Tendulkar gets injured in IPL 5 opener

Chennai: Sachin Tendulkar sustained a finger injury in his left hand and retired hurt when he tried to fend off a rising delivery from Chennai Super Kings' bowler Doug Bollinger in the opener of the Indian Premier League's fifth season here on Wednesday. However, it is still not clear whether it is a fracture or a simple bruise.

It was the fifth ball of the ninth over and Tendulkar, who was batting on 15, got a short ball from Bollinger. The ball climbed onto him as the delivery hit one of the green patches and reared up uncomfortably. Tendulkar could just fend it off as it hit him on the glove.

Tendulkar, however, faced the next delivery and got a single to go onto 16. But at the end of the over, he sought medical attention and was advised to retire, following which he was seen returning to the dug-out looking in considerable pain. He had scored 16 off 15 balls with a four and a six off Albie Morkel.

Mumbai play their next match against Pune Warriors India on Friday.

Cricket-England v India - third test scoreboard

(Updates at the close)

Aug 11 (Reuters) - Scoreboard at the close on the second day

of the third test between England and India at Edgbaston in

Birmingham on Thursday.

India first innings 224 (MS Dhoni 77; S. Broad 4-53, T.

Bresnan 4-62)

England first innings (overnight 84-0)

A. Strauss b Mishra 87

A. Cook not out 182

I. Bell b Kumar 34

K. Pietersen lbw b Kumar 63

E. Morgan not out 44

Extras (lb-26, b-7, nb-12, w-1) 46

Total (three wickets, 115 overs) 456

Fall of wickets: 1-186 2-252 3-374

To bat: R. Bopara, M. Prior, T. Bresnan, S. Broad, G. Swann,

J. Anderson.

Bowling (to date): Praveen Kumar 32-12-75-2, Sreesanth

22-4-103-0(4nb), Ishant Sharma 25-6-112-0 (1w), Mishra

26-2-100-1 (8nb), Raina 9-0-30-0, Tendulkar 1-0-3-0

Breaking News: India chase history but Lankan lions in the way

Mumbai: Armed with the wishes of millions of passionate fans and a never-say-die spirit, India are just one win away from crowning themselves the ODI world champions after almost 28 years as they clash with an equally determined Sri Lanka in the first all-Asian ICC cricket World Cup 2011 summit showdown on Saturday.

More than two decades after their incredible World Cup triumph at the historic Lord's, India find themselves on the threshold of probably their biggest cricketing moment as they brace up for a nerve-wrecking battle for supremacy at the renovated Wankhede stadium.

Both India and Sri Lanka, two Asian giants who have played against each other frequently in recent times, have won the coveted trophy once each and will leave no stone unturned to regain the Cup.

Though there is little to choose between the two teams, India will fancy their chances of putting it across the islanders as they are playing at home and are peaking at the right time after a rather patchy beginning to their campaign.

Both the teams have some injury concerns ahead of the grand finale which will be high on emotions for a variety of reasons and will give one last chance to ageing maestro Sachin Tendulkar to fulfill his dream of winning the World Cup, one silverware that has been missing from his collection.

The match will be the last outing for India's highly respected coach Gary Kirsten who has transformed the team into world-beaters as also Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss, who is set to resign after the World Cup.

It will also be a swansong match for Muttiah Muralitharan, who is racing against time to recover from a knee injury.

The home team has suffered a jolt ahead of the game with Ashish Nehra, who bowled well in the high-voltage semifinal clash against Pakistan in Mohali, being virtually ruled out because of a finger injury.

Similarly, Sri Lanka have injury concerns over Muralitharan and all-rounder Angelo Matthews and have called in Suraj Randiv and Chaminda Vaas as cover.

The hosts are also grappling with a selection dilemma ahead of the summit showdown which will be watched by millions of fans in both the cricket-crazy nations.

The Indians misread the Mohali track and opted for an additional seamer in Nehra at the expense of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who did a decent job in the two matches he has played so far.

The Mohali pitch assisted the slow bowlers more though the three Indian pacers -- Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and Nehra -- bowled well.

The Indians are peaking at the right time having prevailed over defending champions Australia in the quarters and arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-voltage semi-final but it remains to be seen whether they can pull it off when it matters the most.

Captain Dhoni has warned his teammates not to get distracted by the excessive hype surrounding their World Cup campaign and just focus on the job at hand.

"There'll be plenty of things happening around us, but what's important is not to get distracted. We all know what our jobs are as professional cricketers so we'll stick to that and try to play good cricket", Dhoni said.

"The Sri Lankans have a good side and they have done really well in the tournament. We have to play good cricket to beat them. We have to be at our best."

Both the teams appear to be well-balanced on paper though the islanders certainly have a more potent bowling attack, particularly with the presence of spin wizard Muralitharan who will be keen to make an impression in his swansong game.

Muralitharan has been troubled by a knee injury and Randiv has been called in as cover for him, though the team management is confident that he would be fully fit by Saturday.

Although the Indians have a formidable batting line-up and most of them are quite adept in dealing with spin, Muralitharan is a wily customer and will find a way to put pressure on the batsmen if he takes the field on the morrow.

The home team will look to Tendulkar and the flamboyant Virender Sehwag to provide a rollicking start and set the platform for the middle-order to take India to a decent total at the Wankhede stadium track which is expected to suit the batsmen.

Tendulkar has been in good form right through the tournament with 464 runs and his fans will be hoping that he achieves the phenomenal milestone of scoring his 100th international century at his home ground.

Sehwag, who started with a brilliant 175 against Bangladesh, has not really fired after that knock though he has rattled up quick-fire 30s and 40s. India need him to be at his brutal best to take the game away from the Lankans.

India have the depth in their batting but they need to ensure that they don't collapse in the batting powerplay as they had done against South Africa and the West Indies. They, however, made the powerplay count in the last game against Pakistan.

Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Raina have enough talent and skill to put runs on the board. Dhoni has been struggling with the bat and will be hoping to make a contribution when it matters most.

Yuvraj, who is having a dream World Cup and has already won a record four man-of-the-match awards, will have a key role to play since he is the player in form both with the bat and ball.

The Sri Lankans, on the other hand, have a settled look to their squad and definitely have the resources to spoil India's party.

Their top batsmen -- Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene -- have all been among the runs.

