Zaheer Khan expects Harbhajan Singh to comeback strongly

India’s ace fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, has come up in support of Harbhajan Singh, and said that the off-spinner holds the potential to make a strong comeback into the national setup.
Despite his availability, Harbhajan was dropped out of the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match One Day International (ODI) series against England, starting from October 14, 2011.
The off-spinner’s exclusion from the national crew came as a result of his ordinary recital on the recent tour to England. After displaying a lacklustre show in opening two Tests, the Jalandhar-born spinner failed to maintain his fitness and missed the rest of the four-match series.
The right-arm off-spinner is currently leading his Indian Premier League (IPL) outfit, Mumbai Indians, in the in-progress Champions League Twenty20.
Although, he has proved his fitness by performing reasonably well so far in the ongoing tournament, the Indian selectors overlooked him and gave opportunity to young spinner, Rahul Sharma.
However, Zaheer is not worried about Harbhajan’s omission, saying that he has been undergoing a lean patch and will be back in action very soon.
"We all know that Harbhajan has done great things for the country and me as a fellow cricketer played alongside him, I am sure that he is going to be back. He is too good a bowler to be left out and I am sure the talent he has, he is going to be back. Personally (I have) gone through up's and downs in my career and I am sure that Harbhajan has also got that character, that fire in him to come back stronger than ever," said Zaheer, who along with the offie, was a key part of India’s World Cup winning team.
The left-arm pacer further dismissed all concerns over the bowling skills of Harbhajan, saying that the 31-year-old is a world-class bowler who has all the experience and quality to rejuvenate his form.
"Harbhajan was a champion bowler and he would definitely fight back for his place in the team," added the 32-year-old seamer who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.

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Harbhajan Singh available for the complete tour of West Indies

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, has said that he is available for the complete tour of West Indies, if given a chance by the selectors. The World Champions are scheduled to visit the Caribbean next month.

Some of the senior players have requested the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) to rest them for the tour after a hectic schedule. The list includes MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan, all three have been playing in the Indian Premier League’s ongoing season as well.

The off-spinner has been an integral part of the Indian team since the last one decade but he is still hungry for cricket. Harbhajan said that he will definitely go to the Caribbean if selected by BCCI. The off-spinner added that he is available for all the three formats of the game against the West Indies.

Harbhajan said, "If I get selected, I am going to play. I am definitely available for the whole tour. If I am selected, I will definitely go."

He has played 93 Test matches for his country in which the off-spinner has taken 393 wickets. On top of that he has taken 255 One Day International wickets in only 226 matches.  

Harbhajan has served Indian cricket greatly and has carried the burden of Indian spin bowling over the years.

Singh is currently busy playing in the IPL, where he represents Mumbai Indians. His franchise is doing very well in the current season.

However, he asked his team not get over-confident because still there is a lot of cricket to be played in this edition of the league.

He added that all the teams in IPL are strong and have the capability to beat each other on any given day, hence Harbhajan wants his team to take every match seriously.

"We don't want to take things for granted. We know all the teams are capable of beating each other. We just want to keep on working hard and do things which will ensure we stay on top," Harbhajan added.

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Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar urges teammates to maintain consistency

Mumbai Indians’ skipper, Sachin Tendulkar, has asked his teammates not to get carried away with success and carry the consistency forward to the upcoming games in the Indian Premier League.

Despite having secured their place in the knockout stage, the little master warned his men against any complacency and claimed that good performance in the remaining first-round matches will work as an advantage for his side in the play-offs.

Tendulkar and company thrashed Delhi Daredevils comprehensively by 32 runs in the Indian Premier League match on Saturday, May 7, 2011.

Having been asked to bat first, MI piled up a fighting total of 178 with the help of power-hitting by Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu. In response, the Daredevils were bowled out at 146 in 19.5 overs.

With eight victories out of 10 games in this season, Mumbai Indians are at the top of points table. Enormously delighted over his team’s steady work so far in the league, Tendulkar lauded his teammates and urged them to perform well in all three departments of the game.

