Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid: The Last Time

Apart from the domestic circuit, franchise-based cricket is the only format that pits them against each other and after Sunday (October 6), even that won't happen again. Tendulkar has already confirmed that he won't play the Indian Premier League next year and Dravid, while he hasn't said so in as many words, has often hinted that this is it.

The Champions League Twenty20 2013 final was also about Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid playing each other for the last time in recognised cricket.

Apart from the domestic circuit, franchise-based cricket is the only format that pits them against each other and after Sunday (October 6), even that won't happen again. Tendulkar has already confirmed that he won't play the Indian Premier League next year and Dravid, while he hasn't said so in as many words, has often hinted that this is it.

Interestingly, as Dravid pointed out during a pre-match interview with Ravi Shastri for the host broadcasters, he hasn't really played against Tendulkar much. "I don't think we have played against each other too much and all our contests have been in coloured clothing, surprisingly, despite playing for so many years," said Dravid.

Tendulkar added that it was a "rare moment" in many ways, despite the two having been around for so long. "The first time I saw Rahul was way back in 1993-94 or so, and since then we have been in whites and in colour, playing for the same team," he said. "We have had the opportunity to play each other in coloured clothing in the IPL. But we haven't had a chance to play against each other in whites - that would have been something special."

The two did, in fact, play against each other in the Irani Trophy as recently as September 2003, but have clearly forgotten. Dravid has enough reason to remember that match though as he ended up on the winning side - Rest of India - against Mumbai, who were led by Tendulkar. Both performed well with the bat on that occasion, Dravid scoring 41 and 121, while Tendulkar hit 94 and 50.

By the time Dravid made his first-class debut, in 1990-91, Tendulkar was already in the Indian team. And Dravid was quick to remember that when asked about being colleagues in the Indian team for so many years.

"He is slightly younger than me but he is so much my senior as a cricketer," pointed out Dravid. "In my third Test match, Sachin was captain of India. He was someone you looked up to in a sense as a cricketer because growing up, you saw this young kid do amazing things around the world.

"It was an inspiration for all of us playing first-class cricket that if this guy can do it, maybe we can do it. Growing up and to be on that England tour in 1996, sharing a dressing room with him, it was a huge thrill."

Tendulkar was equally quick in praising Dravid. "Any day in my team he would be No. 3," he said. "There are so many innings when he has batted brilliantly. When most of the guys found it difficult and he was comfortable. He loved challenges and when the situation demanded, you could bank on Rahul."

Together, they played for India for a decade and a half - the last time they were in an Indian team together was during the Adelaide Test in January 2012. That's many, many days of being mates, sharing more time than the closest of spouses manage, and doing amazing things, individually and in tandem.

Indeed, much of the build up to the final was also about the Tendulkar vs Dravid subplot. That was the case with the inaugural match of the main draw of the CLT20 as well, when back on September 21, Mumbai took on Rajasthan in Jaipur. Dravid's team beat Tendulkar's on that occasion.

That didn't, however, stop hundreds of youngsters turning out in the blue of either Mumbai or Rajasthan in neutral New Delhi, and much of the excitement was about watching Tendulkar, obviously the bigger hero, one last time in Mumbai's colours. (Mumbai vs Rajasthan, as it happened)

Shouts of 'Sachin, Sachin' had started well before people had entered the stadium and continued unabated once they were inside. The only time there was a lull was when, before Rajasthan came out to field, their players lined up to give Dravid a guard of honour. For a brief while, the chant turned to 'Rahul, Rahul', but only for a brief while, because Tendulkar stepped out to bat soon enough. Three exquisite boundaries only increased the fans' appetite till, in the fifth over, Shane Watson sent Tendulkar's off stump cartwheeling. (Dravid thanks players, supporters for warm farewell)

The crowd had gone silent and Tendulkar walked back looking more than a little emotional, slowing down midway to raise his bat and acknowledge the cheers, and then walking back to the dugout through the guard of honour prepared by his teammates. For Dravid though, the time for niceties was long over. He still had work to do and even as the giant screens at the ground had Tendulkar's face splashed on them, Dravid was in the middle, doing his high fives and chalking out the next plan of action.

CLT20: Sunil Gavaskar lauds Rahul Dravid, Pravin Tambe as Rajasthan Royals' heroes

Rajasthan Royals have been under the pump after the spot-fixing allegations on three of their players in the Indian Premier League. However, with a leader like Dravid at the helm, the team has managed to rise from the ashes.

With Rajasthan Royals all set to play Mumbai Indians in the Champions League T20 final, it could be the perfect fairytale ending for Rahul Dravid's boys.

While the 40-year-old former Indian skipper has been the perfect leader for his team in the tournament despite not having flourished with the bat, he has also been ably supported by another player in his 40s - Pravin Tambe.

The Maharashtra leg-spinner, who has not even played domestic cricket, has been instrumental in Rajasthan's success with 10 wickets in 4 matches at a staggering average of 5.90 and an even astonishing economy rate of 3.93.

Even India cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, has been unequivocal in his praise for both the players. in his column in the TOI, Gavaskar credits Tambe to be the 'man-of-the-moment' for Royals. He especially mentions the way Tambe got Suresh Raina out in the Rajasthan vs Chennai Super Kings' semifinal.

"The man of the moment is Pravin Tambe. The 40-plus 'youngster' has shown that even in this version of the game there is a place for leg-spin bowling."

"He was not trying to deceive the batsmen in the air but was bowling wicket-to-wicket, knowing that the pitch was not helping him to get too much turn. He was reading the batsman's intentions quite well and that is how he got rid of the dangerous Suresh Raina," says Gavaskar.

Rajasthan Royals have been under the pump after the spot-fixing allegations on three of their players in the Indian Premier League. Having a leader like Dravid at the helm though, the team has managed to rise from the ashes. If they win at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi today, it would be apt for the 'Wall' since he is not expected to continue playing competitive cricket next season.

"Their entry into the final is heartwarming after all they had to suffer and bear during the IPL. If they win the Champions League, it will be a fairy tale like finish, not just for the team, but especially for skipper Rahul Dravid, who will not play serious cricket after this."

"It is not a team of superstars but most of them are performing better than some of the superstars, and that is why they are in the happy position of being in the final," says Gavaskar, lauding Dravid and his team's efforts in times of adversities."

CLT20: Sachin Tendulkar first Indian to reach 50,000 runs in all formats

In Mumbai Indians' semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, Sachin Tendulkar reached another landmark by completing an astounding 50,000 runs in competitive cricket across all formats.

Needing 26 runs on the day to reach the mark, Tendulkar tucked the ball towards midwicket for a single off left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley to reach another milestone in a glorious career spanning close to two-and-a-half decades.

He scored 35 off 31 balls before being dismissed by Lendl Simmons.

Tendulkar now has 50009 runs in 953 competitive matches, which includes 551 List A matches, 307 First-class matches and 95 T20 games.

Tendulkar has so far scored 25,228 runs in 307 First-class matches, including a staggering 15,837 runs in 198 Tests.

The 40-year-old has 21,999 runs in 551 List A matches which includes 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.