"It means a lot to us. This is what we planned for over two years. We missed a great opportunity in 2007 when we reached the finals and again we've got a great opportunity on Saturday," Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said.

"We will be preparing for the finals. We don't have to get carried away. We are in the finals and that's great and we need to keep our heads down and keep in mind that there's a lot of work left to be done. Its the biggest day of our lives", he said.

The eventual winners of the flagship event of the game would be richer by USD three million, while the runners-up would take home USD 1.5 million out of the total prize pool of USD 12.52 million.

Sri Lanka have played four one-dayers at this venue, including a league match in this tournament against New Zealand. Out of those four, they have won two and lost two.

Sri Lanka had been beaten by India and defeated them once each in their first two encounters at the ground in 1986-87 and 1996-97.

In two other non-India games, the Lankans were beaten by the West Indies in 1993, while they defeated New Zealand earlier this month.

Teams (Probable elevens):

India: MS Dhoni (captain-wk), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (captain-wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Upul Tharanga

On-field Umpires: Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar.

Third Umpire: Ian Gould.

Fourth Umpire: Steve Davis.

Match Referee: Jeff Crowe.

Match starts at 2.30 pm.

PTI

Just playing for Sachin Tendulkar won’t get India the World Cup: Waugh

New Delhi : Former Australia captain Steve Waugh does not believe in the refrain that the Indian cricket team should win the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar, saying that a side cannot go on to lift the coveted trophy playing for just one person.

"I think that is not the right approach. You can`t win the World Cup laying for just one person. You play for the team, for the country. The game is bigger than any individual," Waugh said here on Friday.

Tendulkar, playing in his sixth and probably the last World Cup, holds almost every conceivable record in an illustrious career spanning over two decades, but the only thing missing from his impressive portfolio is the coveted trophy.

Waugh said that India are definitely one of the favourites and if the team does win, it will cap off a great career for Tendulkar.

The country has its hopes pinned on the champion batsman, and Waugh believed that Tendulkar`s role will be crucial in tricky situations.

"Tendulkar may not be the star of the tournament but he is going to play key roles in crucial moments," he said. In the capital to launch PlayUp, an interactive skill based gaming product, Waugh said the forthcoming tournament is likely to give the 50-over format a fresh lease of life.

"This could reinvigorate the 50-over game. This could reignite the passion among fans, and what better place than India to lift the game," Waugh, who led Australia to the title in 1999, said.

Many have said that India, seeking to break a 28-year-old jinx, would be under a lot of pressure playing in front of home crowd but Waugh said the team, especially skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, should "embrace" the pressure.

"Pressure is a good thing and as a captain it`s a great thing that Dhoni is under pressure. India and Dhoni should embrace it," Waugh, who will be associated with the Australian contingent during the 2012 London olympics, said.

Dew has always been a factor during day-night matches in the sub- continent and Waugh, having played in this part of the world on umerous occasions, is no stranger to that.

"Dew will play a major factor and toss too, from the quarter-final stage, will be crucial," he said.

Waugh said it`s important to peak at the right time in a tournament like World Cup.

"It`s important to carry the momentum. Don`t read too much into the first few games` results," he said.

The former skipper also expressed surprise at Cricket Australia`s decision to omit the still-recovering Mike Hussey from the 15-man squad.

"It`s a big loss. Hussey should have been in the team and prepare him for the quarterfinals, but that provides an opportunity to others. His brother (David) is pretty good.

That`s how it is, you have to step up," Waugh said citing the example of the 2003 World Cup when none gave Australia a chance after Shane Warne was sent back following a dope test.

Asked about the current Australian team in the context of the Men in Blue`s consistent showings over the past few seasons, Waugh replied with a straight bat: "Australia have done it on big occasions. They win the big matches when it counts."

He, however, observed that Dhoni`s bunch is more confident that ever.

"This Indian side is very confident, very experienced, and their aggressive approach has made a big difference besides having Gary Kirsten as coach," Waugh said.

A humiliating Ashes defeat to England has somewhat diminished Australia`s aura but Waugh felt they are still a force to reckon with in world cricket.

"For the moment let`s focus on limited overs game. We have won three World Cups on the trot and we are still the number one ranked side in ODIs, so taking all this into factor, we can say that Australia is still one of the favourites," Waugh said.

Asked to predict the five best bowlers in the World Cup, Waugh put his money on Dale Steyn, Lasith Malinga, Brett Lee, Graeme Swann and Harbhajan Singh.

Talking about Australia`s strength, Waugh said, "We are a pretty balanced side. They have taken a very aggressive approach by taking quite a few fast bowlers. They have to stay fit throughout the tournament."

Waugh also supported ICC`s ruling against the tainted Pakistani trio of Salman Butt, Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif, though he empathised with the later.

"It will set a precedent. Aamer is once in a generation kind of a player and it`s shameful for Pakistan, but I support the ICC," he said.

Waugh also felt that the seven-match one-day series following a gruelling Ashes series was a bit too long.

"It should have been five or three-match (ODI) series.

But professional cricketers these days are expected to play that much, so they are a little bit careful complaining about itinerary."

PTI

2nd Test: India beat SA to level series 1-1

Durban: An inspired India made amends for the drubbing at Centurion with a sensational 87-run victory against South Africa in the low-scoring second cricket Test to level the three-match series 1-1 here on Wednesday.

After setting a target of 303, the Indian bowlers put up a disciplined show to dismiss the hosts for 215 in 72.3 overs about an hour after the lunch break to record only their second Test triumph on South African soil.

It turned out to be an extraordinary Test with fortune fluctuating from one team to the other but the Indians eventually tilted the balance in their favour on a bouncy Kingsmead track which saw 40 wickets fall in three and half days.

The Indians, who had lost the first Test at Centurion by an innings and 25 runs, showed great character and resilience to demolish the Proteas in their own den and in conditions tailor-made to suit the home team.

The Indians players jumped in joy and hugged each other after last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was run out to bring about the moment of glory while coach Gary Kirsten and the other support staff stood up at the dressing room to applaud the players.

S Sreesanth (3/45), Zaheer Khan (3/53) and Harbhajan Singh (2/70) were the pick of the bowlers for India while Ashwell Prince was the top scorer for the South Africans with an unbeaten 39.

