Gambhir advise 4-6 weeks' relax over shoulder injury

Gautam Gambhir could miss the limited-overs leg of India's tour of the West Indies next month following the stress of a shoulder injury that was continued during the World Cup final. Gambhir, named India's captain for that part of the tour, has been advise four to six weeks' rest by Andrew Leipus, the Kolkata Knight Riders trainer, and could even miss the following tour of England.

If it comes to pass, Gambhir's nonappearance will leave India without their three best expert openers - Virender Sehwag has freshly undergone shoulder surgery and Sachin Tendulkar has been rested for the short-format games. It will also fuel the discuss over the significance given to the IPL vis-a-vis international cricket, and - given that Sehwag also played throughout the IPL with his injury - raise questions over the liability of the BCCI, the IPL franchises and the players.

Gambhir played the IPL Eliminator on Wednesday, the same day Leipus wrote to the BCCI. However, Kolkata's loss to Mumbai Indians has saved Gambhir and the franchise from have to decide on his further contribution in the tournament.

In his letter, address to BCCI secretary N Srinivasan, Leipus - a former India physio - said the player felt sharp pain in his right carry while landing on it in the field at one point during the World Cup final next to Sri Lanka at the Wankhede stadium on April 2. Subsequent scans have now exposed a serious injury that would require him to avoid throwing or batting for four to six weeks.

"Gautam indoors in Kolkata at the start of the IPL complaining of a 'sore shoulder', the onset of which occur during the World Cup final," Leipus' letter said. "He clearly recollects a fielding incident where he landed on an outspread arm and felt a catch deep in the shoulder. In the elation at the time, his attention was deservedly elsewhere and he didn't bother telling anyone about it."

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Dilshan won't go to Pakistan

Cardiff, (AFP): Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan said Wednesday he would not play cricket in Pakistan again after an invite for his side to return to the anxious nation, two years after they were attacked there, was discarded.

Dilshan was on the Sri Lanka team bus shot at by militant in Lahore in March 2009 during an attack which kill eight people and wounded seven membrs of the tour party.

Asked if he would ever go back to Pakistan with Sri Lanka, Dilshan - most important the team in the first Test against England that starts here on Thursday - told reporters: "I don't think so. It was a bad understanding for me as a cricketer in Pakistan.

"As a player, I don't want to go through the same knowledge in the future. My personal view, I don't want to go back to play cricket there."

The Pakistan Cricket Board announced at the weekend they had invited Sri Lanka to play three Tests, five one-day internationals and one Twenty20 game in a series proposed for October.

However, the invite was twisted down by Sri Lanka Cricket chairman D.S. de Silva, who said Tuesday: "The situation, with regards to security, doesn’t allow us to play matches there. Even the ICC (International Cricket Council) has not given us security permission."

Since the attack, no major nation has tour Pakistan, forcing the country to play 'home' series in the United Arab Emirates, England and New Zealand. On Monday, Afghanistan becomes the first foreign squad to arrive in Pakistan following the attack on the Sri Lankan players. The Afghans will take on a second-string Pakistani national team in a three-match series.

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Mumbai Indians Won by 4 wickets

Mumbai Indians 148 for 6 (Blizzard 51, Tendulkar 36, Kallis 2-18, Shakib 2-24) strike Kolkata Knight Riders 147 for 7 (ten Doeschate 70*, Munaf 3-27) by four wickets

Harbhajan Singh broken a last-over six as Mumbai Indians post a four-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Mumbai required seven runs in the final over to attain a 148-run goal, but New Zealander James Franklin take a single of the first ball off Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan previous to Harbhajan shattered the next for a six.

Franklin made a winning 29 off 25 balls; while Harbhajan contribute a five-ball 11 not out. Mumbai will now conflict with Royal challenger Bangalore on Friday, the winners of their match conference Chennai Super Kings in the final. Kolkata curved out of the Twenty20 event.

Mumbai were strongly placed following an 81-run place for the opening wicket between Australian Aiden Blizzards (51) and captain Sachin Tendulkar (36) before losing their way.

Blizzard, who strike two sixes and seven fours in his 30-ball knock, reach his half-century with a six off Australian pace man Brett Lee previous to being fixed in the deep while attempting another big shot off the next delivery.

Munaf Patel previous played a key role in restrict Kolkata despite an imposing 70 not out by Netherlands' Ryan ten Doeschate as he took two wickets in his opening two overs, including that of South African Jacques Kallis.

Kolkata were stressed at 20-4 in the opening six overs after organism put in to bat before ten Doeschate led the revival with a 60-run stand for the fifth wicket with Yusuf Pathan (26).


Ten Doeschate, who split three sixes and six fours in his 49-ball knock, then added 41 for the sixth wicket with Shakib (26) to help his team post a spirited total.

Paceman Patel strike with his fourth release when he had Kallis (seven) caught by Tendulkar, who took a superb low catch at mid-off. He got another wicket in his next over when he detached Shreevats Goswani.

Harbhajan got a big wicket when he bowled Captain Gautam Gambhir (four) before seamer Dhawal Kulkarni attentive Manoj Tiwary lbw to put Kolkata under pressure.

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