"I think in all departments we have done well, batting, bowling and fielding. But we have to continue to be consistent," Tendulkar said.

The maestro further heaped praise on Munaf Patel and Aiden Blizzard for their outstanding bowling and batting in the game against DD.

“Munaf's been terrific, his attitude has been fantastic. We got off to a brilliant start, courtesy Blizzard. He batted beautifully at the start," the Mumbai skipper added.

On the other hand, the Daredevils are out of the play-off race after suffering their seventh defeat in the tournament on Saturday and the dejected Delhi captain Virender Sehwag held his top-order batsmen responsible for loss against MI.

"Very disappointed, because our top-order didn't click. It is very difficult to chase 180 when you lose four wickets for seven runs," Sehwag said.

Admitting the fact that his team was quite dependant on him this edition, the blistering Indian opening batsmen asked his players to come up with improved performance and win the remaining games in the Twenty20 league.

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Sourav Ganguly ready to open for Pune Warriors

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who recently made his comeback to Indian Premier League and joined Pune Warriors, has expressed his willingness to bat at the opening position for his new outfit in the ongoing competition.
"I am very flexible with that (position in the batting order). Let's see what the team management tells me. I am ready for everything," Ganguly said.
In a dramatic development a couple of days ago, the Indian southpaw, who led Kolkata Knight Riders in the previous three IPL editions, was picked up by Pune's franchise as replacement player for the injured Ashish Nehra.
Languishing at the bottom of the season four standings with just a couple of triumphs from eight matches, the IPL debutant outfit has not been able to make an impact so far in the competition. It is being considered that Ganguly stepped into the Pune set-up at the most appropriate time as he can emerge as Warriors' lucky charm and help them return back to the winning ways.
Pune’s skipper, Yuvraj Singh along with his team-mates, is also hoping that Ganguly will do the magic for Pune and put their IPL campaign back on track.
Ganguly has an overall record of scoring 11,363 runs in 311 ODI matches. His record as an opener in limited overs cricket is even more impressive, with 9,146 runs in 242 innings and scored at an average of 41.57.
Former Indian skipper, who went unsold in IPL-4 earlier in January 2011, has a point to prove as he has not been very good with the bat in IPL's previous editions. Irrespective of his batting position in the Pune Warriors, Ganguly is determined to do well for his new franchise.
When asked about his sudden return to IPL, Ganguly stated, "I was approached by them (Pune). They wanted to know whether I was available or not. I told them I was available. That's how I am going to play for Pune Warriors."
Although, the former skipper has been ruled out of today’s decisive encounter with Mumbai Indians, Ganguly is happy for his return and vowed to deliver his one hundred percent in the upcoming games.

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Hurley’s love leads Warne’s side to win

Girl friend of the cricket legend, Shane Warne, and a renowned English model, Elizabeth Hurley, demonstrated heartfelt support for Rajasthan Royals during their game at Jaipur on 1 May, 2011.
The Warne-led side has stunned the world by winning all three games at Jaipur, cementing their place in the tournament and taking their winning streak to 15 wins out of 19 matches at home.
Weekend's game between Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors was a thrilling competition. It was evident through Hurley’s gestures and expressions that she was involved and stressed, wanting her boyfriend to triumph.
Hurley was shouting and raising slogans on every ball and every hit. She was a resplendent showpiece for the spectators and for the media cameras.
The game over with Royals standing as winners, Hurley revealed that she had not imagined that the game would be so stressful.
It was the most emotionally-charged game for Warne who was fighting for the top slot. Hurley was also present at the stadium during Rajasthan’s clash with Mumbai Indians on Friday.
After an easy and convincing victory, Warne exchanged a lovely kiss with Hurley, setting their fans to clap and smile.
After losing a couple of their games, Warne was confident of a startling comeback when the Royals returned to their home ground for three games. Under Warne’s meticulous leadership, they won all three games in Jaipur.
In yesterday’s game, Pune Warriors scored 143 after losing 7 wickets in the first innings. Rajasthan Royals had a dismal start but Ross Taylor’s unbeaten 47 steered them to the 11^th hour victory.
The Rajasthan Royals now hold the top slot in the ongoing tournament. The side claimed the IPL title in 2008.
After the game, Warne tweeted Hurley and thanked her for the support. Warne wrote, “you and D’s flag waving was superb today-all the boys appreciate your support very much.” In reply, Hurley added three kisses and exclaimed, “Yes! Love cricket now.”
The 45-year old Hurley and 41-year old Warne have been friends since last July. Both are divorced and their friendship is quite strong. Hurley tries to ensure her presence on every big occasion related to Warne.
A successful former Kangaroo skipper, Warne has been leading Rajasthan Royals since the very first edition of the IPL.

