April 28, 2008 Beleagured Mumbai Indians Hope For First Win
Kolkata, April 28: After a nightmarish start to their Indian Premier League campaign, Mumbai Indians have an uphill climb with injured skipper Sachin Tendulkar still doubtful for the game against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.
The Mumbai franchise, the most expensive in the eight-team league, is in dire straits after losing the four matches they have played so far. The only team yet to open their points kitty, the Reliance Industries-owned side brings up the rear of the table.
Their stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh slapping S Sreesanth after going down to the latter's Kings XI Punjab has given the side additional negative publicity, and the visitors badly need a win to leave behind the unsavoury episode.
While the subsequent 11-match ban on Harbhajan has taken the sting out of their spin bowling arsenal, the unavailability of icon Tendulkar is posing a lot of problems in the batting department.
None of the willowers have cracked a half-century, and the form of Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya and fellow opener Luke Ronchi is a major cause for concern, though young gun Robin Uthappa and Mumbai left-hander Abhishek Nayar have played a couple of decent knocks.
April 28, 2008
