Playing It Cool: IPL Man

“He is in a different form and tune all together. He is in the best of his form has sidelined criticism of captaincy and leading the side with no mindless slogging, Sachin Tendulkar and his team are on a roll.”

Every captain would want to have Harbhajan walking in the 17th over and play a cameo like this especially when the team requires.

The match was totally in control of the Deccan Chargers till the 17th over. Sachin got dismissed and gave a bat to Harbhajan who launched a massive assault on the Deccan Chargers and that was the turning point.

He whacked 19 runs in Kemar Roach’s over and Jaskaran Singh was banned from bowling the last over after bowling two beamers, but Rohit Sharma didn’t gift Harbhajan a half century, but certainly the Chargers gifted Mumbai Indians 72 runs in the last five overs.

Although there was no support from the batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar paddled yet another outstanding knock of 55 and then Harbhajan lighted the D.Y.Patil with his magnificent shots.

Mastermind Tendulkar gambled by giving Harbhajan to open the bowling and Bhajji did the trick by getting the dangerous, Gilly.

Tendulkar pulled a superb reflex catch and the Mumbai Indians were roaring. Gibbs came off well and hit some ball out of the ropes. He went to whack Zaheer for two huge sixes, but then fell while going for a pull shot.

Zaheer bowled a waist high full toss and Gibbs pulled it, lobed it straight to the fielder, waited for the umpires decision and finally took his head gear out. Symonds was the only hope, but he couldn’t resist from going for a slash shot and Bravo was right there.

The Chargers were going down and down and the big screen was just showing Sachin Tendulkar. He was the man of the moment and striking a perfect balance with the bat and captaincy he was just enjoying in the middle.

Zahher Khan found his rhythm back, Malinga was at hios best and the fielders were like live wires. With Harbhajan playing that cameo, there was a different energy that was flowing in the field and the Chargers were too feeble to face the heat.

Rohit Sharma fought till the end and came to notch 45 runs, but that was just not enough to stop the Mumbai Indians captivating.

Rohit Sharma gets into play with some valuable contributions, but they go in vain as they are not match winning. They needed Symonds, Gilly and Gibbs to fire and that didn’t happen this time.

They didn’t get a flyer and with Gilly back, the team was back.

Credit goes to Sachin for leading the team from the front. Fingers were always raised when it came to captaincy, but Sachin has silenced all crictics.

Once Mukesh Ambani said, the best of Sachin is yet to come, and that is what exactly is happening.

He is in the peak of his energy and is clearing almost everything that comes his way.

Kudos!!