It was India's second Test triumph in South Africa. The 123-run victory in the first Test at Johannesburg in 2006 was their first Test victory on South African soil.

The two teams will now travel to Cape Town for the third and final Test starting on Sunday.

Both teams had an equal chance of winning the match when play began this morning with South Africa needing 192 runs and India needing to scalp the seven remaining wickets.

With plenty of time at hand, South African batsmen adopted a cautious approach in the morning and were content in playing the waiting game against some disciplined Indian bowling.

Resuming their chase at the overnight score of 111 for three, both de Villiers and Jacques Kallis found the going tough against the Indian attack and scored in ones and twos before a ripper from Sreesanth broke the dangerous-looking 41-run fourth-wicket stand.

The Kerela speedster came up with a blinder of a delivery that bounced sharply on to Kallis from just short of length and the big man had no other option but to fend at it, only to glove it to Virender Sehwag at gully.

Kallis made 17 off 52 deliveries and hit two boundaries in the process.

It seemed Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni came out with a perfect plan as he started the day's proceeding with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who bowled in tandem alongside Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan.

Dhoni's tactic bore fruit as Harbhajan inflicted the second big blow of the morning to South Africa by dismissing another dangerman De Villiers (33) lbw even though TV replays showed the South African was unlucky.

Bowling from round the wicket, Harbhajan tossed one up on off and middle and got it to bite and straighten which struck de Villiers around the knee in front of the stumps and umpire Asad Rauf had no hestiation in raising the finger but replays later showed the ball was going above the stumps.

Soon after de Velliers wicket, another dubious lbw decision ruined South Africa's morning when Zaheer Khan dismissed Mark Boucher in the 43rd over.

Zaheer too registered his name in the wicket list when he struck Boucher on the pads with a delivery that seemed to be angling away from the off-stump but umpire Steve Davis thought otherwise and adjudged the Protea wicket-keeper lbw much to the dismay of the home fans.

Zaheer then took India closer towards victory dismissing Dale Steyn (10) caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at third slip after the right-hander went for a flashing drive only to get an outside edge.

But a resolute Prince remained a thorn in the flesh for the Indians as he joined hands with Harris to lead South Africa's fightback and frustrated the visitors with their eighth-wicket partnership.

Zaheer broke the 27-run partnership immediately after the lunch break by bowling Harris with a gem of a delivery which moved in to clip the bails.

Morne Morkel, who joined the action after Harris' dismissal, went for his strokes to ease the pressure and the strategy seemed to work as South Africa crossed the 200 mark to give some anxious moments to the Indians.

But Ishant came to his team's rescue by evicting Morkel (20) and bring India within sniffing distance of victory.

Last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe did not survive long as he was run out, thanks to some smart fielding by Cheteswar Pujara at short leg.

India level series with inspired victory

Durban: An inspired India made amends for the drubbing at Centurion with a sensational 87-run victory against South Africa in the low-scoring second cricket Test to level the three-match series 1-1 on Wednesday.

After setting a target of 303, the Indian bowlers put up a disciplined show to dismiss the hosts for 215 in 72.3 overs about an hour after the lunch break to record only their second Test triumph on South African soil.

It turned out to be an extraordinary Test with fortune fluctuating from one team to the other but the Indians eventually tilted the balance in their favour on a bouncy Kingsmead track which saw 40 wickets fall in three and half days.

The Indians, who had lost the first Test at Centurion by an innings and 25 runs, showed great character and resilience to demolish the Proteas in their own den and in conditions tailor-made to suit the home team.

The Indians players jumped in joy and hugged each other after last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe was run out to bring about the moment of glory while coach Gary Kirsten and the other support staff stood up at the dressing room to applaud the players.

S Sreesanth (3/45), Zaheer Khan (3/53) and Harbhajan Singh (2/70) were the pick of the bowlers for India while Ashwell Prince was the top scorer for the South Africans with an unbeaten 39.

It was India's second Test triumph in South Africa. The 123-run victory in the first Test at Johannesburg in 2006 was their first Test victory on South African soil.

The two teams will now travel to Cape Town for the third and final Test starting on Sunday.

Both teams had an equal chance of winning the match when play began this morning with South Africa needing 192 runs and India needing to scalp the seven remaining wickets.

With plenty of time at hand, South African batsmen adopted a cautious approach in the morning and were content in playing the waiting game against some disciplined Indian bowling.

Resuming their chase at the overnight score of 111 for three, both de Villiers and Jacques Kallis found the going tough against the Indian attack and scored in ones and twos before a ripper from Sreesanth broke the dangerous-looking 41-run fourth-wicket stand.

The Kerela speedster came up with a blinder of a delivery that bounced sharply on to Kallis from just short of length and the big man had no other option but to fend at it, only to glove it to Virender Sehwag at gully.

Kallis made 17 off 52 deliveries and hit two boundaries in the process.

It seemed Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni came out with a perfect plan as he started the day's proceeding with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who bowled in tandem alongside Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan.

Dhoni's tactic bore fruit as Harbhajan inflicted the second big blow of the morning to South Africa by dismissing another dangerman De Villiers (33) lbw even though TV replays showed the South African was unlucky.

Bowling from round the wicket, Harbhajan tossed one up on off and middle and got it to bite and straighten which struck de Villiers around the knee in front of the stumps and umpire Asad Rauf had no hestiation in raising the finger but replays later showed the ball was going above the stumps.

Soon after de Velliers wicket, another dubious lbw decision ruined South Africa's morning when Zaheer Khan dismissed Mark Boucher in the 43rd over.

Zaheer too registered his name in the wicket list when he struck Boucher on the pads with a delivery that seemed to be angling away from the off-stump but umpire Steve Davis thought otherwise and adjudged the Protea wicket-keeper lbw much to the dismay of the home fans.

Zaheer then took India closer towards victory dismissing Dale Steyn (10) caught by Cheteshwar Pujara at third slip after the right-hander went for a flashing drive only to get an outside edge.

But a resolute Prince remained a thorn in the flesh for the Indians as he joined hands with Harris to lead South Africa's fightback and frustrated the visitors with their eighth-wicket partnership.

Zaheer broke the 27-run partnership immediately after the lunch break by bowling Harris with a gem of a delivery which moved in to clip the bails.

