave tips about how to bowl on this wicket," said the 23-year-old orthodox left-arm spinner, who ripped through the Rajasthan batting line-up with impressive figures of four for 19.
The bowler said though he cherished all his dismissals, the one of Owais Shah was his prized scalp. "Though I got four wickets, Owais Shah's was the prized one. It gave me satisfaction as he has been playing so well and I could deceive him with flight," Appanna said.
RCB skipper Daniel Vettori was also pleased with Appanna's effort. "He has come back after playing in one match and offers us a lot more options. Today he has shown what he is capable of," Vettori said. "The way Zak [Zaheer Khan], Vinay [Kumar] and Harshal Patel [bowled], was a confidence booster for the side."
Bangalore are now sixth in the table after having played seven games, though all the top six teams are level on eight points. The former New Zealand captain said the tournament is wide open at this stage. "It's an exciting tournament. Pretty much every team still has a chance, so we need to keep winning."
Rajasthan captain Rahul Dravid said his side lost the match in the last five overs while bowling, during which they conceded over 80 runs. "The last five overs made the difference. Dilshan and AB played really well in that period," Dravid said.
Dravid was worried about his team's performance at the death. "The death bowling has been an area of concern. I am hitting some good shots but it's important to get the right result as well. Appanna bowled well, he had the backing of a lot of runs behind him. He spun the ball, it's good for his confidence."

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Sachin celebrates birthday with wife, MI team

Chandigarh: The world may have feted him for becoming the only man to hit a century of centuries, but when it came to celebrating his 39th birthday, Sachin Tendulkar preferred to be with his wife and a few friends. At a private party hosted by industrialist Rajiv Bali here on Sunday night at his residence here, Sachin was almost looking shy as he cut the cake to ring in his birthday.
He wore a deep brown T-shirt with colourful butterfly motifs. His wife, Anjali, in a black ensemble, was with him and the couple shared the first bite of the cake. The cake itself was the figure of '100' - after all it was his first birthday after scoring hundred centuries in international cricket.


Sachin, who arrived here on Sunday afternoon from Mumbai for his IPL team Mumbai Indians' match against Kings XI Punjab to be played here on Wednesday, seemed relaxed at the party which had a select gathering, including some of his Mumbai Indians teammates.
Sachin obliged guests, including some children who were ready with their miniature and full-size cricket bats to get them autographed. Sachin agreed to pose for photographs for almost everyone who walked up to him for one. "He was so nice to everyone. I had my photos clicked with him and even got his autograph," budding cricketer Adiraj Singh, 13, told IANS at the party.
In between the signing of cricket bats, autograph sheets and posing for pictures, Sachin could be seen chatting with friends, including his IPL teammates and former cricketer-turned-commentator Atul Wassan. He could be seen pouring his drink, Laphroaig single malt with soda, at the bar.
"It's great to have Sachin over on this special day," host Bali told IANS. Even past midnight, Sachin could be seen chatting separately with his MI teammates - perhaps finalising the strategy for Wednesday's match.

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Bowling at the death a worry, admits Dravid

Jaipur: Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid feels that his team's bowling at the death is a cause of concern. Rajasthan were comprehensively beaten by 46-runs by Royal Challengers Bangalore in their IPL 5 on Monday, where the home team bowlers got a bit of stick in the last few overs.
"We had the game in control till the 13-14th over, but in the last seven overs, things slipped out of our hands. It has happened before also, the bowling in death overs is still a big worry for us," Dravid said after the match. "I can't blame the bowlers, they are inexperienced, but they have been trying hard. You can do little when the likes of [Tillakaratne] Dilshan and [AB] de Villiers are playing. I would not take away the credit from them as they batted very well to post a formidable 189 for 3."