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SWOLLEN LEFT KNEE LEAVES SHANE WARNE DOUBTFUL FOR MATCH AGAINST PUNE WARRIORS

The Rajasthan Royals skipper, Shane Warne is a doubtful starter for his team’s crucial Indian Premier League game against Sahara Pune Warriors India, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday, as the legendary Australian spinner is struggling with a swollen knee.

The Rajasthan skipper was seen testing the fitness of his knees during a practice session on the eve of the match. When asked about the strength of his knees, the spin prodigy conceded that his left knee was inflamed and he would take the final decision in this regard on Sunday morning.

“Yes it is still swollen. Cartilage of my left knee is inflamed. There is swelling and I will have another look at it in the morning,” Warne told the reporters at the pre-match media conference.

Giving the details of his swollen knee, the 41-year-old Victoria bowler said that he had picked up the injury while fielding in their convincing seven-wicket win over table toppers, Mumbai Indians, on Friday. He however, was hopeful that he would be fit to play against Pune tomorrow.

“My knee got stuck when I dived for the ball while fielding yesterday,” said Warne. “I have had three operations on that knee. I have been icing it and I will use more ice packs. Hope I can be fit for the match against Pune.” 

Ashok Menaria, the Rajasthan Royals all-rounder, however, dismissed any fears about Warne's availability for Sunday's match.

“There is nothing wrong with Shane and he is out for the practice,”  said the 20-year-old left arm spinner when asked about the condition of his captain’s injured knee.

Sources inside the Rajasthan team have also claimed that even a less than hundred percent fit Shane Warne would be part of the playing eleven against Sahara Pune Warriors tomorrow.

With nine points from 8 games, the Rajasthan based franchise currently stands at number three. A victory against Pune would take them to the top of the table with 11 points, just ahead of current table toppers, Mumbai Indians, who have 10 points from seven games.

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Mumbai v Rajasthan - Mumbai Indians collapse at 94, Rajasthan Royals in command

The Mumbai Indians barely managed to score 94 runs against the Rajasthan Royals in the 34^th match of the Indian Premier League being played at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on 29 April, 2011.
Shane warne won the toss and invited Mumbai to bat first. The Mumbai Indians opened with their usual pair, Sachin Tendulkar and Davy Jacobs.
 Ashok Menaria and the seamer Amit Singh took charge of the Rajasthani bowling attack.
Mumbai’s opening pair only managed 11 runs in the first two overs. Jacobs was the first to go, bowled by Amit on the first ball of the fourth over with the Mumbai total at 22 runs.
Tendulkar was the next one to leave, adding only six runs to the total. Dishant Yagnik stumped Sachin out off the bowling of Ashok.
Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma were to lead Mumbai next, the duo could only manage to add 18 runs in the total before Rayudu was caught and bowled by Menaria. The third wicket fell at the total of 46 runs in 8.4 overs and Andrew Symonds was next on the crease.
Sharma tried to accelerate the innings but was caught at long off by Johan Botha on the last ball of the 10^th over. Mumbai Indians lost their fourth wicket when their score reached the 50-run milestone.
Pollard was the next man in but he was dismissed early as well, contributing just 18 runs for the fifth wicket. The Rajasthan bowlers were pressing down hard on the struggling Mumbai batsmen.
Symonds was the sixth batsman to return to the pavilion after accumulating 17 runs off 26 balls.
Mumbai Indians could manage only 94 runs in the allocated 20 overs, losing eight wickets in the process.
Botha was the highest wicket taker for Rajasthan Royals with three wickets, Menaria and Amit took two wickets each while Warne scalped one.
Mumbai’s performance was dismal and unexpected, however, fortunately for Rajasthan, this may just be their day.