Morne Morkel, who joined the action after Harris' dismissal, went for his strokes to ease the pressure and the strategy seemed to work as South Africa crossed the 200 mark to give some anxious moments to the Indians.

But Ishant came to his team's rescue by evicting Morkel (20) and bring India within sniffing distance of victory.

Last man Lonwabo Tsotsobe did not survive long as he was run out, thanks to some smart fielding by Cheteswar Pujara at short leg.

PTI

New Zealand fight but India retain upper hand

New Zealand 69 for 2 trail India 487 (Sehwag 173, Dravid 104, Harbhajan 69) by 418 runs

It was not the one-way traffic that was expected, but India were well on top after the second day in Ahmedabad. In an hour either side of the lunch break, New Zealand's spinners ripped through the Indian middle-order, before struggling to wipe out the tail.

The fans had turned up hoping to see crowd-pleasing batsmen such as Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni, but it was Harbhajan Singh who kept them cheering by making his highest Test score, and eighth Test half-century, to push India towards 500. New Zealand lost two early wickets in their reply after which key batsmen, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor, safely played out the final hour.

The New Zealand spinners had plenty of work to do on the first day, and there was even more responsibility on them today after debutant fast bowler Hamish Bennett picked up a groin injury that prevented him from taking the field. Vettori bowled unchanged almost until lunch, giving away only 13 runs, but it was the other slow bowlers who got the morning breakthroughs.

India had jogged to 383 for 4, adding 54 leisurely runs with few alarms, when Jeetan Patel struck. Tendulkar fell punching a length ball back to Patel at waist height, and his serene march towards a record-equalling 11th 50-plus score in successive Tests was cut short.

If that seemed a bonus, given that New Zealand had been tidy but nonthreatening all morning, they had more to celebrate soon. Suresh Raina had already edged several deliveries in a short stay when he went hard at the ball but succeeded only in hitting it to McCullum at short extra cover, giving Kane Williamson his first Test wicket. Then, in the final over before the break, Laxman was caught plumb in front as Patel got the ball to sneak past his bat to trap him lbw. Laxman was unhappy with decision, but a jubilant New Zealand went into lunch savouring their best session of the game.

A swift end to the Indian innings looked imminent after Vettori's double-strike early in the post-lunch session: MS Dhoni inside-edged to forward short leg for 10, and Zaheer Khan was bowled for 1 by an arm ball to leave India at 412 for 8.

Harbhajan, though, began to attack soon after Zaheer's dismissal, clobbering Patel onto the roof beyond long-on and then slogging him to cow corner for four. His spin partner, Pragyan Ojha, supported him with a dour innings that barely had any forceful strokes. His dogged 73-minute stay came to an end when he padded up to an arm ball from Patel.

By then, Ojha had done his job, which was to support Harbhajan. There was a brief lull after Harbhajan's initial assault, but the big shots reappeared soon after. The tireless Vettori was thumped through extra cover, and in his next over Harbhajan skipped beyond leg stump and hammered Vettori over mid-off first for four and then for six.

Harbhajan was more circumspect against the quick bowlers, though there was a blast past mid-off off Jesse Ryder to move past his previous Test best of 66. He has spoken of his ambition to make a Test century, but it wasn't to be today as he bottom-edged a late cut to the keeper on 69.

Still, he had helped set New Zealand's misfiring batting a huge challenge. McCullum, playing as a specialist batsman, was opening for the first time since 2004 and he started with a flurry of boundaries - two off Sreesanth from his first four deliveries, and two more off Zaheer in the fifth over. But Tim McIntosh departed for without scoring, a short ball from Zaheer stayed low and McIntosh gloved it through to the keeper while attempting to duck. BJ Watling began brightly but was bowled off his first ball against spin in India - playing down the wrong line against Ojha.

New Zealand were 27 for 2, before McCullum and Taylor made sure there was no more damage. There were some close calls - a massive lbw shout against Taylor who was hit just outside off, and a McCullum edge just wide of slip among them - but the senior batsmen largely reined in their natural aggressive instincts to remain unbeaten till stumps.

It was a far better day for New Zealand than the first day, though the advantage provided by centuries from Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, and the belligerent hitting from Harbhajan, meant the visitors are still second-best after two days.

Siddarth Ravindran is a sub-editor at Cricinfo

Zaheer-Ponting spat adds spice to Test

Mohali: Tempers flared at Mohali on Friday when India locked horns with Australia in the first Test of the two-match series. Zaheer Khan allegedly poked Ricky Ponting with an off-the-cuff remark as the Australia skipper was going off the park after being run out for 71.

Ponting was walking past the Indian huddle when suddenly Zaheer chose to give him a send-off, after which Ponting turned around leading to a verbal duel between the two that needed umpire Billy Bowden's intervention.

The exact nature of the exchange is still not known but one thing is pretty clear that this series won't be short of high-octane on-field exchanges with none of the teams willing to hold back.

Australia, however, had an upper hand on the first day of Mohali Test as the visitors looked well placed at 179/3 at tea despite losing two wickets for 78 runs in the afternoon session.

Zaheer summoned after Ponting clash

Mohali: Sparks flew on the opening day of the first India-Australia cricket Test with Ricky Ponting and Zaheer Khan having a on-field showdown which prompted the match referee to summon the Indian pacer after the end of day's play.

The incident occurred in the 42nd over which was being bowled by Harbhajan Singh.

All-rounder Shane Watson pushed the fourth ball of that over towards mid-wicket and called Ponting who was batting on 71 for a quick single.

Before the Australian skipper could make his ground, Suresh Raina's direct throw hit the stumps.

After third umpire Sanjay Hazare adjudged him run-out, Ponting was walking back towards the pavilion when he turned back after hearing some comments from Zaheer.

With the Indian players standing in a pack, Ponting walked back towards them pointing the bat at them when he was intervened by Billy Bowden. Good sense prevailed after that and he walked back to the pavilion.

Match referee Chris Broad summoned Zaheer at the end of the day's play and had a word with him but according to team official Mayank Parikh, it was just a "friendly interaction" and there was no official caution or fine as such.

Australian opener Shane Watson, who came at the media conference after the day's play, was forthright in stating that it was Zaheer whose remarks escalated the tension.

"I didn't know what happened in the middle. Only later I saw the footage. It was Zaheer who came out of the huddle and his remarks escalated the incident. Ricky is not someone who will go out there to pick up a fight. He reacted only after something was said. We know what's the line we shouldn't cross," Watson.