Asked about team's overdependance on Ajinkya Rahane and Owais Shah as far as the batting is concerned, Dravid replied, "We have been batting quite decently in all our eight matches and I don't feel we rely heavily on Rahane and Shah only. When you are chasing a big total of 190, you have to play shots and you might fall 30-40 runs short. It becomes tough to chase the extra 35-40 runs which we gave away." Dravid himself scored a 42-ball 58 in the losing cause.
The skipper expressed surprise at RCB's move to open with Dilshan and Virat Kohli and send the explosive Chris Gayle in at No 4. "We were surprised not see Gayle coming out to open the innings. We had some plans for him," he revealed. The captain, however, was critical of his fielders. "The fielding was poor. We did not drop too many catches but we certainly could have fielded better," he said.
Dravid said the team was thinking of playing Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait in the coming games. The former India captain is also eagerly waiting for Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson's arrival as he can bring in the necessary balance required. "We are also pondering over whether to play Shaun Tait. [S] Sreesanth is another option, but I am not sure whether he would be available to play as he has been ruled out for at least two weeks."
"We have good bowlers in Pankaj Singh and Kevin Cooper. Ajit Chandila and Gajendra [Singh] can be good options, but they all are rather inexperienced. I feel our attack will have a settled look only after Watson lands here. We are expecting him to be in India by April 29 and most probably he will play against Delhi [Daredevils] on May 1, if he is fit and not wary of a jet-lag," he said.
Asked why Ashok Menaria was left out of the team, as he could have proved handy against left-arm spinner KP Appanna, Dravid said the left-hander had been rested. "We thought of giving him a break but he will be back in the side soon. Stuart Binny too is a talented player and we gave him the opportunity," he said.

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IPL 5: Adam Gilchrist wary of Mumbai's prowess

Mohali: Despite winning their last game against them, Kings XI Punjab's captain and coach Adam Gilchrist feels that Mumbai Indians are a dangerous side. "Mumbai is a dangerous side. They are an all-round side with quality players and star-studded line-up," Gilchrist said on the eve of his team's return-leg clash against the Harbhajan Singh-led side.
Punjab, which is being led by stand-in captain David Hussey in the absence of Gilchrist, defeated Mumbai by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The 40-year-old Australian, who suffered a hamstring injury in an earlier game, hinted that he is not fit to play Wednesday's match and is currently undergoing rehabilitation. "I am not sure," he replied when asked how long he would take to get back into action.


Gilchrist said he was pleased with the result against Mumbai on Sunday and his team had an "all-round game". He, however, said the star-studded MI line-up cannot be underestimated at any stage.
When asked if his team would enjoy any kind of psychological advantage over their opposition, having defeated them six out of nine games they have played in the last four years, Gilchrist said that it does not make a huge difference as the conditions kept changing from time to time. "Had it been 9-0, may be [then it would have made some difference]."
When asked about the return of Sachin Tendulkar, who sustained a finger injury earlier in the tournament, in the Mumbai side, Gilchrist said his team has a plan to tackle him. He also added that besides Tendulkar, there were other players like James Franklin and Dinesh Karthik, which make Mumbai’s batting very strong.
Gilchrist also praised the young Indian players, including wicketkeeper batsmen Nitin Saini, Mandeep Singh and medium pacer Parvinder Awana, of his team, saying he is impressed with their performance and now it is up to them to carry it forward. "I am impressed with his [Saini’s] mindset," he said. "He [Awana] is an exciting prospect, though I am not sure he understands all the words that I say to him [referring to language barrier]."
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ coach Shaun Pollock said Tendulkar’s return has given stability to his team’s top order. "[There is] no doubt that Sachin brings with him a wealth of experience. He brings stability at the top. It's his birthday today and hopefully, we can expect a great knock from him tomorrow," he said.
Pollock said that the history of T20 cricket suggests that any team’s top four batsmen do the bulk of scoring. The Mumbai outfit is still missing the services of pace spearhead Lasith Malinga, whose back problem hasn’t recovered yet, according to Pollock. If available, the Sri Lankan would be an automatic choice among the foreign players, the former South African skipper added.
With Harbhajan expressing his dissatisfaction over team’s fielding effort during their loss to Punjab in the last game, Pollock felt that good catches and stops [good fielding] undoubtedly put the opponents under pressure and this was one area they need to improve further.
On Harbhajan not achieving much success in IPL-5, Pollock said, "He [Harbhajan] is a good bowler and his time will come. I am sure he will come into his own." When asked about Munaf Patel's verbal duel, Pollock said the pacer is passionate about his game but he has been cautioned not to "go overboard". The coach also defended top- order batsman Rohit Sharma who, except his match-winning knock against Deccan Chargers earlier in the tournament, hasn’t been contributing much. Pollock said such is the nature of his [Rohit’s] game and he did not play an "out of character shot" [in the last game against Punjab].

