Mumbai Indians Won Champions League T20 triumph

Mumbai Indians 139 (Franklin 41, Bhatkal 3-21, Vettori 2-30) strike Royal Challengers Bangalore 108 (Dilshan 27, Harbhajan 3-20, Chahal 2-9, Malinga 2-23) beat by 31 runs

Mumbai Indians stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh term his team's Champions League T20 triumph as a "great achievement" allowing for the fact they didn't have lot of top players as well as master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

"Not many people gave us a chance at the start of the tournament. If we can achieve so much without have players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma and Munaf Patel, just think about what we can do if we have them," a thrilled Harbhajan said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

He supposed that it was a matter of getting the top three - Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli.

"We knew that if we could get Gayle, Virat and Dilshan, we will be right in the game. Shaun Pollock told us during the interval that if we try we could defend any total. We wanted to give our best shot. The body language of the boys was great and by the grace of God we got the desired result."

He was all admiring for man of the tournament Lasith Malinga for his all-round show.
"His record shows what a phenomenal cricketer he has been. It's great pleasure to have a guy who can win matches for you. Another of our bowling hero has been Abu Nechim Ahmed."

Malinga on his part said that it was a great feeling to get a batsman like Tillakaratne Dilshan out.

"He is a good player so it was great that I got him out. When we started the tournament, we were not in a very good circumstances but I am very happy that we have won the tournament in the end."

About his couple of crucial knocks, he said, "I am happy to have contributed with the bat but I would like to concentrate on my bowling."

RCB skipper Daniel Vettori was a dissatisfied as he felt that 140 was a "gettable target."

"We were aware that the wicket will be vastly dissimilar from the one we played on at the Chinnaswamy. It was on the slower side. On two occasion now, we have got stuck on this track."

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White keyed up about pacer Cummins

Teenage fast bowler Patrick Cummins has fracture on the scene so rapidly that Australia T20 captain, Cameron White, has not yet seen him in action.

"It's attractive thrilling. I saw him bowl in a couple of games on television. Anyone who bowls at 150 (kilometres an hour) is pretty good to watch," White said on Sunday at an arrival media meeting ahead of two Twenty20 internationals against South Africa.

"I'm not a big cricket watcher on TV when I'm not playing but those kinds of players keep you really involved in the game," added White of the 18-year-old from New South Wales.

"I haven't played with Pat before so I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the flesh and out on the ground. He's got some actually good pace," he added.

Cummins and several other Australians will have to make a quick change after playing in the Champions League Twenty20 in India in front of the first match next to South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.

The second match is at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next Sunday.

"It's not ideal," said White. "But those guys have been playing cricket whereas some of the other guys haven't play much because we're pending out of our winter in Australia."

White cited opening batsman David Warner, who finished his Nokia Champions League movement with two consecutive centuries.

"David has had some good achievement against the Protease and he's one of many risky batsmen we have. It's better coming from some hard, spirited cricket than just preparing in the nets."

White said that even though it was a young Australian team they had set their sights on winning both matches.

"We've picked the best Twenty20 side we've got obtainable. South Africa is a great team.

"They're inactive a couple of players and (injured captain) AB de Villiers will be missed because he's a fantastic player, but there's no uncertainty they'll be very tough to beat."

White has only been chosen for the Twenty20 matches and is not in the squad for the three one-day internationals and two Tests that follow.

"It's just the way it is," he said. "There are only two Twenty20 games in this series so we'll try and do our best in a short stay."

Australian Twenty20 squad: Cameron White (capt), Shane Watson, Doug Bollinger, Patrick Cummins, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Stephen O'Keefe, James Pattinson, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade (wkt), David Warner

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Zaheer Khan: Fast bowling is not natural to us

Zaheer Khan says Indian bodies are not intended to bowl fast and optional County cricket for the potential pacers to hone their skills.

"It's not a normal thing," Zaheer told Times of India. "Indian bodies are not intended to bowl fast but that said, it's not very dissimilar from bowling outside India. Basically, you have to spend a lot of time sympathetic yourself, your art, and then find out what works for you and what doesn't. It also involves a lot of hard work."

On why the Indians drop their speed considerably while playing internationally, Zaheer said: "It's about trying to adapt to the international level, where the room for error is less. You can't always do at the international level what you do at domestic level.

"You need to appreciate you’re bowling style and work on fitness that much more. The bottom line is as long you are able to produce results, it is fine. I also dropped pace, so basically it's important to know what works for you at the international level and put that into practice," the speedster, who is getting better from an injury, added.