India spinner Pragyan Ojha, however, sought to play down the issue.

"It often happens when you are competitive. There are times when words are exchanged," Ojha told the reporters.

Interestingly, on Thursday at the pre-match media conference, Ponting had said that he doesn't want any negativity or bad blood during the series as world cricket is still suffering in the wake of spot-fixing controversy involving the Pakistan trio of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Salman Butt.

Watson stands in way of fighting India

India turned a bad morning into a bright afternoon despite the committed effort of Shane Watson, who collected his third century in a week. Watson, who posted twin hundreds in the tour game, survived two chances in delivering the sort of performance expected of a specialist opener, not one Australia have manufactured over the past year.

Despite Watson's calm 101 on the opening day, the visitors are far from safe at 224 for 5 after a stinging late burst from Zaheer Khan, India's only fit paceman following a knee injury to Ishant Sharma. Zaheer, who was steaming in the second session during a confrontation with Ricky Ponting, gained his second lbw when he picked up Michael Hussey (17) with a reverse-swinging delivery and followed up by clipping Marcus North's off stump when he tried to leave on 0.

Zaheer finished with 3 for 45 off 16 overs to continue the fine recovery by a side that was struggling badly over the first half of the day. The locals would have been happier had MS Dhoni, who returned from the Champions League Twenty20 two days ago, caught a regulation chance off Tim Paine (1 not out).

On a pitch with low bounce and gaining in turn, Watson began in an aggressive mood but toned down once Ponting and Michael Clarke departed before tea, leaving the tourists at an uncomfortable 172 for 3. Until Ponting's departure for 71, Australia had been the ones in control but his run-out forced a change of pace, and Watson started grinding towards three-figures.

There was no rush from Watson as the Indian spinners delivered tight spells in the afternoon and were called on for more work following Ishant's departure after 7.4 overs. Only 45 runs were scored in the final session as the ball softened and the spinners closed in against the defensive Watson, Clarke and Hussey.

Watson has spent some gut-wrenching periods in the nineties during his 21 Tests, but he stayed calm and crept up on a rewarding second century. The milestone came with a legside clip for two off Harbhajan Singh and he stayed until the end, capturing eight fours from his 279 balls. It was a performance that bettered the 78 he made at the same ground two years ago, an innings that showed he could succeed when grit was required.

Watson and Ponting had survived some scares and overcame the early loss of Simon Katich (6) in their stabilising 141-run stand. The two-Test series began with Virender Sehwag's second-ball drop of Watson, who was also missed by Dhoni on 37, while Ponting benefitted from Ishant's over-stepping when glancing behind.

Ponting returned the charity after responding tardily to Watson's call for a single and was run out by Suresh Raina's smart direct hit from midwicket. The third umpire was required to decide Ponting's fate after his mostly composed innings, but as he walked past the fielders he was called out by Zaheer in the first flashpoint of the series. The taunts resulted in the captain changing direction and walking towards the huddle for a short exchange.

It was the fourth time Ponting, 35, had been caught short in Tests since going to England last year and the type of dismissal was particularly frustrating given the strong position of his team. Until that point it was India who had been unnecessarily generous with dropped catches, missed run-out chances and a flood of eight no-balls from Ishant.

India went in with four specialist bowlers, but only two were fast men, so Ishant's injured knee was another concerning development, especially as Harbhajan had to pass a fitness test in the morning. The lack of firepower could harm the hosts for the remainder of the game, but not if Zaheer continues weaving the ball late.

India's initial difficulty was eased by Raina's brilliant throw and the scoring-rate quickly dropped as Watson and Clarke added 18 at 1.5 an over against the spinners. Clarke then tried to cut a wider ball from Harbhajan and edged to Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Harbhajan was much more dangerous after lunch, slowing the runs and creating some half-chances in his 1 for 69 off 29 overs, and the pitch will help the slow men more as the game wears on. Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm orthodox spinner, also played an important role, rarely allowing an attacking option, as he gave away 39 runs in 31 overs. After a strong start the signs are already worrying for Australia, even though their opponents are possibly a man short

IPL 2010: Tendulkar Guides Mumbai Into Semi-Finals

Sachin Tendulkar produced another Indian Premier League batting masterclass as the Mumbai Indians qualified for the semi-finals with a comprehensive 37-run win over the Rajasthan Royals.

Tendulkar batted through Mumbai's innings and took full advantage of being dropped by Aditya Dole when on 45 to see his side to a score of 174 for five before the Royals could only manage 137 for eight in reply.

Early on in his well-crafted innings, Tendulkar went to the top of the table for boundaries scored in the 2010 IPL and he soon became the seventh man to score 1000 IPL runs.

After hitting Shane Warne for 14 runs in one over he was dropped at long leg by Dole as he tried to pull Siddharth Trivedi and the Royals would pay dearly. Tendulkar passed his half-century and then raced past Jacques Kallis tot he top of the 2010 run-scoring lists, finishing by smacking Trivedi for 20 runs in the final over of the innings.

The Royals held the upper hand early on when Shane Watson's aggressive spell brought him the wickets of Sanath Jayasuriya, caught at mid-off by Abhishek Jhunjhunwala for one, Ambati Rayadu, caught by Naman Ojha for a duck adnd Saurabh Tiwary, caught by Dole at deep backward square leg.

Tendulkar then shared half-century stands with JP Duminy (31 in 32 balls) and Kieron Pollard (25 in 13 balls) and he closed the innings unbeaten on 89 in 59 balls having hit ten fours and two sixes.

The Royals, needing a fast start, got off to a poor one when openers Michael Lumb (8) and Ojha (0) were caught at backward point and slip respectively and it got worse when some chaotic bating ended in Watson being run out for one and Faiz Fazal departing in the same manner for ten.

Jhunjhunwala attempted to stabilise the innings but he too was run out for 22, Tiwary and Rayadu combining to end his day's work.

Controlled bowling from Mumbai and disciplined fielding, a late inconsequential drop from Lasith Malinga aside, led to more wickets tumbling and the match was quickly over as a contest, despite Dole hitting out to good effect with 30 in 18 balls and Adam Voges also making 28.