Having scored 2747 in the 94 earlier T20 matches, the Master Blaster scored the necessary 26 runs with ease.

Tendulkar has had an ordinary 2013 CLT20 tournament till the semifinals and could score only 20 runs in four matches with a highest score of only 15.

Sachin is also standing on the cusp of another rare feat of becoming the first player in the history of the game to play 200 Test matches, which in all likelihood will be completed in the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies.

CLT20: I have been inspired by Sachin Tendulkar's exploits, says Rahul Dravid

Tendulkar's final T20 act and Dravid's last hurrah in competitive cricket were the talking points at the Feroz Shah Kotla as the two legends got together though in the colours of Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

New Delhi:  Playing for one last time together in a cricket match, albeit for different teams in the Champions League Twenty20 summit clash here, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid on Sunday heaped encomiums on each other with the latter saying that his long time former India team-mate had inspired him to strive for excellence in the game.

Tendulkar's final T20 act and Dravid's last hurrah in competitive cricket were the talking points at the Feroz Shah Kotla here as the two legends got together though in the colours of Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. The two legendary batsmen had announced that this would be their final Twenty20 season.

"Even though Tendulkar is of my age or two months younger to me, he is seven years senior to me as an international cricketer. When I came into the Indian team, in my third Test, Tendulkar was India captain. He was someone you would look up to as a young cricketer growing up. You saw this young kid do amazing things across the world. It was sort of inspiration for all of us playing first-class cricket," Dravid said before the start of the CLT20 finale.

"It was like, look if this guy can do it, we can also try to do it. The opportunity to try and share a dressing room with him, that was a huge motivation. For me to be on that England trip for the first time and share a dressing with him was a huge trip," said Dravid.

The 40-year-old Dravid had retired from international cricket at the beginning of 2012 while Tendulkar, who retired from One-Day Internationals last December, is in the twilight of his Test career. Together they have scored close to 92,000 runs in all formats of the game.

Tendulkar, who is also 40, returned the compliments, by describing Dravid as the 'master technician'.

"Absolutely, he is a master technician. Any day in my team, he will be number three, because there were so many innings in which he batted brilliantly. When the rest of the guys found it difficult, he was comfortable. He loved challenges and I knew we could bank on Rahul at the times of difficulty."

Tendulkar, who has already retired from One-day cricket but still playing the longest format, holds the record for most Test and ODI runs -- 15,837 and 18,426 runs respectively -- while Dravid has scored 13,288 Test runs and 10,889 in ODIs.

Tendulkar has also scored 100 international centuries (51 in Tests and 49 in ODIs).

The two cricket legends played together for the country for 16 years but rarely they have played against each other.

Asked about this, Dravid, who is leading the Rajasthan Royals side, said, "I can't remember playing against Sachin in Ranji Trophy for Karnataka versus Mumbai. Only played against him in West Zone versus South Zone. All our contests have been in coloured clothing, surprisingly, in spite of the fact that we played for so many years together. So one final time it is always great to play against Sachin."

Tendulkar also said that he would cherish this moment.

"I remember Rahul being part of Wills Trophy team when I was his captain but we played in whites. That was the first time I saw Rahul. I think it was way back in 1993-94 and since then we have been in whites and colours but playing in same team," he said.

"This is rare moment where we two actually get to play against each other in colour clothing, obviously in IPL. But on any other platform we have not been able to play against each other in whites and that would have been something special," said the senior batsman who is standing on the cusp of playing his 200th Test.

Tendulkar has not been in top form in this tournament, having scored only 20 runs in four matches with a highest of 15, but the Mumbaikar opened up in the semifinals against Trinidad and Tobago last night, hitting a 31-ball 35.

In the process, he completed 50,000 runs in all formats of cricket, becoming the first Indian to do so and 16th in the world. Before today's CLT20 final match, he has 50,009 runs in 956 competitive matches, which includes 551 List A matches, 307 First-class matches and 95 Twenty20 games.

Today's venue -- Kotla -- has been lucky for Tendulkar and it was here he struck his 35th Test century to surpass legendary Sunil Gavaskar.

Tendulkar did not have a great run as captain of the Mumbai Indians but played some memorable innings for the IPL franchise. In the T20 format, prior to today's outing, he had accumulated 2782 runs from 95 matches at an average of 33.11.

After playing in the last edition of IPL, which was won by his team, Tendulkar announced retirement from the format, but was somehow was convinced to play in CLT20.

Dravid, on the other hand, had a successful stint both as captain as well as a batsman in the Twenty20 format. He has scored 2528 runs from 108 matches at an average of 27.79.

He felt that IPL and CLT20 have helped India in doing better in the limited over formats.

"It (CLT20) is a great tournament. The crowd, the atmosphere. Some of the boys who are on our side, they never get to experience such things anywhere they go. And for them just to get the experience of playing against the likes of Tendulkar and others is great.

"And it's great for Indian cricket because a lot of these kids would go on to play for India and when they come in this sort of environment they are comfortable they know what to do. That is India has been doing exceptionally well in limited over cricket," Dravid said.

Tendulkar agreed and said the experience of playing with some of the best in the international circuit has helped Indian youngsters.

"It's a great tournament. You talk about players from West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, all the players love this tournament and look forward to it, such is the importance of IPL and now CLT20. We have thoroughly enjoyed being in the dressing room where we have got to know so many players we thought were just okay as a person but once you got to know them you find this is different and perceptions change about the players.

"It's about sharing knowledge with the players. It's not about senior players giving lectures to juniors, it is also about absorbing things and that has happened in the last six years. The bottomline is what Rahul said that Indian cricket is benefiting. You see so young players sharing dressing room with players from across the world. It's about understanding the game and that is what has happened to the Indian cricket."

For Dravid, it was also about shouldering additional responsibility as he had to weather the storm during IPL-6 spot-fixing and betting scandal.

For a man who has always relied on his instincts to look ahead rather than ponder over what had happened before, Dravid faced questions on the team's integrity and ethics stoicly and weathered one controversy after another when the Royals were rocked by the arrest and subsequent life ban on S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan. A decision is still awaited on Ajit Chandila.

After taking over the mantle of captaincy from Shane Warne during the fifth season of the IPL last year, Dravid made for a perfect leader.

"It's been a huge roller coaster. We had some great momentum going towards the end of IPL. Then some unfortunate incidents happened that brought us down a little bit as a team. Just the way the boys have responded even towards the end of the IPL and the way they have got together in this tournament I couldn't have asked for anything more," he said.

"It's been a privilege to me to captain this side and work with the support staff. It's been a fabulous journey and great ride."

CLT20: As it happened - Mumbai Indians win the title for the second time

Mumbai Indians become the winners of the 2013 Champions League Twenty20 after beating Rajasthan Royals at Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.

Mumbai Indians beat Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs to win the Champions League Twenty20 for the second time.
23:44 (IST): Presentation -

Ajinkya Rahane gets the Golden Bat award for scoring 288 runs while the 41-year-old Pravin Tambe receives the Golden Wicket award. Dwayne Smith gets the Man of the Series award.

