The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Mumbai crushes Haryana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007
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Mumbai crushes Haryana

Special Correspondent

BACK IN TOUCH: Sachin Tendulkar's knock inspired Mumbai to a win over Haryana. — Photo: PTI

AHMEDABAD: Mumbai youngsters Iqbal Abdullah and Ajinkya Rahane put their hands up to be counted even as Sachin Tendulkar scored 69, as the West Zone champion crushed Haryana by eight wickets in the Twenty20 all India Championships Group B round-robin league.

Left-arm spinner Abdullah debunked theories that the newer, shorter version of limited-overs cricket can be cruel on bowlers with five wickets in four overs of tantalising slow bowling to cut short Haryana ambitions from 77 for two in 10 overs to 125 for nine after 20 overs.

Mumbai knocked off the required runs in 14.4 overs without stretching the batting resources.

Rahane, walking out to open with Sachin Tendulkar, rotated the strike and watched the master at work, then stepped onto the stage to take charge with an unbeaten 50 off 40 balls in an entertaining innings.

Ramesh Powar and Wasim Jaffer made way for Abdullah and Rahane in the team's second league tie.

Mussavir Khote was the third change in Mumbai, coming on for medium-pacer Avishkar Salvi. The overpowering Mumbai show eclipsed an all-round show by talented, gutsy Amit Mishra for Haryana.

The small-made, large-hearted opener stroked 31 off 19 balls standing upto Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar and Nilesh Kulkarni before spooning a catch off Khote.

He returned to action when Tendulkar shouldered the responsibility at the crease, picking up two wickets for 33 runs.

Abdullah and Rahane displayed no signs of stage fright with ball and bat, after being pushed into action on match day morning.

Tendulkar's composed batting (69 off 40 balls with nine fours and two sixes) eased further anxiety in the dressing room.

The slogans and placards against his presence in Ahmedabad were replaced by cheers from the fans in the stands as Tendulkar got cracking against Haryana without over-reaching himself.

The first four was an act of intimidation, standing up to swat a ball on the off-stump across the field into the mid-wicket fence.

Tendulkar plundered the bowling with classy shots till an attempted reverse sweep off Mishra.

Rahane took charge thereafter, picking up the length easily for shots over fast bowlers head, drove through the off-side cordon, stepped back against spin for slashes over cover as Mumbai raced to victory.

Brief scores: Haryana 125 for nine in 20 overs (Amit Mishra 31, Sunny Singh 27, M Rawat 22 not out; Iqbal Abdullah five for 10) lost to Mumbai 126 for two in 14.4 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 50 not out, Sachin Tendulkar 69; Amit Mishra two for 33) by eight wickets.

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