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IPL 5: Bichel expects high-scoring contest vs RCB

Bangalore: Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Andy Bichel says he expects their match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Wednesday to be a high-scoring one. The previous match between these teams was also high-scoring with Chennai coming out top in a 200 plus chase. "Since RCB's batting looks heavy at top of the order fully packed with overseas players, I think it will come down to a nail-biting over and hope we can win this [type of a game] again. It will be a high-scoring game as the history of Chinnaswamy wicket speaks thus," Bichel told reporters on the eve of the match.
Bichel admitted the momentum was with RCB following a string of top-class performances in their last few matches. "Yes, it's a challenge for us coming here and playing at RCB's home territory. They are a good side and there will be momentum."


Aware of RCB winning against Rajasthan Royals without enough contributions from Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli at top of the order, Bichel said CSK have sketched a bowling plan for all host players. "We certainly plans for all RCB players. Tomorrow, we will devise a plan with bowlers and hopefully it comes off. A small window of opportunity [we should grab] and that is the thing about Twenty20," he said.
Bichel also backed out-of-form Daniel Vettori, the RCB captain. "Daniel is a good captain and has done a good job as New Zealand captain and taking on franchisee team like this is a bit different. His captaincy in last two games have been pretty good." Bitchell also informed that Albie Morkel who had flown to South Africa to attend the funeral of a close friend was back. "Albie is playing tommorow ... He will lend more depth to our side which is very good."

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IPL 5: Sehwag credits bowlers for Delhi's top spot

Pune: Even as Delhi Daredevils maintained their domination at the top, skipper Virender Sehwag on Tuesday credited his bowlers for the team's eight-wicket win over Pune Warriors India here. "Good to be [on] top of the table; all because of my bowlers as they did a fantastic job," Sehwag said after scoring an unbeaten 48-ball 87 in his team's convincing win.
"They [Pune] recovered well after losing a couple of wickets early on but they couldn't get past 150, which is chaseable," he added.


Pune skipper Sourav Ganguly said that 170-180 would have been a par score to defend at the Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium. "We lost a couple of wickets early. We didn't get enough runs; 170-180 would have been a par score," he said. "It's a good wicket, not a big ground. We were under six an over for about 13 overs and then got some runs in the end," Ganguly added.
Delhi's senior batsman Mahela Jayawardene said the team addressed the issues that led to their defeat in the first-leg match against the same opposition three days back. "In the last game, we made a lot of mistakes; we spoke about it. Our bowlers bowled very well today, and the batting clicked as well. We are getting a lot of things right, but there are areas we can improve [in]. It's a long tournament, still halfway to go. We can't get complacent," he said.

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Sachin Tendulkar celebrates his 39th birthday in Chandigarh

CHANDIGARH: A palatial house nestled on a leafy boulevard of the French architect Corbusier-designed Chandigarh, away from the din of Mumbai became the birthday address of the cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar celebrating his 39th birthday, the first after the living legend reached the milestone a century of centuries this year.

Party in pics

The batsman, treated like a God in the country, arrived in a Honda Accord from the team hotel along with his wife Anjali, attracting the gaze of collected guests and leaving most of them gasping in awe.

Clad in an olive green round neck T-shirt with floral motifs, Tendulkar walked amid a rousing applause, turning the house already loud with club music into a stillness of frenzy.

Tendulkar, who is in Chandigarh along with Team Mumbai to play their league match against the home Team Punjab, turns 39 on Tuesday.

While most of team members including Dinesh Karthik, James Franklin, Pragyan Ojha and Keiron Pollard sat quietly gathered around a table, the master batsman remained mobbed by the guests and the hosts at the party, signing autographs on bats to T-shirts, palms and wrists and even tissues.

For hours, the batsman also posed with local administrators and politicians gathered at the party.

Bollywood actor Rahul Dev and former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan added a dash of stardom to the party.