Rohit Sharma: It was a nerve-biting game, we did expect it. I would like to thank the two legends for whatever they have done to the game. We knew that with dew coming around, we needed a big score on the board. It was a great start from Smith and Maxi ended it very well. They started off the chase superbly, but our bowlers did their bit towards the end. Winning this is the icing on the cake, this is a great tournament to be playing. I would like to thank everyone associated with the team for this victory. There was a lot of expectations from us, it is great to finish with a double.

Rahul Dravid: It was a fantastic chase. Sanju and Rahane were outstanding. We perhaps gave away too many runs in the final overs. They had some superb firepower and deserved the victory. I am proud of the efforts of my team. It was a great final, we did excellently well and the crowds have been terrific as well. I have loved working with the team management and it has been a privilege to work with them. I am grateful for the kind of support that both teams gave me when I entered the ground today. I am looking forward to working with this unit in future as well.

23:33 (IST): Quotes after the match -

Glenn Maxwell: I threw some caution into the wind. It is a very good feeling to have contributed to the win.

Kieron Pollard: I just try to give my best for every team that I play for. We hope to celebrate nicely in Mumbai.

Harbhajan Singh: This is a special win. Winning Indian Premier League and now this is wonderful. I would love to thank every Mumbai fan.

Pragyan Ojha: I was really charged up today. After coming so far, not giving your best at the final is not done. I was always looking to take wickets.

Dwayne Smith: I have been working extremely hard with Robin Singh on my batting. I felt that I was in good form and wanted to cash in. Great to win the title for Mumbai.

23:19 (IST):That's it! Mumbai Indians win title for the second time after beating Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs in Delhi. Kieron Pollard finishes with 3 for 31 after Harbhajan Singh took 4/32. Sanju Samson (60) and Ajinkya Rahane (65) fought well but lacked support from other batsmen.

23:16 (IST): WICKET! Dishant Yagnik edges Kieron Pollard to Dinesh Karthik. And then gets Rahul Shukla on the next ball. Rajasthan 169/9 (18.3overs) against Mumbai Indians.

23:10 (IST): WICKET! Rahul Dravid is bowled by Nathan Coulter-Nile. Rajasthan 163/7 (17.4 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

23:05 (IST): WICKET! Harbjajan Singh takes his third wicket in the over. Cooper stumped by Dinesh Karthik. Rajasthan 159/6 (17 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

23:02 (IST): WICKET! Harbhajan Singh gets rid of Stuart Binny. Rajasthan 155/5 (16.4 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:59 (IST): WICKET! Harbhajan Singh on target once again and this time it's the big wicket of Ajinkya Rahane. Rajasthan 155/4 (16.1 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:50 (IST): WICKET! That's the end of Shane Watson and guess who Harbhajan Singh gets the big wicket. Watson takes on Bhajji only to mistime it to Kieron Pollard at long on. Rajasthan 137/3 (14.3 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:41 (IST): FIFTY! Ajinkya Rahane continues with his good form as he notches up another half-century. It's his fourth consecutive fifty. He also becomes first batsman to hit four fifties in single edition of CLT20. Rajasthan 123/2 (12.4 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:37 (IST): WICKET! Sanju Samson's fiery 33-ball 60 comes to an end. He looks to go over cover but gets a thick outside edge to Harbhajan Singh at short third man. Rajasthan 117/2 (11.5 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:35 (IST): Sanju Samson gets lucky here! He smashes Nathan Coulter-Nile to deep mid wicket boundary, two fielders - Harbhajan Singh and Glenn Maxwell - were after it but none reached the ball. Rajasthan 114/1 (11 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:25 (IST): Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson are not shy of hitting big shots and are timing the ball really well. Samson also brings up his third fifty in this edition. Rajasthan 100/1 (9 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

22:00 (IST): Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson have kept Rajasthan Royals in control despite losing Kushal Parera early. Rajasthan 46/1 (4 overs) against Mumbai Indians.

21:48 (IST): WICKET! Kushal Perera has to go. Perera plays towards mid off with soft hands and calls for a quick single but Ajinkya Rahane was not interested however Dwayne Smith was sure what he has to do. He quickly picks the ball and throws it to Dinesh Karthik who just gives a finishing touch. Rajasthan 8/1 (0.4 overs).

21:34 (IST): Mumbai Indians finish at 202 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals at Kotla. This is the highest total for Mumbai in CLT20. Dwayne Smith top scored with 44 but there were a couple of fiery knocks by Glenn Maxwell (37 off 14 balls) and Rohit Sharma (14-ball 33) that really put Mumbai on top. Ambati Rayudu also chipped in with 29. For Rajasthan, Pravin Tambe bagged two wickets while Shane Watson, James Faulkner and Rahul Shukla bagged one each.

21:32 (IST): WICKET! Glenn Maxwell is run out by Pravin Tambe for 37 off 14 balls. Mumbai 193/6 (19.3 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

21:24 (IST): It's raining sixes here! The million dollar boy of Mumbai Indians Glenn Maxwell is turning the heat on at Kotla. Dinesh Karthik also gets off the mark with a huge six. Mumbai 172/5 (18 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

21:18 (IST): WICKET! Rohit Sharma's fiery 14-ball 33-run knock is ended by Rahul Shukla. Rohit goes sown the track only to hit it straight to James Faulkner at deep  mid wicket. Mumbai 152/5 (17.1 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

21:14 (IST): WICKET! James Faulkner gets rid of Kieron Pollard for 15. Pollard goes across the line and swings his bat but misses the length ball. Mumbai 140/4 (16.2 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:12 (IST): Rohit Sharma is on fire as he is just dealing in fours and sixes at the moment. Kieron Pollard is at the other end. Mumbai have scored 64 runs in last five overs. Mumbai 139/3 (16 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:59 (IST): WICKET! Pravin Tambe gets another one as he gets rid of Ambati Rayudu. Rayudu goes down the track for a big heave but misses it completely. Mumbai 104/3 (13.4 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:50 (IST): WICKET! Pravin Tambe strikes to remove Dwayne Smith for 44. Smith looks to sweeps but misses it completely. Mumbai 77/2 (11.3 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:47 (IST): 'Unstoppable' Dwayne Smith hammers Shane Watson for three consecutive fours in his third over. Watson concedes 15 runs. Mumbai 75/1 (11 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:36 (IST): Fifty up for Mumbai Indians. Ambati Rayudu has joined Dwayne Smith in the middle after the departure of Sachin Tendulkar. Mumbai 54/1 (8 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:21 (IST): WICKET! Sachin Tendulkar is out. His last innings in Mumbai Indians clothing lasts 15 runs. Shane Watson lures him for a drive and Sachin misses it completely. Mumbai 35/1 (4.3 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:19 (IST): Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar have provided a fiery start to Mumbai Indians. Mumbai 27/0 (4 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:06 (IST): Shane Watson joins James Faulkner in the opening spell. Sachin Tendulkar gets off the mark with a single.

20:02 (IST): Dwayne Smith gets Mumbai Indians off the mark with a huge six over mid wicket.

