Rohit comes to party for Mumbai Indians

Rohit Sharma has always been considered as one of the most talented batsmen in the Indian circuit. But there's often been a question mark on his temperament, but the Mumbai lad is showing the world now that he is truly strong in his mind.

It was skipper Rohit's crucial contribution of 51 n.o. off 24 balls, with a strike-rate of 212.5, that took Mumbai Indians to the semifinals of the Champions League T20 on Wednesday.

They needed to score 150 off 14.3 overs against Perth Scorchers to keep themselves alive in the tournament. Rohit coming in to bat at No. 4, mixed caution with aggression, to take his team through.

Mumbai Indians had lost the crucial wicket on Sachin Tendulkar and when Glen Maxwell, too, got out early, the pressure was right on the IPL champions.

But Rohit was the calming influence in the initial phase of the innings as Dwayne Smith went for broke. And after Smith got out, Rohit took it on himself to tear into the Perth bowling to get the asking-rate down.

Kieron Pollard was at the other end, but he was not connecting the way he normally does, but Rohit didn't allow the pressure to fall on Mumbai as they reached home with an over to spare.

"If you stay positive and not take too much pressure on yourself, the results will be good...All the batsmen did well and I am happy that we are in the semis," Rohit said at the end of the match.

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Rampaul strikes, CSK lose Hussey early

NEW DELHI: Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay stitched an important 55-run partnership before Lendl Simmons dismissed both batsmen in their Champions League Twenty20 match at the Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Scorecard

The Raina-Vijay duo revived the Super Kings innings after losing the important wicket of Mike Hussey early.

However, Vijay (27) played an outside off delivery on to his stumps to bring an end to his innings that consisted of 4 boundaries.

Soon after, Raina (38) was caught at short fine leg by Ravi Rampaul to award the spinner his second wicket right before Ravindra Jadeja (3) too returned to the dressing room after being run out.

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings got off to a bad start as they lost Hussey (1) early when Rampaul got the better of the southpaw's stumps after Trinidad & won the toss and decided to bowl.

The Caribbean side, which finished runners up in 2009, faces their toughest test in the league so far against the Dhoni-led unit which has already sealed its spot in the final four.

If T&T fail to tame the Chennai giants, given the run-rate scenario in Group B, the Islanders would want to curtail the margin of defeat as they are placed second, ahead of the Titans in the table.

Both T&T and Titans have eight points each from two wins but the former side have a better run-rate (+0.407) as compared to the Titans (+0.228).

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (Capt. & wk), Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Subramaniam Badrinath, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Mohit Sharma.

Trinidad & Tobago: Denesh Ramdin (Capt. & wk), Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Yannick Ottley, Nicolas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Rayad Emrit, Navin Stewart, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul.

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Murali Vijay falls after steady stand

NEW DELHI: Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay stitched an important 55-run partnership before Lendl Simmons dismissed both batsmen in their Champions League Twenty20 match at the Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Scorecard

The Raina-Vijay duo revived the Super Kings innings after losing the important wicket of Mike Hussey early.

However, Vijay (27) played an outside off delivery on to his stumps to bring an end to his innings that consisted of 4 boundaries.

Soon after, Raina (38) was caught at short fine leg by Ravi Rampaul to award the spinner his second wicket right before Ravindra Jadeja (3) too returned to the dressing room after being run out.

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings got off to a bad start as they lost Hussey (1) early when Rampaul got the better of the southpaw's stumps after Trinidad & won the toss and decided to bowl.

The Caribbean side, which finished runners up in 2009, faces their toughest test in the league so far against the Dhoni-led unit which has already sealed its spot in the final four.

If T&T fail to tame the Chennai giants, given the run-rate scenario in Group B, the Islanders would want to curtail the margin of defeat as they are placed second, ahead of the Titans in the table.

Both T&T and Titans have eight points each from two wins but the former side have a better run-rate (+0.407) as compared to the Titans (+0.228).

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (Capt. & wk), Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Subramaniam Badrinath, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Mohit Sharma.

Trinidad & Tobago: Denesh Ramdin (Capt. & wk), Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Yannick Ottley, Nicolas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Rayad Emrit, Navin Stewart, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul.

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Simmons double-strike jolts Super Kings

NEW DELHI: Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay stitched an important 55-run partnership before Lendl Simmons dismissed both batsmen in their Champions League Twenty20 match at the Feroze Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Scorecard

The Raina-Vijay duo revived the Super Kings innings after losing the important wicket of Mike Hussey early.

However, Vijay (27) played an outside off delivery on to his stumps to bring an end to his innings that consisted of 4 boundaries.

Soon after, Raina (38) was caught at short fine leg by Ravi Rampaul to award the spinner his second wicket right before Ravindra Jadeja (3) too returned to the dressing room after being run out.