Zaheer Khan bowled superbly to return two for 17 and there was a wicket apiece for Dhawal Kulkarni, Harbhajan Singh and Pollard as the Royals were beaten in Jaipur for the first time.

Dominant Tendulkar boosts Mumbai

Sachin Tendulkar shored up Mumbai Indians yet again with his fifth half-century of the IPL that all but guaranteed them a place in the semi-final and took him to the top of the run-charts in the tournament. He overcame Rajasthan Royals' strong start by building two partnerships: the first with JP Duminy to lead Mumbai's recovery after the loss of three early wickets, and the second with Kieron Pollard to accelerate at the end. That effort was backed up by a clinical performance from Mumbai's bowlers, which left Rajasthan battling in a mid-table scrap at fourth place, and inflicted on them their first defeat in Jaipur.

While their chase seemed doomed to fail after four wickets in the first seven overs, Rajasthan will look back at two phases where Mumbai could have been restricted. They grabbed three wickets in the Powerplay, but failed to keep up the pressure during a rebuilding endeavour by Tendulkar and Duminy. And they performed poorly in the field, with Adam Voges missing an easy opportunity to run out Pollard off his first ball, and Aditya Dole dropping a sitter off Tendulkar when on 45. The lapses cost Rajasthan dearly, as the pair helped plunder 68 off the last five overs to lift Mumbai to a score that proved out of Rajasthan's reach.

Tendulkar faced just 12 deliveries in Mumbai's Powerplay, but adapted superbly, restraining himself while ensuring a healthy rate after the early setbacks, and taking off with ease at the death against Rajasthan's seamers. Shane Watson removed Sanath Jayasuriya in his first over, and followed up by dismissing Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary with the bouncer, a weapon used successfully against local batsmen. But Duminy proved a suitable foil for Tendulkar, and the pair worked the field, picked the singles by calling well and accumulated 30 runs in five overs after the Powerplay.

There was hardly anything for the Jaipur crowd to cheer thereafter, but franchise loyalties mattered little in a Shane Warne v Tendulkar contest that fans were deprived of in the previous encounter. Tendulkar prevailed today, with three boundaries in one over against his counterpart. Warne was the only Rajasthan spinner to rely on flight, and Tendulkar improvised twice by striking him inside-out through extra cover. And when Warne dropped one short, Tendulkar made room to cut him through point.

Rajasthan had a chance once they broke the 63-run stand between Duminy and Tendulkar in the 13th over, but paid the price for mistakes in the field and some indisciplined bowling at the death. The seamers often bowled too short and when varying their pace, pitched the ball on a length which Tendulkar and Pollard were able to feed off with ease. Pollard began the surge with a slapped four off Dole in the 16th over and clipping Watson through fine leg in the next. He singled out Dole for treatment, smashing him for a six and a four off consecutive deliveries before being bowled to end a 50-run stand.

Tendulkar's acceleration was more calculated. He had picked out his spots in the field and it didn't help Rajasthan that their bowlers gave him ample opportunity to find them. With a mid-on inside the circle in the penultimate over, Watson bowled short and was hammered over that fielder for two consecutive fours. When Siddharth Trivedi came on next, Tendulkar targeted the wide long-on region for two successive sixes and finished off with 20 in the final over.

The only moment of promise in Rajasthan's chase was when Michael Lumb struck Dhawal Kulkarni for two fours in the second over, before slashing one straight to point. Zaheer Khan was the best of the Mumbai bowlers, nipping the ball away from the batsmen and clocking in excess of 140 kph, and earned his reward when opener Naman Ojha edged to slip.

While Rajasthan were generous in the field, Mumbai didn't waste their chances and Shane Watson and Faiz Fazal were run out after responding late to calls from their partners. All hopes rested on Yusuf Pathan but there were no miracles this time, and when he was caught in the 14th over with the score on 85, Rajasthan's fate was sealed.

Tendulkar's presence would have helped us in T20 WC: Harbhajan

Sachin, Harbhajan

Day in Pics: April 7

CHANDIGARH: Considering the red-hot form Sachin Tendulkar is in these days, it would have been fantastic for India's Twenty20 World Cup campaign if the batting legend was a part of the squad, feels Harbhajan Singh.

Tendulkar does not play T20 Internationals anymore hence the selectors did not include him in the Indian squad for the World Twenty20, beginning in the West Indies from April 30.

Tendulkar, who turns 37 on April 24, is in scorching form and has been instrumental in Mumbai Indians' splendid run so far in the third season of the Indian Premier League.

"Had Sachin decided to play in the World Cup, it would have been good for the team. But since he has decided, we know he is not going to change his decision," Harbhajan, Tendukar's IPL teammate, said during an informal interaction with scribes on the sidelines a felicitation function.

Tendulkar, captain of the Mumbai Indians, is the second highest run getter with 394 runs behind Jacques Kallis.

Harbhajan, who is among the top five bowlers in IPL 3 with 11 scalps, has also impressed with his batting skills and his blistering knocks have come handy for his side.

"I have worked a lot on my batting as well," he said even as he hurriedly added that despite his little cameos he will still remain a bowler first.

Asked the T20 effect on the other formats of the game he said, "It is having a positive effect on other versions. The game is becoming more fast now."

The senior pro also said the IPL has helped all the international players in T20 World Cup preparations.

"I think now we as Indian team believe that every target can be chased down if our batting clicks. It's a good practice for T20 Cup. Other teams too will benefit because their players are playing in the IPL," he said.

Deccan vs Mumbai: whose home is it anyway?

Mumbai: This is a cruel joke on the Chargers. They take on Mumbai Indians in what is supposedly their home game at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Taking on Sachin Tendulkar is a task in itself. Taking on the Master Blaster at home is like attacking Troy. You need more than a trick to breach his fortress.

And they will surely need some innovative captaincy in the game against Mumbai, who are looking all set to remain atop the points table. The Indians this year are a well-oiled unit who have been led from the front by Tendulkar, himself in stupendous form. In the previous two games Tendulkar has carried his bat through and that is indication enough of what the Chargers' bowlers should expect.

The Chargers have won three of their five games, but they have been a case of blow hot and blow cold. They lost their opening game against Kolkata and then bounced back to win three in a row before Shane Warne got the better of them on Friday.

