Tendulkar gets win as birthday gift

Mumbai Indians gifted birthday boy and skipper Sachin Tendulkar a 37-run victory in an Indian Premier League match against Deccan Chargers on Sunday. Middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were the stars of Mumbai’s fifth win in six matches of the Twenty20 tournament.

Sharma smashed three sixes and five fours in his 34-ball 56 not out and Malinga took 3-9 off four tight overs as Mumbai restricted Deccan to 135-8 after scoring 172-4 in Hyderabad.

Skipper Kumar Sangakkara top-scored with 34 for Deccan, who suffered their fourth defeat in six matches. The Sri Lankan had been batting well before being bowled by compatriot Malinga.

Amit Mishra (25 not out) and opener Shikhar Dhawan (25) were the other main scorers for Deccan. Mumbai were earlier tottering at 70-4 before Sharma led the recovery with a 102-run stand off just 65 balls for the unfinished fifth wicket with Australian Andrew Symonds, who scored an unbeaten 44 off 33 balls. Sharma’s three sixes came in the last over, bowled by Australian seamer Daniel Christian, as Mumbai plundered 40 runs in the last two overs. Symonds hit one six and four boundaries in his 33-ball innings.

Mumbai were comfortably placed at 70-1 following brisk knocks from openers Davy Jacobs (32) and Tendulkar (28) before losing three wickets at the same score, with leg-spinner Amit Mishra taking two wickets in one over. Tendulkar, who turned 38 on Sunday, cracked four boundaries in his 24-ball knock before being caught at long-on by South African Dale Steyn while attempting a big shot off Mishra.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 172-4 in 20 overs (R. Sharma 56 not out, A. Symonds 44 not out, D. Jacobs 32, S. Tendulkar 28; A. Mishra 2-14) beat Deccan Chargers 135-8 in 20 overs (Kumar Sangakkara 34, A. Mishra 25 not out, S. Dhawan 25, D. Christian 21; L. Malinga 3-9) by 37 runs.

Hyderabad, India, Sunday (AFP)