20:00 (IST): Sachin Tendulkar walks out to bat for one final time for Mumbai Indians. Dwayne Smith is his partner. James Faulkner to start proceedings for Rajasthan Royals.

19:50 (IST): TEAMS -

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Kushal Janith Perera, Sanju Samson, Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Dishant Yagnik (wicketkeeper), James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Pravin Tambe, Rahul Shukla

Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar, Dwayne Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma (captain), Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Harbhajan Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Pragyan Ojha

19:40 (IST): QUOTES -

Rohit Sharma: We would have fielded as well. We will come in and put up a good score on the board. We knew what kind of cricket we need to play on this wicket. It is a very good opportunity for the guys. Our bowlers are experienced and will adjust well to bowling second on this wicket. Maxwell comes in for Johnson.

Rahul Dravid: We will bowl first. Looks like there will be a little bit of dew as the evening progresses, we would like to field first. We have had a lot of performances from our youngsters, hopefully, we will get one more from them today. We believe that we have got the team for all conditions, we can play well in all conditions. Brad Hodge, Shaun Tait and Ashok Menaria miss out with injuries. Kushal Perera has joined us though, he will be our 4th overseas player. No other changes.

19:30 (IST): TOSS! Rajasthan Royals have won the toss and have decided to bowl first against Mumbai Indians at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi.

19:15 (IST): QUOTES -

Sachin Tendulkar: I remember being part of a Wills Trophy team and I was his (Rahul Dravid) captain. We have been playing in the same team but it is a rare occasion where we are playing against each other. He is absolutely a master techinician and he would be my no. 3 anytime. It's a great tournament as all the players around the world love to play this tournament and we get to know players from other countries. It is sharing knowledge and not only giving lectures to them. That has been going around for the last six years. Rajasthan have had some wonderful matches, the match against Otago (Volts) showed that they don't give up till the last minute. We are friends off the field but are very professional once we are on the field.

Rahul Dravid: One final time is nice. It's funny that we've played against each other more in coloured clothing. You must remember that Sachin is 7 years senior to me as a cricketer. Great tournament this is, for the youngsters this is a great experience. I'm ok giving away my jersey number. Dinesh Karthik is wearing mine I think. It's been a roller coaster ride for (Rajasthan) Royals. I couldn't have asked for anything more, a great journey.

18:40 (IST): Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma indicates his team will hold an edge in the final of the Champions League Twenty20 against Rajasthan Royals considering they 'know the conditions better' at the Feroz Shah Kotla.

18:15 (IST): Not only would Rajasthan have to play out of their comfort zone, they will have to take the field less than 24 hours after settling down in New Delhi, having reached the city only on Saturday evening. The Mumbai boys will also have to recover quickly too, because the final starts at 8 pm, just over 20 hours after the semifinal ended.

17:45 (IST): One of the big holes in the Mumbai arsenal, Sachin Tendulkar's poor form, might not be as big a worry anymore after he hit a 31-ball 35 against T&T in the semifinal. Along the way, he also became the 16th man to score 50,000 runs in recognised cricket.

PREVIEW

The Champions League Twenty20 2013 will end with the same teams on the field as when the first match was played on September 21 - Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. Just over two weeks on, it's Rahul Dravid versus Sachin Tendulkar again in what is mostly likely to be the last time the two greats will be seen together on the field, pitted against each other.

But emotions aside, it's a match that promises to be engrossing - a clash of styles, a clash of team character.

Mumbai and Rajasthan have played each other four times this year, and the honours have been even. Both won their home matches in IPL VI, Mumbai won the second IPL qualifier in Kolkata, and Rajasthan won the inaugural game of CLT20. That makes things look balanced, except that there's one factor to be accounted for: Rajasthan's CLT20 campaign has been entirely based in Jaipur - their fortress - while Mumbai have now won two games in two at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi, where the final will also be played tonight.

It promises to be a super game of Twenty20 cricket. Rajasthan's has been a fairy-tale story that probably deserves a happy ending, if only for the men, led by Rahul Dravid, who have come out and given such a good account of themselves. But Mumbai have looked so, so good when they have been on song and should be, keeping everything in mind, the favourites to add the CLT20 trophy, which they also won in 2011, to the IPL title they won earlier this year.

SQUADS

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ambati Rayudu, Aditya Tare, Rishi Dhawan, Abu Nechim, Akshar Patel, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell.

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ashok Menaria, Dishant Yagnik (wicketkeeper), Vikramjeet Malik, Harmeet Singh, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe, Shane Watson, Kusal Perera, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper.

CLT20: Sachin Tendulkar first Indian to reach 50,000 runs in all formats

Sachin becomes the 16th player ever to reach this landmark in the sport and is the first player from Asia to do so.

In Mumbai Indians' semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, Sachin Tendulkar reached another landmark by completing an astounding 50,000 runs in competitive cricket across all formats.

Needing 26 runs on the day to reach the mark, Tendulkar tucked the ball towards midwicket for a single off left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley to reach another milestone in a glorious career spanning close to two-and-a-half decades.

He scored 35 off 31 balls before being dismissed by Lendl Simmons.

Tendulkar now has 50009 runs in 953 competitive matches, which includes 551 List A matches, 307 First-class matches and 95 T20 games.

Tendulkar has so far scored 25,228 runs in 307 First-class matches, including a staggering 15,837 runs in 198 Tests.

The 40-year-old has 21,999 runs in 551 List A matches which includes 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.

Having scored 2747 in the 94 earlier T20 matches, the Master Blaster scored the necessary 26 runs with ease.

Tendulkar has had an ordinary 2013 CLT20 tournament till the semifinals and could score only 20 runs in four matches with a highest score of only 15. (Mumbai beat Trinidad, enter final)

Sachin is also standing on the cusp of another rare feat of becoming the first player in the history of the game to play 200 Test matches, which in all likelihood will be completed in the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies.

I don't try to be a paragon of virtue: Rahul Dravid

While praising the T20 format for the exposure it gives to Indian youngsters, Rahul Dravid also stressed on the fact that Test cricket and fans of the longer format deserve equal respect.

Rahul Dravid's storied career is in its final stages, and the Champions League Twenty20 2013 is likely to be his last outing as a cricketer. It's been a series of triumphant peaks in Test matches and One-Day Internationals with a few troughs in between, but Dravid will wind down with Twenty20 cricket, the game's newest format. It's already guaranteed to end on a successful note, Dravid having led Rajasthan Royals to the top of the table in the league stages.

After qualifying for the semifinal, Dravid took time out to speak to Wisden India in a freewheeling chat that covered the gamut from India's tour of South Africa and the importance of salary caps in the IPL, to Rajasthan's strategy at the auction table. Excerpts:

Your last few days of competitive cricket. Has anything changed in your thought process before a match or in the celebrations after a match? Clearly, the approach to training hasn't changed, you're still at every optional practice session.

It's not really changed too much at all. I have the kind of personality that I always look ahead than look at what's happened. It does help a lot, especially when you've done badly or you've failed. It's instinctive of me that I look at what's next, I look ahead a lot, and start preparing for that, in victory and in defeat. That hasn't changed on a personal level.