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HARBHAJAN SINGH SAYS HE IS AVAILABLE FOR WEST INDIES TOUR

Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh has confirmed his availability for the upcoming West Indies tour. However, he is not sure about the plans of other senior players in the Indian squad.

When asked about the intention of his team-mates about West Indies tour, Singh said that nobody has told him about competing in the tour. He only confirmed his decision of performing in the series, as he does not want to miss the three-Test match series against the Caribbean side.

While talking to the media, Singh stated, “I have no idea from where the news (of senior players opting out of West Indies tour) have poured in. As far as I am concerned I am available for the tour.”

Singh expressed his happiness over Mumbai Indians’ success in the ongoing Indian Premier League. He said that things are going fine and every player of the team is putting in their best effort to perform well.

Singh is of the view that his role in Mumbai Indians has not changed since the last season of IPL. He said that along with senior co-player Sachin Tendulkar, he always looks forward to unite the team for good performances. He said that unity can always create magic and also give a tough time to the opposing team.

The Indian off-spinner appreciated the performances shown by the players of Mumbai Indians, a franchise owned by India’s richest family, the Ambanis.

Singh added, “I am happy with the way things have gone till now. We have been through rough patches but one or the other has been able to pull us through. Like in the last match Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symondsbatted well to help us to reasonable score which could be defended.”

While commenting about his team-mates, the off-spinner appreciated the young talent of Ambati Rayudu, citing him as a ‘special talent.’

Harbhajan Singh said that it will be tough for youngsters like Rayudu to face spin wizard Shane Warne. He said Rayudu has been performing well of late and is capable of taking over VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s place in the side.

Singh also admired captain of Rajasthan Royals, Shane Warne and said that he is one of the greatest cricketer he has ever seen. He added that he would like to take some off-spinning tips from Warne, to improve his bowling performance.

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HARBHAJAN SINGH HAPPY WITH WINNING STREAK OF MUMBAI INDIANS

The Indian off-spinner, Harbhajan Singh, who is representing Mumbai Indians in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League, on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the way things have gone for the franchise so far.

When asked about the winning streak of the Mumbai Indians, the 30-year-old off-spinner said he was happy with team’s performance in the tournament so far and hoped they would continue the form in the remainder of the league.

He also singled out Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds for their match winning performances in the previous games.

"I am happy with the way things have gone till now,” said Singh. “We have been through rough patches but one or the other has been able to pull us through. Like in the last match Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds batted well to help us to reasonable score which could be defended," he added.

The Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians side is leading the points table with five wins from six games. Their only defeat in the ongoing edition was against Kochi Tuskers Kerala on April 15.

Talking about the good form of Rajasthan’s skipper Shane Warne, Harbhajan said, "He is great cricketer and greatest spinner. I myself would be talking to him and get tips so that I can prolong my international career."

The 30-year-old Punjab spinner also hailed Ambati Rayudu of Mumbai Indians and termed the youngster as a special talent. He said that facing legendary Australia spinner would be a challenge for the youngster.

When asked about his role in the side, the right-arm spinner said that it had not changed as such.

"I and seniors like Sachin try and build the team like a unit and instill confidence in the youngsters by telling them to be part of think tank," Harbhajan said.

The Mumbai Indians have been remarkable in all the three departments of the game, including batting, bowling and fielding in the tournament so far. Harbhajan gave credit of the sharp fielding of his side to the amazing fielding coach Jonty Rhodes.