Earlier, Chennai Super Kings got off to a bad start as they lost Hussey (1) early when Rampaul got the better of the southpaw's stumps after Trinidad & won the toss and decided to bowl.

The Caribbean side, which finished runners up in 2009, faces their toughest test in the league so far against the Dhoni-led unit which has already sealed its spot in the final four.

If T&T fail to tame the Chennai giants, given the run-rate scenario in Group B, the Islanders would want to curtail the margin of defeat as they are placed second, ahead of the Titans in the table.

Both T&T and Titans have eight points each from two wins but the former side have a better run-rate (+0.407) as compared to the Titans (+0.228).

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (Capt. & wk), Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Subramaniam Badrinath, Dwayne Bravo, Albie Morkel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Mohit Sharma.

Trinidad & Tobago: Denesh Ramdin (Capt. & wk), Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Yannick Ottley, Nicolas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Rayad Emrit, Navin Stewart, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul.

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Sachin's 241 at SCG was his best: Lara

NEW DELHI: The many heads totting the stands at the fortress-like Feroz Shah Kotla here today got more than their money's worth as Brian Lara recalled Sachin Tendulkar's masterpiece at the Sydney Cricket Ground even as the Indian walked back to the time the Trinidadian would have the best of bowlers at his mercy.

It was a sight any cricket fan would die for as the two masters of modern-day cricket stood together for a few moments, literally leaving the crowd at the Kotla in a state of ecstasy.

"I remember the series against Australia when Sachin didn't play a single cover drive till the time he reached the double century," Lara said when he was asked about one Tendulkar moment he just couldn't forget.

Tendulkar went on to score 241 as the Test, which was Steve Waugh's last, ended in a tame draw at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground a little over a decade ago.

"Sachin was always different... the Indian team had many great batsmen like (Rahul) Dravid and (VVS) Laxman," the 44-year-old Trinidadian who still holds the record for the highest score in Test and first-class cricket said, amid huge cheers from the packed stadium.

Tendulkar was not left behind as he too, recalled the days when Lara would literally toy with the opposition bowling, saying they (opposition) would be left thinking which was the best place to land the ball while bowling to the left-handed batsman.

The two greats met just before the Champions League Twenty20 match between Chennai Super Kings and Trinidad and Tobago.

Lara also had a word of praise for young Sanju Samson, who has been a revelation of sorts for the Rajasthan Royals in the Champions League Twenty20.

The West Indian legend made no bones about the fact that Twenty20 is not a format he would have fancied.

"I don't think I would have been too successful in T20 cricket as I was a batsman who needed time to settle down. I believe guys like Sachin, Ricky (Ponting) were suited to this format."

All in all, after the barrage of fours and sixes they witness from the blades of Rohit Sharma and Dwayne Smith, the coming together of the two legends on the same platform meant the Delhi crowd couldn't have asked for more.

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Proved a point against WI 'A': Yuvraj

KOLKATA: Comeback man Yuvraj Singh on Tuesday said he has "proved a point" by forcing his way back into the national cricket team on the back of some impressive displays against the West Indies 'A' and in the Challenger Trophy.

"I got the opportunity to play India A versus West Indies A matches and proved the point," Yuvraj said.

The mercurial left-handed allrounder has been included in the 15-man squad for the Twenty20 international and the first three matches in the seven-match ODI series against Australia at home.

India play the T20 game against the Aussies at Rajkot on October 10. And the ODI series begins in Pune on October 13.

Expressing happiness over his return, Yuvraj said it has been hard coming back with 200 per cent fitness.

"I am looking forward to playing for India. I worked pretty hard and am hopeful that coming back would make a difference," Yuvraj said on the sidelines of a programme here.

When enquired about his mother's reaction he said, "I think mom would be the happiest person."

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Dhoni is role model for players: Morris

NEW DELHI: "Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a role model to many cricketers around the world" - the expression made by South African pacer Chris Morris appropriately summed up the magic of India's cricket captain.

Morris doffed his hat at Dhoni and talked about his leadership qualities that ultimately made India the world champions in one-day international cricket.

"Dhoni is a role model to many cricketers around the world. The reason India are the world champions is because of the quality of players they have especially Dhoni," said Morris.

The lanky South African pacer, who is plying his trade in the Champions League for the two-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, said that they would like to end their league engagements as the table-toppers and play the semifinal in Delhi on Saturday under the leadership of their inspirational skipper Dhoni.

"That was our goal when we got here, to top our group, but we want to finish the group stages well too," he said.

Chennai will be playing a resurgent Trinidad and Tobago in their final league game at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium here tomorrow.

The Caribbean side, which finished runners up in 2009, faces their toughest test in the league so far against CSK, who have already sealed a spot in the final four.