Maybe I cherish it more. I've never been one to have big parties and wild nights after we win. That hasn't changed, I don't do that now. But I think I've relaxed a lot more and I cherish the conversations and the time that we spend after games a lot more, whether it's in someone's room having a few drinks or down at the bar or the restaurant. I'm cherishing some of the friendships and the environment that we've created here, which is a pretty good one.

Looking back at the IPL from its start in 2008, how do you see the evolution of franchise cricket in India?

There's no doubt it's growing all the time. You must remember that when you compare the IPL with say some of the English Premier League sides, they've been around for close to 100 years. But it's remarkable how much people have started identifying with some of the teams they support in six years, especially in the cities you play in. You can sense that there is a fan following and it's growing. There are people who are not in the cities that have teams, and they too pick a particular team to support. It is still a little bit based on individuals also. So a lot of MS Dhoni fans will support his team, irrespective of where they are. People in Chennai will of course support Chennai Super Kings, but I'm talking of people outside the city. It is a little bit player based, but it's slowly moving from that to being a lot more about the franchise, and I think that will keep growing. It's still early days yet, and six years is not a very long period. But in time, I truly believe that if the IPL stays relevant and keeps providing good cricket, you will soon find that irrespective of where players play, people will start supporting particular franchises. Once they start understanding the culture of a franchise and what it stands for, you will start seeing a shift. It may take a bit of time, but I can already see it's moving in that direction.

Do you think every franchise has started developing its own unique identity?

There is uniqueness, definitely. Whether they're trying to develop it or whether it happens spontaneously, sometimes without thinking about it... Each one develops a certain kind of image or culture, or a brand so to speak, and it's slowly happening. You're finding that people are supporting that, outside of the cities that are playing. Obviously, a person from Mumbai will support Mumbai Indians, but this is more for those outside India and in the other cities. The IPL is only eight or nine teams and there are so many other cities and towns in the country.

At the start of the IPL in 2008, you had said 'If this was ten years ago, I'd have cracked it'. Six years on, you seem to have cracked it. How do you view your own evolution as a Twenty20 batsman?

The point I was trying to make about 'cracking' the format was that I was trying to tell people it's an important thing to have these multi-dimensional skills. There are three formats in the game now and a youngster coming up has to learn how to play in all three formats, to almost stay relevant. If Twenty20 was as important when I was a kid as it's becoming now, I would have spent time focusing on trying to be good at all three formats. I've played it for six years now, with some good years, some bad years, some good games. Overall, I've enjoyed playing it. The IPL is quite a tournament. It captures the imagination of India for two months. It's tough and intense. I mean, nothing can ever take away the satisfaction and joy I got from playing Test cricket. That will always be No. 1 for me. But I've really enjoyed being part of the first six years of the IPL and seeing it evolve.

What do you think is the role of an anchor in a Twenty20 match?

It's not so much an anchor, it's about a quality player being able to play quality bowling. If you look at the bowling attacks in most IPL teams, they have the likes of Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Mitchell Johnson playing for them. We have Jimmy Faulkner. You need to have a certain level of skill to be able to play that kind of bowling upfront. Just because you are a kind of big hitter in domestic cricket against domestic bowling doesn't guarantee you'll be able to do it at this level against that quality of bowling. It is a step up, without a doubt, from domestic cricket. It's a step below international cricket, but it's above domestic cricket. So you need players who have a bit of quality. I won't call it an anchor, but a player who has an ability to play some good fast bowling, good spinners and also play his shots. I also think there are different roles for each person. The skills that you need in people who need to play the first six overs against the new ball might be a little different from the type of guys you need at the back end of an innings. Even though it's a shortened format of the game, Twenty20 allows people with different skills to play in a team and play their specific roles. Obviously there's not too much time to waste balls, but if you look at guys who play well in the top six, they have a fairly decent amount of good cricketing ability.

One of the things that made IPL such a level playing field was the salary cap. Do you think player retention would hurt that? There's also the fact that franchises have spent years investing in players and fans have identified with them...

There has got to be a balance between the two. I think the salary cap is really important. It's vital to this league to have the cap and be strict about it. The beauty of the IPL, vis-a-vis the English Premier League, is that any one of the eight or nine teams can actually win the competition if you give them a level playing field. In the EPL, we're seeing the richer clubs and teams that can buy the biggest players are constantly remaining in the top three or four. Also in football, the pool is much larger. There are no restrictions on domestic talent, and you don't have to play seven English players. You can pick players from Brazil, Argentina, anywhere. I think it's a good thing that we have the seven Indian players rule. The world of cricket is a small one and when you have those restrictions, it's really important to have that salary cap in place. That gives everyone a chance, and makes every game competitive. Every evening people want to turn up, switch on the TV, and know that both teams have a decent chance of winning. That for me is exciting. If you knew which four teams are going to be in the semifinals, why would you wait for the league phase? It will lose its importance, because you'll say 'Let me just focus on the qualifiers, the semifinals and the final.'

I do understand that there should be a certain amount of retention. We have to strike that balance between having that retention, but also ensuring that then you have a strict salary cap and a level playing field. That means that for teams to succeed, they will not only have to rely on going out and buying just the best players, but also have to work on things like improving the skills of the players that they have, ensuring that they give domestic talent a chance. If a team can go out and buy 11 international players, how is a domestic player ever going to get a chance to play? And that was the beauty of it in the first year. Because of the strict salary cap, most teams had to play domestic talent. And that's where you will really see the growth of Indian cricket - when domestic talent plays with international players. If some teams have only domestic players and some teams have only international players, I personally feel it will not be as exciting for fans. And you won't find the great stories that you find in a Pravin Tambe, a Rahul Shukla, a Mandeep Singh, or a Sanju Samson. There are so many stories, but they're all based on domestic talent which has been given an opportunity to play with international players.

Rajasthan have been known to make a lot of unconventional picks. When you're sitting at that auction table, what are you looking for in a player?

That he's cheap (laughs loudly). I said that in jest of course, I don't think any player is cheap. I think there's a culture in Rajasthan Royals that has been there before I got here, so I've come into it. I've enjoyed being part of it and embraced it. They are quite clear about the fact that bottom lines are important, and there is a certain limit on what you can spend. You have to go out and then look for players who are slightly under the radar, not well noticed and bring them into this environment. The challenge is then to make them perform, to create an environment around these guys so that they can do well. Even if you take a lot of our domestic players, they are not new players - other than Pravin who has come out of nowhere and was someone we picked based on his skills. But the others have been at other franchises. We've picked them up, seen some potential and that's what we focus on. So when we're sitting there, we're looking at people who can come into this culture and bring something into it. We're looking at their personalities also, not just skills. Are they good for a team environment? Will they struggle staying in India for eight weeks? I mean, let's face it, it's not an easy time and a lot of international players are away from home. We have to balance all these things out. And I guess in some ways we do recognise that we probably will not be able to go for the high profile players, because we'll always be outbid. So then, the thinking and focus really shifts to looking for hidden value in players, who we know have potential, but probably need the right platform to do well. It doesn't matter what a player is valued at, in the end it's his performance that matters. The focus is on how we get players to perform. Whatever we've got, we've got, but are we smart in other things around the group in terms of strategy, tactics? Are we going to be clever, be the kind of players who can surprise people? Because we have to be. And there's a challenge and excitement in that, and that's brilliant. That's possibly why we see some of the biggest stories emerging from Rajasthan Royals. We are forced to put some of these young domestic talents in, and now it's really up to us to help them perform. It's not just about pushing someone in there.