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Malinga grateful to IPL for his cricket comeback

The charismatic Sri Lankan fast bowler, Lasith Malinga, felt disappointed by his country’ s board when he was not looked after well and did not get treatment after his knee injury, which could have finished his career.

Malinga claims that it was only because of the Indian Premier League (IPL) he was able to come back to the cricket fields again.

He sustained an injury in early 2008, which kept him out of the game, and, he was unable to play for Sri Lanka until August, 2009 and he pretended that could have been the end of his career.

He appeared in the IPL in 2009, got back his confidence by gaining rhythm and was able to grab 18 wickets representing Mumbai Indians. His performance brought him back in the limelight and he was selected to represent his country again.

"Because of the IPL I got a chance to come back to the national team", he said at a media conference in Colombo. "After the injury nobody looked after me and I was not offered a contract. The 2008 interim committee did not care for my well-being. But thanks to the IPL I didn't lose anything but I improved my cricket a lot. I'm saddened the way I was treated but not disappointed".

Malinga has announced his retirement from Test cricket and will be concentrating on the shorter versions of the game for IPL and his country. Earlier, Sri Lanka’s cricket board had asked all their players participating in the IPL to report back in preparation with the forthcoming tour of England.

Quite a few players left back as Malinga continued playing in IPL and informed the Board that he will be available for One Day Internationals (ODI) and T20 matches.

He reiterated that he was fit enough to play Test cricket but it will take a long time to recover if he suffers an injury again, while it is easy to recover if he gets an injury in an ODI or T20 match.

"My doctors in Australia had said that mine was a rare type of injury and that I would not be able to play again. But thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's private physician, Dr Eliyantha White, who treated me, I was able to play for the national team again.

Malinga responded to undue criticism going on in the news that he was declining to play for Sri Lanka, as there was more money involved in IPL. He stressed that the retirement from Test has nothing to do with money, as he wants to concentrate on shorter phases of cricket and don’t want to grab an injury again, which can put him away from the game forever.

He has taken 101 wickets in Test cricket, 127 in ODIs and 35 in T20 cricket, while representing his country and he is only the third player to pocket 100 wickets for Sri Lanka in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralitharan (800) wickets and Chaminda Vaas, who has grabbed 355 wickets.

Malinga commented that it was a matter of great honour to play for his country and he anticipates a dedicated performance in the 2012 T20 World Cup and the ICC World Cup 2015.

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KUMAR SANGAKKARA, MAHELA JAYAWARDENE BACK LASITH MALINGA’S DECISION TO QUIT TEST CRICKET

Former Sri Lanka skippers Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have endorsed paceman Lasith Malinga’s decision of retiring from Test cricket due to a worsening knee condition.

Malinga, who is playing in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians these days, announced his retirement from Test cricket on Friday, April 22, 2011 and vowed to pay complete attention to just One Day International and Twenty20 cricket.

The injury-prone pacer had recently withdrawn his name from Sri Lanka’s upcoming tour to England as well. However, after being questioned by the Sri Lanka Cricket about his participation in the lucrative IPL, Malinga made the sudden move to bid adieu to the longest format of the game.

The fast bowler has been blamed for preferring to play club cricket over country. The slinging action bowler, however, clarified that he announced his retirement from Tests in a bid to prolong his career in the shorter version of the game.

Along with 127 wickets in 84 ODIs at an average of 26.84, the 27-year-old paceman has picked up 101 wickets in 30 Tests since making his debut against Australia in 2004.

Malinga claimed that although he had plans to quit Test cricket, the timing of his retirement made the situation awkward.

The former Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara has stated that Malinga’s decision was in team’s interest while Mahela Jayawardene considered that it was the right call from the pacer from a personal point of view.

“While I was captain we tried to manage him as carefully and sensitively as possible during the past couple of years,” Sangakkara said.