Later, a giant LCD screen playing the live match between Team Rajasthan and Team Bangalore had the guests discussing the fine points of cricket with Tendulkar.

Sources in the party said that a surprise special vanilla cake, a favourite with Tendulkar, had also been kept by the hosts.

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IPL 5: Hurt Delhi take on Pune in revenge match

Pune Warriors India would very much like to repeat the performance of their last match against Delhi Daredevils when they face their North Indian rivals in the return league match of IPL 5 at home on Tuesday. Delhi are the table-toppers going into this battle and would appreciate if it stays that way, but after getting beaten by the Sourav Ganguly-led Pune at the Kotla, Virender Sehwag's men would have realised that everyday is not a Sunday.
Delhi have won four of their six matches so far and so have Pune, but having played one match more than Delhi. So the winner will go clear of the other on points at the end of this match, which could prove vital in the final play-off standings.


For Delhi, as of now things look ruddy in all the departments, largely due to the positive intent the team has showcased so far. Undoubtedly, they have been bolstered by Kevin Pietersen and Mahela Jayawardene, both of whom have the ability to turn a match on its head. The icing on the cake was Virender Sehwag's strokeplay in the last match, which gives them an upper hand in the return battle with Pune.
Delhi opened with Jayawardene in the last match but it could remain a one-off thing, considering the mammoth total they had to chase. So in all probability, Naman Ojha will return to open with Sehwag, allowing Jayawardene to strengthen the middle order. Their only batting worry seems to be Ross Taylor, who looks quite restrained after coming back from an arm fracture. However, he should retain his place until David Warner joins the team after Australia end their tour of the West Indies in a week’s time from now.
Barring the last match, where Delhi allowed Pune to rack up 192 runs, their bowling too has faired pretty well. Morne Morkel has been among the season's top wicket-takers, Umesh Yadav has kept things tight at his end and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem has been a revelation so far. All they need is someone like Irfan Pathan to step up and choke the opposition for runs in the middle overs, even if he is not taking wickets consistently.
Pune, despite an up-and-down run, have shown the stomach for fight, which is something you would expect with Ganguly at the helm of affairs. Where Pune has been lucky is that someone or the other raises his hand to take the team home. If Jesse Ryder does it in one match, Steven Smith takes the baton in the other. And when chips are seriously down, captain Ganguly takes matters in his hand, as he did with his jig at the Kotla.
Ryder and Uthappa as openers make for an ideal combination, though Ganguly has only had one significant innings so far in the middle. Steven Smith has proved his worth as a more-than-handy finisher. On the bowling front, experienced campaigners Ashish Nehra and Murali Kartik have had just one off day so far, and the addition of South African pacer Alfonso Thomas has provided some edge to the attack. What remains to be seen is whether Ganguly persists with Nehra or brings Ashok Dinda back in if he were to recover from his side strain.
Playing at home, Pune will have the crowd at their back, but with a batting track in the offing and Delhi batsmen hungry as wolves, it could turn out to be a slugfest between men with the willows.
Probable XIs:
Delhi Daredevils: 1 Virender Sehwag (capt), 2 Naman Ojha, 3 Kevin Pietersen, 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Ross Taylor, 6 Yogesh Nagar, 7 Irfan Pathan, 8 Morne Morkel, 9 Umesh Yadav, 10 Shahbaz Nadeem, 11 Ajit Agarkar
Pune Warriors: 1 Robin Uthappa (wk), 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 4 Steve Smith, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 Angelo Mathews, 7 Mithun Manhas, 8 Murali Kartik, 9 Alfonso Thomas, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Rahul Sharma

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IPL 5: Kolkata eye keeping Deccan on the mat

Kolkata Knight Riders will eye extending their winning streak to three matches and keep the winless Deccan Chargers on the mat when they host the team from Hyderabad in the IPL 5 match at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday.
Despite a two-match winning run, Kolkata have looked scratchy and need to address the chinks in their armour before it's too late. In their last match against Deccan in Cuttack on Sunday, they were not convincing in their chase of a modest 127. Their batsmen have failed at crucial junctures, while the bowlers seem to be doing a fine job.