Zaheer had a winning stint with Worcestershire in 2006 and it helped him make a comeback to the national side after being dropped. Match practice, he said, was key to improving one's skill as a fast bowler. "The bottom line is match practice," he said. "Experience is something that is valued and you gain that by playing matches. No matter how hard you try at the nets, the match scenario is totally different.

Zaheer continuous: "As for county cricket, their season is the off season in India, that's why I would advise it, but again the bottom-line is more matches, wherever you play."

Zaheer chosen up a constrain injury on the first day of the first Test at Lord's in India's forgettable tour of England. The Indian spearhead also suffer from a right ankle injury that necessary surgical procedure that he recently undergo.

"I had an ankle surgery and all I can say at this point is that things are looking good. Progress has been slow but I'm not putting too much pressure on myself.

"I wanted to play badly but what can one do. I was 100% fit when I land in England and didn't rush my return in any way but picked up one more injury. That's the way the game goes," he added, remorsefully.

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Yusuf: talented of playing extended innings

Hard-hitting batsman, Yusuf Pathan, crushed no words when he said there is more to his batting than just hitting big shots.

In a chat with TOI, Pathan said: "At present, I'm focusing on receiving back in the team and for that I have to score time and again. I am working very hard. Ever since I started playing the game, I have dreamt of on behalf of the country. It's an honor to play for India. If I keep on working hard nothing is not possible."

He added: optimistically, I will win more matches for my country. Of late, I have been playing a lot of Twenty20 cricket so it's good to play in the Challenger Trophy where I have done well in the past. I expect to do well this time, too," Yusuf will play for India Red.

Rejecting the experts' belief that he is not reliable, Yusuf maintain that he has always played for Team India's cause.

"We have a very gifted batting line-up. More often than not, one of the top-order batsmen scores big. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh love to bat extended. When I go in to bat, I normally get five to eight overs in which I have to score as many runs as likely. You can't do that without taking risks.

"Sometimes it pays off, sometimes not. It can go either way. But I always try to give it my best shot. I won't be making hundreds every day, but if my quick 30s or 40s can make a difference, I will be a happy man," he said.

Figures back Yusuf's claim. In fact, whenever he has got an chance to bat for a longer period, he has made big a score. He hates being labeled as a Twenty20 or one-day player.

"I can play at any place. If the team administration wants me to bat up the order, I am ready for it. Whenever I spent time in the middle, I have made it count. Last year, I scored a match-winning hundred against New Zealand and then scored another hundred next to South Africa. Besides, I have also scored big hundreds in Ranji and Duleep Trophy over the years.

"I take pleasure in batting for long periods. The T20 craze has started only now, but I have been playing first-class cricket for a decade. I would also like to play Test matches. It's unfair to label me as one-day specialist," he said.

Yusuf also disagree that he is a one-dimensional player: "There is more to my batting than just hitting. You can't do well at the international level if you have limited stroke. I can play all-round the wicket. If you analyze my hundreds, you will see I have scored runs on both sides of the wicket. I like to play forcefully and that's the way I have played cricket all my life and I will carry on doing so."

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White cool over Australia training

Australia T20 captain, Cameron White, is undisturbed by his team's rambling preparation for their two matches with South Africa later this month.

With some members of his squad concerned in the Nokia Champions League T20 tournament in India, the entire team will be jointly for just four days before the first match with the Proteas gets under way in Cape Town on October 13.

While yielding the training is far from perfect, White believe the fact that some of his men have been challenging in the heat of the Champions League cauldron will be helpful when the tour kicks off.

"It's almost certainly not ideal, but at the same time those guys that have come in from all parts of the world have in fact been playing some cricket," White said.

"We're coming off a winter back in Australia; some of the other guys that have come from home haven't played much.

"Though you'd like to be together for longer in the lead-up, at least some of the guys have had some Twenty20 cricket and I think that's better training than just nets."

White is expectant a stern test from South Africa in the T20s, in spite of the home side being without some of their biggest names.

"Not only their Twenty20 side, but also their Test match and one-day side - they're a great team and have been for a long time now," had he said.

"I well-known the Proteas are inactive a couple of players and clearly AB de Villiers will be missed, he's an unbelievable player, so there's no doubt that they're a great side and they'll be very tough to beat."

White has faith that his own squad will be up to the job, and is expecting big things from David Warner, who has been at his swaggering best in India.

"Noticeably the standout's almost certainly David Warner," White said. "He's had some good success next to the Proteas before, one memorable game at the MCG a couple of years ago. He's one of many dangerous batsmen that we have."

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