“The truth is that Lasith is our best fast bowler in limited-overs cricket right now. If we forced him to play Tests we would be running the risk of losing him completely,” the Lankan wicket-keeper batsman added.

Sangakkara further said that Malinga’s presence in Sri Lanka’s ODI and Twenty20 set-up is a huge blessing. Considering Malinga as a team-man, Sangakkara further rubbished all allegations that the fast bowler quit Test cricket in order to extend his participation in the ongoing IPL.

Ensuring his full support to the fast bowler, Sangakkara made it clear that it is his injury problem which forced him to leave Test cricket.

Meanwhile, Jayawardene described that with a severe knee injury, it is pointless to risk Malinga for five-day cricket.

“If he breaks down then it will be bad for Sri Lanka. Some people have criticised the decision, arguing that he is being selfish. This short-sighted argument is very unfair given that he clearly has a chronic knee problem,” Jayawardene said.

The classy right-hander further explained that if Malinga had kept playing Tests despite injury, it could have put a full stop on his cricketing career altogether.

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Kings X1 Punjab Vs. Delhi Daredevils

The confident Kings X1 Punjab (KXP) will take on the struggling Delhi Daredevils (DD) in the 26^th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, Delhi in India. The match will be played on Saturday, 23rd April, and the hosts will look to turn around their fortunes in the tournament.
Things haven’t been good for Delhi at home though, as they were defeated by Mumbai Indians (MI) and Deccan Chargers (DC) at the Feroz Shah Kotla, earlier in the tournament. They are currently at the bottom of the IPL table with just one victory in four games.
The home team is led by flamboyant Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, who has been unable to fire until now in the cash rich event. The explosive right-handed opener has been suffering from a shoulder problem, which may have affected his performance in the tournament. His performance holds the key for the hosts, as it will give them a huge confidence boost.
Sehwag is partnered by Australian David Warner at the top of the order and both batsmen can be deadly for the opposition once they get going. They were deemed to be one of the best opening pairs in the tournament, but have been unable to live up to those expectations until now.
There are also some other very talented batsmen in the DD side, but they too have struggled to be consistent. Aaron Finch, Venugopal Rao, James Hopes, Morne Morkel, Irfan Pathan and Naman Ojha have looked good in patches, but will be required to come up with a special effort to overcome the opposition.
On the other hand, former Australian wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist will lead the KXP side. He was a part of the DC team in the previous three editions of the IPL and led the franchise to a title victory in the second season, played in South Africa. One common thing between both captains in this match is their aggressive nature. However, the Australian has been able to use his abilities to full affect, winning three matches out of the four played until now in the tournament.
The main force behind the visitors impressive start has been their opener, Paul Valthaty, who is the leading run scorer in the tournament so far. He has been able to attack the opposition with effortless ease and also scored a brilliant century in a match against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are led by Indian captain MS Dhoni.
Shaun Marsh has also been a consistent performer for his team and has managed some useful runs at the top of the order. He was a relative unknown when he first appeared in the inaugural IPL in 2008, but stunned one and all with his brilliant batting. The stylish left-hander ended-up being the top scorer in that tournament and has been a valuable player since then.
David Hussey, Ryan McLaren, Ryan Harris and Dinesh Karthik are the other players who add to the strength of the KXP squad. They will look to continue doing well for their team and win against any opposition they face.
Both teams look strong on paper, but the momentum is definitely with the visitors at the moment. They will look to gain full advantage of that and exert maximum pressure on the home team.

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Sachin Tendulkar and Mumbai Indians record impressive win over Deccan Chargers

MI 172/4 20 overs DC 135/8 20 overs

Mumbai Indians gave their team captain, Sachin Tendulkar, the perfect birthday gift as they trounced the Deccan Chargers in a crucial match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) played at the least favourite venue for the hosts, Uppal Stadium.

In four years the Chargers have hardly ever won at the venue and once again a capacity crowd was left disappointed due to a poor performance from the hosts, who allowed the Indians to post a big total of 172 before succumbing to a meagre 135 run total themselves.