It was supposed to be an easy game for the Chargers but they crumbled under some tight bowling and will have to be careful not to repeat their errors against a top bowling outfit. Mumbai's bowlers have been on target right through with Zaheer Khan, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh all among the wickets. The Chargers' running between the wickets has also been dicey and the calling for runs must improve.

Mumbai surely look to be in the driver's seat. The lineup has fired in unision and the 'home' crowd will hope for an encore. The threat of Tendulkar taking the game away from the Chargers in the first 10 overs remains the biggest threat.

The Indians surely have more than an edge in this contest. They have the momentum going their way and they have a certain Sachin Tendulkar who'll show them just who is the boss in Mumbai.

Sachin fires Mumbai Indians to the top of IPL table

Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi: Chasing a mammoth 219 runs for victory, Delhi lost its plot mid-way through the innings and succumbed to a 98-run defeat after Mumbai posted Indian Premier League -2010’s highest innings total.

The result of the match was a forgone conclusion when Delhi lost its top 6 wickets for just 106 runs and Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir did not come out to bat after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the night.

Earlier, unfazed by the mammoth Mumbai total, Tilakratne Dilshan and Virender Sehwag launched up a counter attack chase as Delhi looked all set to take the fight well towards the mid-night. But, alas! that just proved a mirage for the home team.

For a moment of brilliance, Dilshan started the thrilling chase with a courageous four on the very first ball of the innings as a lofted drive rolled past over the mid off boundary. Dilshan’s bravery ended with a brilliant slower one from Lasitha Malinga, world cricket’s rare commodity.

That dismissal at the top opened the flood gates as Delhi was further pegged back by Dwayne Bravo when their skipper Virender Sehwag (26) miscued a delivery only to see a comfortable catch in long off. Bravo once again proved the ultimate weapon at Tendulkar’s disposal as he then got rid off AB de Villiers (11).

The misery continued for the home side as Dinesh Karthik (28), who until then had hit three consecutive fours, missed a full on delivery from Harbhajan Singh and was brilliantly stumped by wicketkeeper Aditya Tare. Harbhajan fired it on the leg side as Karthik tried to step out and lift, but failed. The dismissal saw the teams departing for strategy break.

The break brought no respite for Delhi as Sanath Jayasuriya got the wicket of his very first ball. Mithun Manhas failed to hit a nicely tossed delivery and Sathish completed the formality. Barring Farveez Maharoof’s 28 runs innings no other Delhi Daredevils batsman moved into a double digit mark as Mumbai Indians bowlers kept chipping in with regular wickets. Tendulkar was adjudged as the player of the match.

Mumbai Innings

Earlier, runs rained at the newly laid Kotla track as Mumbai Indians amassed IPL 2010’s highest innings total of 218/7 in stipulated twenty overs.

And to credit that, if Saurabh Tiwary becomes the most searched word in Indian cricket tomorrow morning then just don’t frown. The young prodigy kept Mumbai’s promise of posting a huge total after Tendulkar’s departure and frustrated Delhi bowlers with some brutal assault.

Tiwary’s blitzkrieg lasted for 37 balls. The southpaw cleared the fence on three occasions for maximum and scored 61 runs before being run out by Dinesh Karthik. The superb innings from the left hander was only second to Tendulkar as the little master maintained a strike rate of staggering 196.88.

I was bringing up a live match report from IPL 2010 most awaited encounter. And what else I could have wrote when the maestro was batting? I was falling short of adjectives when Sachin Tendulkar was on song.

But to rescue me and Daredevils, came Yogesh Nagar. Once again the substitute fielder ran for his life to pull off another blinder as Tendulkar’s fireworks came to an abrupt end. The legend lasted for 32 balls and scored 63 runs before obliging Amit Mishra.

Tendulkar just took 23 balls to bring up a fifty which easily made one ask, how can India afford to miss such an asset in upcoming T20 World Cup in Caribbean Islands?

But all that is a different debate for some another time. Tonight, the infamous Kotla ground saw even and steady bounce as Sachin started milking Delhi Daredevils bowling to start the proceedings for Mumbai. Square cuts or pull shots flowed from the little maestro’s repertoire as Mumbai cashed in the charge and brought up its fifty run score in fewer than five overs.

Expectedly, old war horses, Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar opened the innings for Mumbai and got into the act from the onset as Delhi’s fielders were caught warming up. as the duo brought on a 38 run partnership, only to see a brilliant catch from Yogesh Nagar ending Jayasuriya’s misery at the crease.

Leaping high in air which could have envied Kobe Bryant, Nagar pulled of a sensational catch and gave some respite to Gambhir’s men as Jayasuriya walked back in disappointment.

Jayasuriya, in particular tried his best to break free from the clutches set by accurate line and length of Dirk Nannes but was struggling to get away. But importantly, the duo stuck to their guns and set the stage for a fierce battle in jam packed Kotla ground.

Jayasuriya’s departure saw Aditya Tare join the crease with Sachin Tendulkar. The hard hitting Mumbai wicket-keeper made his presence felt before being clean bowled by Pradeep Sangawan. Tare scored 17 runs before completely missing the line as the leather crashed onto the middle and leg stump.

Tare’s removal saw Jharkhand hero and Dhoni-styled, Saurabh Tiwary, join the crease with little master.

In the end Mumbai ended up posAing IPL season three’s most challenging total of 218/7 in stipulated twenty overs.

Earlier, Delhi Daredevils won the toss and elected to field first against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday.

For those interested in Mumbai’s new West Indian imports, Keiron Pollard, the costliest player scored 10 of 8 balls and took one wicket while Bravo scored 9 runs and dislodged 2 Delhi batters in a winning cause for Mumbai Indians.

IPL: Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Daredevils by 98 runs

NEW DELHI: Batting first is generally a good bet on Indian pitches, especially in summers. The formula is to post a big total and then apply pressure on the opposition. But Delhi Daredevils had a different gameplan. They wanted to know how many runs they would have to chase to win the IPL game against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.

However, the newly-laid Kotla pitch turned out to be a belter and Daredevils' decision to field first backfired. Boasting of a strong batting line-up, Mumbai Indians made the most of the good batting conditions and put up a formidable 218/7 on the board.

The hosts, also boasting of a powerful batting line-up but hamstrung by skipper Gautam Gambhir's injury, could never really threaten the target, losing wickets regularly to end up at 120 in 16.3 overs. Thus, Mumbai Indians won by a whopping 98 runs to notch up their second successive win. For Delhi, it was their first defeat in three ties.

