Kolkata seek to Avenge pride

By Harpreet Kaur Lamba

Mumbai, May 15: Talk of Sachin Tendulkar and chances are that the images of master blaster’s towering sixes during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa will float before the eyes. In devastating form, Tendulkar shredded Shoaib Akhtar’s confidence – and the Pakistan pacer’s claim to beat him hands down – to pieces.

Expect another cracker as the two come face to face in a pulsating clash of the Indian Premier League here on Friday. As Mumbai Indians play Kolkata Knight Riders at home for vital points to book semifinal spots, it will be clash of two hugely contrasting personalities with enough firepower in them to turn the match on its head.

One match old in the IPL, the two have had humongous impacts on their respective teams. If the Mumbai Indians skipper’s presence in the dressing room propelled his teammates to give that extra bit all this while, his return on the field on Wednesday has changed things by leaps and bounds.

Down in the dumps as they battled controversies, poor form and injuries, the side rose like a phoenix and put on display what was expected of them from day one.

The way Mumbai massacred one-time table toppers Chennai Super Kings was proof of what the Sachin-return effect has done to this team.

Sanath Jayasuriya’s effortless 11 sixes were a delight to watch. Under immense pressure in the absence of Sachin and Harbhajan Singh – ruled out of the IPL after he slapped Kerala seamer S. Sreesanth — the Matera Marauder justified his stature.

Reluctant to open initially, the Sri Lankan blossomed in Tendulkar’s presence and took the charge as the master watched from the other end. Gone was the initial tentativeness, gone was the tag of being bottom-finishers, the Mumbai Indians were a different team altogether. And mind it, all this happened when the hometown boy was yet to find his touch. Tendulkar’s obsession to excel is no secret and that is something his rivals will have to be wary of.

Sourav Ganguly and Company will have a task at hand on Friday. In Shoaib, the Knight Riders have found a perfect match-winner. The Rawalpindi Express’s 150 km/hr plus pacers can knock the wind out of the best of batsmen and this is something coach John Buchanan will be well banking on.

The not-so-fit pacer bowled his heart out in this opening match to set Kolkata’s Eden Garden alight. His blistering spell of 4/11 wrecked havoc among the Delhi Daredevils’ batsmen, who fell like nine pins.

Starting with a bang, the Knight Riders lost momentum after the sudden exit of IPL’s first centurion Brendon McCullum, Ricky Ponting and Chris Gayle. But with Akhtar in their ranks, the team can now aim for the semifinal spot.

David Hussey has given good support to Ganguly, who has been in fine nick. Ishant Sharma and Umar Gul have the variety in the pace department, while the young talent has also stood up.

Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s occasional bursts have come in handy, Ashok Dinda is already been termed as the next big thing, while Wriddhiman Saha has also impressed.

For Mumbai, batsman Abhishek Nayar will be the one to watch out for. Shaun Pollock has bowled splendidly right through the competition. West Indian all rounder Dwayne Bravo will play for one last time before he returns to the Caribbean for the Test series against Australia.