The Indians opted to bat first and the opening pair of Tendulkar and Davy Jacobs got the team off to a flying start as they scored 47 runs in 5.1 overs before Jacobs fell for a well made 32 that came off a mere 20 balls. Tendulkar tried to up the tempo after his demise. However, the birthday boy fell to left arm spinner, Pragyan Ojha, after scoring 28 runs off 24 balls.

Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard were soon sent back as the Indians wobbled at 70/4, the Chargers were revved up and looked set to choke the visitors for runs. The morale didn’t last for long and things changed at this stage as the Indians made an astonishing comeback through an unbeaten 102 run stand between Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds.

The two big-hitters laid into the hosts smashing them to all parts of the ground at the end of the innings, Sharma scored a dazzling 56 off 34 balls while Symonds smashed 44 off 33 balls.

The hosts were hit hard by the unexpected assault at the end of the Mumbai innings and captain Kumar Sangakkara tried to revive their hopes after an early loss of a wicket. However he failed to make most of his own start and perished for 34 runs as the rest of the batting line-up also failed to inspire much with Amit Mishra and Daniel Christian the only two batsmen to cross the 20 runs mark late in the order.

The listless batting performance saw the hosts end 37 runs short of the target. For the Indians, Lasith Malinga the man with the most potent yorker in modern cricket snared three wickets for a mere nine runs of four fantastic overs.

He was named man of the match as the Indians celebrated another important win and solidified their position in the league.

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KINGS X1 PUNJAB VS. DELHI DAREDEVILS

The confident Kings X1 Punjab (KXP) will take on the struggling Delhi Daredevils (DD) in the 26^th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL), at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, Delhi in India. The match will be played on Saturday, 23rd April, and the hosts will look to turn around their fortunes in the tournament.

Things haven’t been good for Delhi at home though, as they were defeated by Mumbai Indians (MI) and Deccan Chargers (DC) at the Feroz Shah Kotla, earlier in the tournament. They are currently at the bottom of the IPL table with just one victory in four games.

The home team is led by flamboyant Indian batsman Virender Sehwag, who has been unable to fire until now in the cash rich event. The explosive right-handed opener has been suffering from a shoulder problem, which may have affected his performance in the tournament. His performance holds the key for the hosts, as it will give them a huge confidence boost.

Sehwag is partnered by Australian David Warner at the top of the order and both batsmen can be deadly for the opposition once they get going. They were deemed to be one of the best opening pairs in the tournament, but have been unable to live up to those expectations until now.

There are also some other very talented batsmen in the DD side, but they too have struggled to be consistent.Aaron Finch, Venugopal Rao, James Hopes, Morne Morkel, Irfan Pathan and Naman Ojha have looked good in patches, but will be required to come up with a special effort to overcome the opposition.

On the other hand, former Australian wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist will lead the KXP side. He was a part of the DC team in the previous three editions of the IPL and led the franchise to a title victory in the second season, played in South Africa. One common thing between both captains in this match is their aggressive nature. However, the Australian has been able to use his abilities to full affect, winning three matches out of the four played until now in the tournament.

The main force behind the visitors impressive start has been their opener, Paul Valthaty, who is the leading run scorer in the tournament so far. He has been able to attack the opposition with effortless ease and also scored a brilliant century in a match against the defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who are led by Indian captain MS Dhoni.

Shaun Marsh has also been a consistent performer for his team and has managed some useful runs at the top of the order. He was a relative unknown when he first appeared in the inaugural IPL in 2008, but stunned one and all with his brilliant batting. The stylish left-hander ended-up being the top scorer in that tournament and has been a valuable player since then.

David Hussey, Ryan McLaren, Ryan Harris and Dinesh Karthik are the other players who add to the strength of the KXP squad. They will look to continue doing well for their team and win against any opposition they face.

Both teams look strong on paper, but the momentum is definitely with the visitors at the moment. They will look to gain full advantage of that and exert maximum pressure on the home team.

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