Even as Gambhir was nursing his injury in the dressing room, his counterpart, the great Sachin Tendulkar, lit up the Delhi sky with a dazzling display of strokeplay. It was Sachin's 62 off 32 balls which gave the impetus to Mumbai innings. Young Saurabh Tiwary proved to be the perfect foil, timing the ball to a nicety.

Sachin took centrestage from the word go and there were no half measures as he played his strokes with the abandon of a rookie hand. The impressive Tiwary was not of inspiration and put up 61 off 37 balls. Ambati Rayudu, another Mumbai young gun, made a quickfire 34. Kieron Pollard, the new sensation from the Caribbean, got his first hit in the IPL but played only eight balls.

Among Delhi bowlers, only Dirk Nannes could command respect.

Gambhir, had to leave the field due to a groin injury in the second over of the day itself, did not come out to bat at all. In his absence, wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik led the side. In Gambhir's absence, T Dilshan stepped in to open the innings with Virender Sehwag but his bad run in the tournament continued.

With the score at 56/1 after six overs, Delhi looked like putting up a good fight but Dwayne Bravo deceived Sehwag with the first ball of the seventh over and the innings simply fizzled out after that. Bravo, Harbhajan and Jayasuriya all bagged two wickets each as Mumbai Indians squeezed the life out their rivals.

Mighty Daredevils up against Mumbai Indians

NEW DELHI: On a roll after notching up two victories in a row, a confident Delhi Daredevils would aim a hat-trick of wins when they clash with Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

The Delhi batsmen would look to exploit the bowling chinks of their rivals, who looked helpless against the Yusuf Pathan onslaught in their first match against Rajasthan.

Mumbai Indians just about managed to survive Pathan storm as except for pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Lasith Malinga, the other bowlers looked not more than ordinary.

Bowling would be the area Mumbai need to look into as they prepare to take on batting might of Delhi.

For the hosts, either of the two openers - captain Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag -- has spent a good amount of time at the crease to help chase the targets and the middle has also responded well so far.

And the way Sehwag massacred the Rajasthan bowlers with his 34-ball 75 in yesterday's clash, Mumbai need its bowlers to do some extraordinary to stop the Nazafgarh marauder.

But the best option for them would be to put up a big total on the board since any score less than 200 would not be a problem for Delhi to chase, if Sehwag has his way.

Mumbai too have solid openers in Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya but it was young blood that came to their rescue in the match against Rajasthan Royal.

Saurabh Tiwary and Ambati Rayudu clicked at the right time to take the team total beyond the 200-run mark and all of them need to fire again tomorrow.

But scoring runs would not be easy for Mumbai as Delhi's bowling unit is in good touch.

In the two matches so far, they have been successful in restricting both the opponents - Kings XI Punjab and the Rajasthan Royals - inside the 150-mark.

Left-arm pacer Dirk Nannes and Farvez Maharoof have done a brilliant job with the new ball while spinner Amit Mishra and Pradeep Sangwan have also contributed nicely.

So, Mumbai are in for a good test tomorrow at Ferozshah Kotla ground.

The only worry for Delhi would be the form of Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan, who surprisingly has not even opened his account in the two matches.

The explosive and the most sought after batsman these days, Dilshan would be keen to shrug of an indifferent start to the tournament.

Skipper Gambir would also want South African AB de Villiers to find his touch and be among runs to boost the batting order further.

Mumbai need Sanath Jayasuriya and Tendulkar to give them a good start and have to ensure that Ryan McLaren, Rajagopal Sathish and Ali Murtaza shares the burden with Zaheer and Malinga.

Both the skippers would not mind losing toss since how the re-prepared pitch would behave at the Ferozshah Kotla nobody knows.

The December pitch fiasco when India-Sri Lanka ODI was abandoned due to unfit strip is still fresh in the minds of the fans, particularly Delhiites, and a good game of cricket is imperative to redeem the image of the venue.

A high scoring game, no doubt, would do it.

Teams: (From)

Delhi Daredevils: Gautam Gambhir (C), Virender Sehwag, Sarabjit Ladda, Joginder Singh, Rajat Bhatia, AB de Villiers, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Moises Henriques, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Andrew McDonald, Farveez Maharoof, Yo Mahesh, Mithun Manhas, Amit Mishra, Dirk Nannes, Ashish Nehra, Wayne Parnell, Shashi Ranjan, Aavishkar Salvi, Pradeep Sangwan, Sarandeep Singh, David Warner, Umesh Yadav.

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar (capt.), Murtaza Ali, Dwayne Bravo, Shikhar Dhawan, Jean-Paul Duminy, Dilhara Fernando, Harbhajan Singh, Sanath Jayasuriya, Zaheer Khan, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ryan McLaren, Chandan Madan, Ishan Malhotra, Lasith Malinga, Graham Napier, Abhishek Nayar, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Rajagopal Sathish, Syed Shahabuddin, Rahul Shukla, Aditya Tare, Saurabh Tiwary.

Sachin Tendulkar named UN Goodwill Ambassador

Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar has been named a Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Tendulkar, the most popular Indian sportsperson in the last two decades, will use his global popularity to raise awareness and harness support for environmental action in India and around the world, the UNEP said in a statement on Thursday.

"I have played and enjoyed my cricket across the planet. Now it is also time to do something for the planet, which is our only home," he said.

"Being part of the effort to save the planet is an immense undertaking but it is a challenge I am ready to undertake. Working with UNEP and cricket fans across the globe, I am in good company. Together we can do it."

The agency’s Executive Director, Achim Steiner, said that Tendulkar’s "character, personal integrity, intellect and profile will catalyze widespread environmental action."

Year 2010 is the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity, and Tendulkar will work with the agency to boost the global and grassroots response to the loss of animal and plant diversity worldwide.

Tendulkar will lead a Green Pledge to save the planet when the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicks off its third season in Mumbai on Friday. The vow that he will make in front of the millions of fans reads, "The Earth is our home and together we must conserve our precious wildlife, forests and oceans. I am proud to pledge that I will play my part in caring for our natural heritage."

The master batsman is no stranger to the work of the UN, having lent his voice to a UNICEF campaign in India on the importance of personal hygiene.