However, the Chennai speedster wasn't overly complacent. "We have a tough game coming up and it's important to get the job done well. We have achieved our first goal of qualifying for the semifinals and now we would look to top the group. Our aim would be to finish the group stage with a win," he said.

Chennai's strength has been their batting, comprising of the ever-reliable pair of Suresh Raina and Mike Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, S Badrinath and not to forget Dhoni, who had blasted his way to a 19-ball 63 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

The bowlers have also complimented the efforts of their bowlers with R Ashwin, Jason Holder, Mohit Sharma, Albie Morkel and Bravo chipping in with useful spells.

The only concern for them could be the indifferent form of Ravindra Jadeja.

For Morris, he has remained an integral part of the team but in the ongoing edition, he hardly made an impression in the limited opportunities he got.

"I don't think it is (a concern). Jadeja is an outstanding player. I'd like to think that we haven't needed him so far. So as long as we don't need him, happy days," he said.

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Rajasthan elect to bowl against Otago

NEW DELHI: After being put into bat, Otago got off to a horrible start when Rajasthan pacer Rahul Shukla scalped three wickets in his first over during their Champions League Twenty20 match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Scorecard

Shukla, brought into the side at the expense of Vikramjeet Malik, picked up the wickets of Hamish Rutherford (5), Derek de Boorder (0) and skipper Brendon McCullum (0) in the fourth over.

Soon after, Shane Watson joined the wicket-taking party when he dismissed the dangerous Neil Broom (11) to leave the Volts struggling at 22/4 after 5 overs.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bowl against Otago Volts.

By finishing atop the table Royals will not only avoid playing rampaging Chennai Super Kings in the semifinals but also they will get to play their last-four stage match at home, where they have an incredible 11-match winning streak.

Otago Volts are currently placed second in the group with 12 points from three matches and could knock out IPL champions Mumbai Indians if they win.

Teams:

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson (wk), Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Brad Hodge, Ashok Menaria, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe.

Otago Volts: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Neil Broom, Hamish Rutherford, Derek de Boorder (wk), Ryan ten Doeschate, Jimmy Neesham, Nathan McCullum, Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, James McMillan, Nick Beard.

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Shukla's triple-strike jolts Otago Volts

NEW DELHI: After being put into bat, Otago got off to a horrible start when Rajasthan pacer Rahul Shukla scalped three wickets in his first over during their Champions League Twenty20 match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Scorecard

Shukla, brought into the side at the expense of Vikramjeet Malik, picked up the wickets of Hamish Rutherford (5), Derek de Boorder (0) and skipper Brendon McCullum (0) in the fourth over.

Soon after, Shane Watson joined the wicket-taking party when he dismissed the dangerous Neil Broom (11) to leave the Volts struggling at 22/4 after 5 overs.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bowl against Otago Volts.

By finishing atop the table Royals will not only avoid playing rampaging Chennai Super Kings in the semifinals but also they will get to play their last-four stage match at home, where they have an incredible 11-match winning streak.

Otago Volts are currently placed second in the group with 12 points from three matches and could knock out IPL champions Mumbai Indians if they win.

Teams:

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson (wk), Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Brad Hodge, Ashok Menaria, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe.

Otago Volts: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Neil Broom, Hamish Rutherford, Derek de Boorder (wk), Ryan ten Doeschate, Jimmy Neesham, Nathan McCullum, Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, James McMillan, Nick Beard.

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Otago crumble against Rajasthan pacers

NEW DELHI: After being put into bat, Otago got off to a horrible start when Rajasthan pacer Rahul Shukla scalped three wickets in his first over during their Champions League Twenty20 match at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Scorecard

Shukla, brought into the side at the expense of Vikramjeet Malik, picked up the wickets of Hamish Rutherford (5), Derek de Boorder (0) and skipper Brendon McCullum (0) in the fourth over.

Soon after, Shane Watson joined the wicket-taking party when he dismissed the dangerous Neil Broom (11) to leave the Volts struggling at 22/4 after 5 overs.

Ryan ten Doeschate and Jimmy Neesham then gave the Volts some respite when they stitched a crucial 53-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

However, the glory was short-lived when Kevon Cooper dismissed Neesham (32) when the Otago batsman was caught by Watson at mid-on.

Earlier, Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and decided to bowl against Otago Volts.

By finishing atop the table Royals will not only avoid playing rampaging Chennai Super Kings in the semifinals but also they will get to play their last-four stage match at home, where they have an incredible 11-match winning streak.

Otago Volts are currently placed second in the group with 12 points from three matches and could knock out IPL champions Mumbai Indians if they win.

Teams:

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (Capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson (wk), Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Brad Hodge, Ashok Menaria, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe.

Otago Volts: Brendon McCullum (Capt.), Neil Broom, Hamish Rutherford, Derek de Boorder (wk), Ryan ten Doeschate, Jimmy Neesham, Nathan McCullum, Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, James McMillan, Nick Beard.

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