You've said the team has gotten over the spot-fixing scandal and has no hangover of it. But personally, do you still feel a sense of betrayal?

I think that it was a great learning experience. It was a disappointing period. You feel a sense of sadness, not a personal sadness but for the franchise and at some level for the people who got themselves involved. They made some wrong choices, and it is sad. You feel bad for people who you know had great talent and great ability and could have had great careers, but because of some of the choices they made, they are finding themselves in difficult situations. I guess there are lessons to be learned. You've got to learn from things and really hope that other people are learning from it and things are being done so that these mistakes don't occur again.

Several people on the street have said the scandal shook them, but because Rahul Dravid is there at the helm, they have not lost faith in the franchise. While that must be nice to hear, does it sometimes become a burden to live up to the expectations?

While it's nice to hear, I don't actually walk around trying to be a paragon of virtue. I'm not saying to myself 'I have to do this and that'. Honestly, it's added no pressure on me. I haven't changed what I am and I just try and be what I am. There are certain things you do and certain values you have. But I don't feel any pressure of trying to live up to anyone else's expectations. I have to live up to my own standards and my own expectations. And I'll make mistakes, but I hope over the course of my career and life, I won't make that many mistakes. We're all going to look at things we've done in our career and think 'I wish I had done that differently or behaved differently'. I just hope that over the length of a career, there are few of those moments and lots more of things that I can look back and say, 'I was actually quite okay there. What I did there was quite good.' It's also not only about me. I think people have bounced back and supported Rajasthan Royals also because there are other people on this team who they will not doubt. There is a good culture in the team, and there are some good people around the group. While there have been certain people who have let themselves and everyone down, there are others who you know will stand up for what's right.

In your Bradman Oration, you mentioned the need to put the fans first. How do you think that should be done?

We need to ensure that the fans get to see good quality cricket in good quality conditions. If you prepare good wickets, and play in good conditions, the quality of cricket improves. And fans deserve to see a high standard of cricket being maintained. We need to look at facilities around the fans at stadiums and viewing facilities through television, media, internet. You need to ensure that people who love this game feel a part of the game, and enjoy the experience. That is really important. All three forms have different fans, and they need to know that we cater to each one of them. I mean, the fans of Test cricket should never feel that we are neglecting them to support another form of the game. There are fans of Twenty20 cricket and we need to ensure that we give them the cricket they want to see. We need to keep Test cricket alive, because there is a section of fans who love and worship Test cricket and have basically helped this game grow, and they are as important as anybody else.

Touching on the current Indian team, it is a fairly young side coming together. How important is it at this stage for them to go on a tour of South Africa?

South Africa is the No.1 team in the world and it's a privilege to play the No.1 team in the world. And it should be a great challenge for the Indian team. We all want the Indian team to do well, but even if you don't do well, the things that you learn from a tour like that, playing against opponents like that in a tough three-Test series, will be phenomenal. You cannot count those lessons or the value of what you learn. I know how it is. We went to Australia in 1999-2000 and lost 3-0. I failed badly, but what I learned from the trip made me a much better cricketer, because I knew what I had to improve on, what I had to work on. I think it's those kind of losses that sometimes help build teams and unite teams. I'm not saying India will lose, I think they probably have a good chance. They're a pretty good side, and the youngsters are quite experienced at least in international cricket, even if they're playing one-day cricket. But there's a lot to be gained from tours like that, and it is a great privilege to play the No.1 team in their own backyard.

What next, after cricket?

I haven't really decided. There's obviously a few options, and I'd love to stay involved in cricket in some capacity. Where it is and in what form it is, I haven't really had a chance to discuss with people. There's media. I don't think I'm going to get into administration at this stage, but media is an option. It's also got to balance out with time at home and how much I can do. There are a few options and things in the pipeline that I have dipped my toes in a little bit and had some experiences. And I've enjoyed it, being on the other side of the fence. In some ways, my role at Rajasthan here has been not only about captaincy, but it's been about also just strategy, planning, behind the scenes work - some kind of coaching as well. That's a side I've also enjoyed being part of, so let's see when that happens.

Two decades in the game as a player. If you close your eyes, and someone says 'cricket', what comes to mind first?

Oh, just the joy it gave me. The sheer thrill that this game gave me, and gratitude. The game gave me so much, and I've so much to be grateful for. It made me the person I am, it's given me security as a person, security financially. And I couldn't have asked for anything more.

CLT20 LIVE CRICKET SCORE: Mumbai Indians field against Perth Scorchers in must-win Group A tie

http://sports.ndtv.com/champions-league-twenty20-2013/news/215009-live-cricket-score-mumbai-indians-face-perth-scorchers-in-must-win-group-a-tie

CLT20 LIVE CRICKET SCORE: Mumbai Indians field against Perth Scorchers in must-win Group A tie

After Otago Volts' loss against Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians need to beat Perth Scorchers handsomely to make the last four of the 2013 Champions League Twenty20. Catch all the live updates.

Mumbai Indians face Australian Twenty20 champions Perth Scorchers at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, New Delhi in a bid to claim a semi-final spot in the Champions League T20. Catch all the live updates... (Live Scorecard | Live Commentary | Points Table)

Toss: Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma calls it correctly and will field against Perth Scorchers.

Match Preview

By the time Mumbai Indians take on Perth Scorchers in their last Champions League Twenty20 2013 Group A match at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday (October 2) afternoon, they will know whether they have already been knocked out or are still in with a shot of making the semifinals.

Currently, Otago Volts are second in Group A with a net run rate of 0.869, while Mumbai, are third with a run rate of 0.09. A huge difference than can be negated if Mumbai beat Perth Scorchers by 49 runs, or with 34 balls remaining in the chase.

Mumbai are a team of big, costly stars, but they haven't looked as good as they are capable of. Rohit Sharma looked good in the game against Rajasthan, which Mumbai lost, with a steady 44, while Kieron Pollard impressed with the bat both against Rajasthan (42) and against Highveld Lions (31 not out). Dwayne Smith, meanwhile, stood out with a high-impact 63 against the Lions and has since bragged, "If I stay at the crease, I know there aren't many bowlers that can stop me from scoring."

That innings, however, was in Jaipur. The action has shifted to Delhi, and no one knows how the pitch will behave after the uncharacteristically heavy monsoon the city has experienced. And, as experience has taught us, even a close inspection of the pitch at Kotla is also, often, not enough to get a proper idea of its nature.