Brendon McCullum is yet to light up this edition of the league with his power hitting, while his opening partner and skipper Gautam Gambhir too hasn't hit the straps according to his high standards. Jacques Kallis's name in the line-up sends a positive note, but the South African can contribute a lot more than he has so far with the bat.
The biggest disappointment, however, remains Yusuf Pathan, who has made just 29 runs in seven matches. Maybe the think-tank should promote him up the batting order to give him more time in the middle to rediscover his touch, and if this experiment works, Kolkata would be a force to reckon with. Kolkata might include Shakib Al Hasan to strengthen their batting and give themselves a fifth bowling option, but captain Gambhir will find it difficult to accommodate the Bangladesh allrounder with the cap of four foreign players in place.
But undoubtedly Kolkata owe most of their wins so far to the bowlers. Be it Brett Lee, L Balaji or Sunil Narine – all of them have been instrumental in Kolkata's wins, and it won't be a surprise if it turns out that way again against an insipid Deccan batting.
Nothing seems to be going Deccan's way. Having lost all their five matches, Kumar Sangakkara's men find themselves placed at rock bottom of the points table. No captain will like to discount his team at any juncture and Sangakkara too believes his side will bounce back, with 11 matches still to go.
Deccan have too many shortcomings to solve and the team management is clueless from where to start. Though they have a decent crop of foreign players in their team - an astute leader in Sangakkara, an intimidating bowler in Dale Steyn and big-hitting middle order batsmen in JP Dumiiny, Daniel Christian and Cameron White - the young Indian players have let them down.
Besides Shikhar Dhawan on a couple of occasions and Amit Mishra on another, none of the Indian fringe players have stepped up to the plate. Parthiv Patel hasn't been stroking it at all while the other names - like Ishank Jaggi, Ankit Sharma and Anand Rajan - don't exude any confidence. So the lack of quality Indian players remains their bane in this season of the league.
And with Eden being Kolkata's happy hunting ground with the crowd supporting them, Deccan will have to lift their performance more than a couple of notches to open their points account.
Probable XIs:
Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Gautam Gambhir (capt), 2 Brendon McCullum, 3 Manvinder Bisla (wk), 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Manoj Tiwary, 7 Debabrata Das, 8 Rajat Bhatia, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Laxmipathy Balaji, 11 Brett Lee
Deccan Chargers: 1 Kumar Sangakkara (capt), 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Parthiv Patel (wk), 4 Cameron White, 5 Jean-Paul Duminy, 6 Ishank Jaggi, 7 Ankit Sharma, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Anand Rajan, 11 Veer Pratap Singh

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Tendulkar's 39th birthday to be low-key

Chandigarh: Sachin Tendulkar turns 39 on Tuesday but no big celebrations have been planned so far by the batting icon or his Mumbai Indians' team-mates, though his die-hard fans have made elaborate plans to observe the day in a big way. Tendulkar and his wife Anjali arrived here by an afternoon flight from Mumbai without their two children. The batting maestro's IPL team Mumbai Indians' team-mates also arrived here with him. Mumbai are set to clash with Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Wednesday.
While the five star hotel, where Tendulkar and the rest of the Mumbai team are staying, has made arrangements on their own to throw a party to celebrate his birthday, the first after he scored his 100th international ton, MI sources said the event is likely to be a low-key affair.


A small private function may be kept and his team-mates will wish him on his birthday and cut the cake. MI team owner Nita Ambani is also likely to be present, the source said. "There may be a small function but nothing grand. Tendulkar is a very private person and we are not expecting the event to be a bash. It will be a small function," a team source said.
This will not, however, dampen the spirit of his die-hard fans. As the team arrived at the hotel, his fans had already lined up. "We are a group of friends studying in a college. All of us have placed [an] order for a 10-kg cake to celebrate Tendulkar's birthday. All our friends will be joining us and a big party will be thrown as it is his first birthday after he scored his 100th century recently," said one of his fans.
Last year, Tendulkar did not celebrate his birthday following the demise of his spiritual guru Satya Sai Baba.
Tendulkar has scored 51 centuries in Test cricket and 49 in the ODIs so far in his international career spanning nearly 23 years.

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