That's something everyone will be aware of, none more so than Sachin Tendulkar, who might well be playing his last match in the Mumbai Indians colours. He isn't in great form, having collected just 20 runs in two outings so far, and is, possibly, aware of the growing noises about his future. Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu are two other Mumbai batsmen who will worry about their form, having done precious little so far. (Read more)

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Abu Nechim, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rishi Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Johnson, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Pragyan Ojha, Akshar Patel, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Smith, Aditya Tare.

Perth Scorchers: Simon Katich (captain), Michael Beer, Hilton Cartwright, Liam Davis, Joe Mennie, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Burt Cockley, Brad Hogg, Marcus North, Tom Triffitt (wicketkeeper), Adam Voges.

John Wright and Mumbai Indians hope for the best

A day before the last Champions League Twenty20 2013 Group A game - between Mumbai Indians and Perth Scorchers - not much of the talk was specifically about the match.

Partly because the worth of the match would be decided only after Rajasthan Royals and Otago Volts wrap up their fixture in Jaipur on Tuesday (September 1) night, and partly because it might well be Sachin Tendulkar's last game in Mumbai Indians' colours.

"We've already missed one game, which is proving problematic for us," said Wright. "Hope the Delhi weather is fine and we get a game tomorrow. We are well supported wherever we go. Hopefully that will be the same. We were all watching the match the other day (Sunday, when Otago beat Lions in the Super Over) and hoping the result goes our way. It's a situation a lot of us haven't been in. Let's hope for the best."

Wright, however, felt it would be a batting wicket, saying that that's what he had been told by the ground staff. "They have told me it will be a good batting wicket. We hope so. The last time we were here (during IPL 2013), it was a beautiful batting wicket. There might be a bit of movement with the weather being the way it is. But that might not be the case also. It's pretty good batting here generally. That will suit us. We have to bat really well to stand a chance."

The problem for Mumbai, in the two games they have played, has been that none of Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu made many runs. Wright did argue that "we've only played two games; it's pretty hard in Twenty20", but that didn't change the fact that Mumbai have fallen short of expectations primarily because of their batsmen's failure. (Read more)


Justin Langer hopes for Sachin Terndulkar 'duck'

It's no secret that Australian cricketers over the years have respected Sachin Tendulkar more than anyone of his peers but when Perth Scorchers take on Mumbai Indians in a Champions League T20 match on Wednesday, coach Justin Langer would like one of his bowlers do an "Eric Hollies" to the Indian legend.

Hollies, an English leg-spinner was best known for having bowled Sir Don Bradman for a duck with a googly in latter's last ever Test match and Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer is hoping that one among his spinners could pull off something similar when the Indian maestro comes out to bat.

"I hope we have a Hollies in our team tomorrow when we bowl to Sachin. Hollies wasn't that the name?" Perth Scorchers coach Langer smiled and asked the scribes to confirm the name of the English leggie.

"Well, I love watching Sachin bat and wish he never gets out. But tomorrow, I won't like him to score too many runs. Even at this age of 42 (40), he batted in the nets for two hours the other day. That was incredible," said Langer, who has played many times against Tendulkar, in Test matches in India and Down Under.

CLT20: Winning and succeeding is not important if you play foul, says Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid's former Rajasthan Royals and India team-mate S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan were recently handed life bans by the BCCI for involvement in spot-fixing, a few months after spending time in jail. Dravid also praised Pravin Tambe for his hardwork in the 'free' time after IPL which is reaping him rewards.

Jaipur:  Former captain Rahul Dravid says the spirit of the game has become more "relevant and important" in the wake of the IPL spot-fixing scandal that plunged Indian cricket into a credibility crisis.

One of the most disciplined statesmen of modern-day cricket, Dravid said, "In times like these when the game is facing big challenges and some of the players get involved (corruption) the spirit of the game becomes more relevant and important.

"It is important that you play within rules and in spirit of the game. Selections should be consequence of what you are doing but not the goal. Winning and succeeding is not important if you play foul."

Dravid's former Rajasthan Royals and India team-mate S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan were recently handed life bans by the BCCI for involvement in spot-fixing, a few months after spending time in jail. A verdict on another accused cricketer Ajit Chandila, who was also a part of Rajasthan Royals, is awaited.

Dravid spoke highly of the initiative undertaken by two former England captains.

"In the late 1990s, two distinguished MCC members (and ex-England captains), Ted Dexter and Lord (Colin) Cowdrey, sought to enshrine the 'Spirit of Cricket' in the game's Laws. Their initiative proved successful when the current Code of Laws was introduced in 2000," he said.

As far as their semifinal match in the upcoming Champions League Twenty20 was concerned, Dravid said there would be no special preparations.

"It has been a good going. We are in semifinal and have one more chance. We were beaten in the semifinals of IPL-6 but now have another chance. We know things would become more difficult in knockout stage because all teams would be good since they were able to reach this far. There would be no special preparations and we would stick to our normal routine."

Asked how young players such as Rahul Shukla, Vikramjeet Malik and Pravin Tambe were able to deliver whenever needed, Dravid gave all the credit to his team-mates and support staff.

"It is up to the boys to deliver it on the field. No matter how many strategies you plan if a bowler balls on the leg when field is on off they won't work. It is for the boys to perform on the field. We have given the confidence to the players and it has worked so far.

"Look at Pravin Tambe... we talked to him and wanted him to work on certain areas. He went back after IPL, worked hard on those things and is doing so well now.

He said they were fortunate to have a good support staff.

"We have to be smart enough to plan and we are fortunate that we have the likes of Paddy Upton, Monty Desai and Bharucha and a good support staff. It is not that the wicket here gives us some extraordinary support but it is a good wicket and we have the players who can excel on such kind of lively surface."

CLT20 LIVE CRICKET SCORE: Mumbai Indians face Perth Scorchers in must-win Group A tie

After Otago Volts' loss against Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians need to beat Perth Scorchers handsomely to make the last four of the 2013 Champions League Twenty20. Catch all the live updates.


Mumbai Indians face Australian Twenty20 champions Perth Scorchers at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, New Delhi in a bid to claim a semi-final spot in the Champions League T20. Catch all the live updates... (Live Scorecard | Live Commentary | Points Table)

Match Preview

By the time Mumbai Indians take on Perth Scorchers in their last Champions League Twenty20 2013 Group A match at Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi on Wednesday (October 2) afternoon, they will know whether they have already been knocked out or are still in with a shot of making the semifinals.

Currently, Otago Volts are second in Group A with a net run rate of 0.869, while Mumbai, are third with a run rate of 0.09. A huge difference than can be negated if Mumbai beat Perth Scorchers by 49 runs, or with 34 balls remaining in the chase.

Mumbai are a team of big, costly stars, but they haven't looked as good as they are capable of. Rohit Sharma looked good in the game against Rajasthan, which Mumbai lost, with a steady 44, while Kieron Pollard impressed with the bat both against Rajasthan (42) and against Highveld Lions (31 not out). Dwayne Smith, meanwhile, stood out with a high-impact 63 against the Lions and has since bragged, "If I stay at the crease, I know there aren't many bowlers that can stop me from scoring."

That innings, however, was in Jaipur. The action has shifted to Delhi, and no one knows how the pitch will behave after the uncharacteristically heavy monsoon the city has experienced. And, as experience has taught us, even a close inspection of the pitch at Kotla is also, often, not enough to get a proper idea of its nature.

That's something everyone will be aware of, none more so than Sachin Tendulkar, who might well be playing his last match in the Mumbai Indians colours. He isn't in great form, having collected just 20 runs in two outings so far, and is, possibly, aware of the growing noises about his future. Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu are two other Mumbai batsmen who will worry about their form, having done precious little so far. (Read more)

Squads:

Mumbai Indians: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Abu Nechim, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Rishi Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Johnson, Dinesh Karthik, Glenn Maxwell, Pragyan Ojha, Akshar Patel, Kieron Pollard, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Smith, Aditya Tare.

Perth Scorchers: Simon Katich (captain), Michael Beer, Hilton Cartwright, Liam Davis, Joe Mennie, Joel Paris, Ashton Turner, Sam Whiteman, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Burt Cockley, Brad Hogg, Marcus North, Tom Triffitt (wicketkeeper), Adam Voges.

John Wright and Mumbai Indians hope for the best

A day before the last Champions League Twenty20 2013 Group A game - between Mumbai Indians and Perth Scorchers - not much of the talk was specifically about the match.

Partly because the worth of the match would be decided only after Rajasthan Royals and Otago Volts wrap up their fixture in Jaipur on Tuesday (September 1) night, and partly because it might well be Sachin Tendulkar's last game in Mumbai Indians' colours.

"We've already missed one game, which is proving problematic for us," said Wright. "Hope the Delhi weather is fine and we get a game tomorrow. We are well supported wherever we go. Hopefully that will be the same. We were all watching the match the other day (Sunday, when Otago beat Lions in the Super Over) and hoping the result goes our way. It's a situation a lot of us haven't been in. Let's hope for the best."

Wright, however, felt it would be a batting wicket, saying that that's what he had been told by the ground staff. "They have told me it will be a good batting wicket. We hope so. The last time we were here (during IPL 2013), it was a beautiful batting wicket. There might be a bit of movement with the weather being the way it is. But that might not be the case also. It's pretty good batting here generally. That will suit us. We have to bat really well to stand a chance."

The problem for Mumbai, in the two games they have played, has been that none of Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu made many runs. Wright did argue that "we've only played two games; it's pretty hard in Twenty20", but that didn't change the fact that Mumbai have fallen short of expectations primarily because of their batsmen's failure. (Read more)


Justin Langer hopes for Sachin Terndulkar 'duck'

It's no secret that Australian cricketers over the years have respected Sachin Tendulkar more than anyone of his peers but when Perth Scorchers take on Mumbai Indians in a Champions League T20 match on Wednesday, coach Justin Langer would like one of his bowlers do an "Eric Hollies" to the Indian legend.

Hollies, an English leg-spinner was best known for having bowled Sir Don Bradman for a duck with a googly in latter's last ever Test match and Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer is hoping that one among his spinners could pull off something similar when the Indian maestro comes out to bat.

"I hope we have a Hollies in our team tomorrow when we bowl to Sachin. Hollies wasn't that the name?" Perth Scorchers coach Langer smiled and asked the scribes to confirm the name of the English leggie.

"Well, I love watching Sachin bat and wish he never gets out. But tomorrow, I won't like him to score too many runs. Even at this age of 42 (40), he batted in the nets for two hours the other day. That was incredible," said Langer, who has played many times against Tendulkar, in Test matches in India and Down Under.

For Langer, "the toughest test for any Aussie cricketer is playing India in India."

CLT20 Live Cricket Score: Otago Volts fight back after Rahul Shukla's triple strike

Rahul Shukla bags three wickets in his first over. Shane Watson joins him to get another breakthrough. Rajasthan Royals would look to maintain their 11-match unbeaten run in Jaipur when they take on Otago Volts in their final group match of the Champions League Twenty20. Catch all the live updates of the match.
 
Table toppers Rajasthan Royals take on Kiwi side Otago Volts in a Group A match of the Champions League Twenty20. Catch all the live updates here: (Scorecard | Commentary)

20:55 (IST): Otago fight back through Ryan ten Doeschate and Jimmy Neesham, who have added 53 runs from 46 balls. Otago Volts 74/4 (12 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:45 (IST): Rajasthan Royals bowlers are keeping things very tight. Ryan ten Doeschate and Jimmy Neesham are fighting back slowly and have added 29 runs from 33 balls. Otago Volts 50/4 (10 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:23 (IST): WICKET! Shane Watson joins the party to remove Neil Broom. Broom tries to pull but gets a top edge to backward sqaure leg and Sanju Samson, the wicketkeeper, runs to complete the catch. Otago Volts 21/4 (4.3 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:18 (IST): WICKET, WICKET and WICKET! Yes that's right. Rahul Shukla removes opener Hamish Rutherford, Brendon McCullum and Derek de Boorder in his first over. On his first ball he got bowled Rutherford, then trapped skipper McCullum leg before wicket and bounced out keeper de Boorder on his fifth ball. His first over - W 4B W 0 W 0. Otago Volts 20/3 (4 overs) vs Rajasthan Royals.

20:00 (IST): Two Otago Volts openers Neil Broom and Hamish Rutherford are out in the middle. Rahul Dravid gives the new ball to Ashok Menaria.

19:46 (IST): TEAMS-

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

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

19:35 (IST): TOSS! Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid opts to field after winning the toss against Otago Volts in Jaipur.

PREVIEW

Having sealed their place in the semifinals, Rajasthan Royals would look to grab the top spot in the table when they square off against Otago Volts in their final Group match of the Champions League Twenty20 today.

The winner will not only top the group, but also face the second-placed team from Group B in the first semifinal at the same venue. The match will also witness one streak being broken. Otago Volts have won their last 15 Twenty20 matches, while Rajasthan Royals have won 11 straight games in Jaipur from the start of IPL VI.

Stakes are much higher for the Kiwi side as a win would ensure their passage in the last-four stage. They are currently placed second in the group with 10 points from three matches and could knock out IPL champions Mumbai Indians if they win.

The match between the Otago and Mumbai was washed away putting the reigning IPL champions in quandary.

Mumbai, who have six points from three matches will play their last match against Perth Scorchers in Delhi tomorrow. If Otago lose against Rajasthan Royals and Mumabi win, the two sides' fate would depend on Net run-rate.

SQUADS

Rajasthan Royals: Rahul Dravid (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ashok Menaria, Dishant Yagnik (wicketkeeper), Vikramjeet Malik, Harmeet Singh, Rahul Shukla, Pravin Tambe, Shane Watson, Brad Hodge, James Faulkner, Kevon Cooper, Shaun Tait.

Otago Volts: Brendon McCullum (captain), Nick Beard, Michael Bracewell, Neil Broom, Ian Butler, Mark Craig, Derek de Boorder (wicketkeeper), Jacob Duffy, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, James Neesham, Aaron Redmond, Hamish Rutherford, Ryan ten Doeschate, Neil Wagner, Sam Wells.