The massive eight-wicket loss in their tournament opener has not been an ideal start for defending champions Mumbai Indians and they would look to make amends when they take on Yorkshire in their crucial Champions League Twenty20 match here on Thursday.

With both Mumbai and Yorkshire suffering defeats in their opening Group B matches, tomorrow’s tie is a must-win game for both the sides to keep their semi-final chances alive.

There may be a striking similarity between the two teams as far loss and position in the points table are concerned, but MI would certainly start as favourites against the English outfit owing to their more experienced batting line-up, which runs quite deep.

In fact, Mumbai batted reasonably well in their opening game against Highveld Lions. It was actually their bowling department that had let the team down with the likes of Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha leaking too many runs.

A good start by Sachin Tendulkar along with either Dwayne Smith or Richard Levi is what Mumbai would be banking on.

Tendulkar though got a start in the last match, scoring 16 off 24 balls, but he could not carry on the momentum. And come tomorrow he will be keen on doing well as his performance will have a bearing on the team’s fortune in the tournament.

For the 39-year-old senior batsman, it will also be a chance to prove his detractors wrong after he was bowled thrice during the Test series against New Zealand at home and also in the previous match against Lions.

Among others Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik are expected to lend solidity to the middle-order, while Kieron Pollard, with his big-hitting prowess, steady seam-up stuff and electric fielding, will be a crowd puller.

MI’s bowling, however, failed to deliver the goods in the last match despite pace duo of Lasith Malinga and Mitchell Johnson turning out to be pretty economical.

To MI’s liking the wicket here may assist bowlers unlike Johannesburg. The conditions here are expected to be more helpful for both the pacers as well as spinners.

Harbhajan did not have a good start to the tournament as he gave away as many as 36 runs from his four overs, taking just one wicket. And the feisty off-spinner would be keen to prove that his fine performance in the recently-concluded ICC World Twenty20 wasn’t a mere flash in the pan.

Against an inexperienced Yorkshire batting line-up, it would be a great opportunity for Harbhajan to strengthen his case before the Test team selection.

Malinga, who has been instrumental in many Mumbai wins over the past few years, will also be eyeing to produce another deadly performance for his side.

On the other hand, Yorkshire, which though managed to impress during their qualifying campaign by winning both the matches to sail into the main draw, came a cropper against Sydney Sixers in their opener.

Yorkshire could post only 96 for nine in 20 overs before Sixers chased down the paltry target with 67 balls to spare.

Yorskshire would be desperately looking towards its openers - Andrew Gale and Phil Jaques - to provide a solid start.

Yorkshire’s middle-order batsmen, especially Joe Root and Gary Ballance have shown glimpses of their potential during the qualifiers and come tomorrow the team would want them to fire in unison against Malinga and Co.

Yorkshire’s bowling attack, spearheaded by veteran Ryan Sidebottom, looked impressive in the qualifiers but they had hardly anything to defend against Sydney the other day.

Teams:

Mumbai Indians: Harbhajan Singh (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Richard Levi, Dwayne Smith, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Thisara Perera, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Johnson, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha, Dhwal Kulkarni, Suryakumar Yadav.

Yorkshire: Andrew Gale (c), Moin Ashraf, Azeem Rafiq, Gary Ballance, Oliver Hannon-Dalby, Dan Hodgson, Phil Jaques, Adam Lyth, David Miller, Steven Patterson, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ryan Sidebottom, Iain Wardlaw, Eddie Wilson.

Match starts at 9 pm (IST).

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Iconic cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar has advocated "systemic changes" in Indian sports so that "12 medals in next Olympics in Rio or 20 in 2020 is not a pipe dream".

Tendulkar, who has expressed a desire to promote sports in educational institutes, said sports in curriculum and history books highlighting the monumental achievements of greats like hockey legend Dhyan Chand will help stir a passion for the games hitherto less developed.

"Organisation of Asian Games in 1951 encouraged by Pandit Nehru is an integral part of Indian national story that should be read by our students. It helped shape Delhi, as did the 1982 Asiad and the 2010 CWG," he has said in his letter to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

Tendulkar's assertion for a change in the system comes from his belief that vision for "sports for all is still in its infancy" in this country.

"...I wish to argue that the time is ripe to build on the success of London to take giant strides in sports and achieve excellence in the not too near future. 12 medals in Rio or 20 in 2020 isn't a pipedream if we appropriate the momentum created and undertake a few fundamental changes," feels Tendulkar.

Outlining his objectives in a three-page letter, he has suggested state-of-the-art finishing schools for specific Olympic disciplines on the lines of National Cricket Academy in Bangalore where the country has shown potential.

For instance, he said, in Haryana the centre of excellence can cater to wrestling and boxing.

"We welcome Sachin Tendulkar's proposals and I have already written to him inviting him for a presentation," Sibal had said.

The cricketer, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, also rooted for a National Institute of Sports Science, saying "India desperately needs" it.

The institute will act as a nodal agency for treating sports-related injuries and ensuring proper rehabilitation facilities for sports icons, besides educating sportspersons about anti-doping regulations, Tendulkar said.

He suggested the setting up of a sports museum to immortalise the achievements of sports-stars.

Stating that the museum could be set up in the capital, preferably at a heritage site, Tendulkar said an advisory body with international experts should be formed for the purpose.

Expressing a keen desire to emulate the US sports system model in India which is reliant on College-University framework producing US Olympians of repute, he said, "my dream is to accomplish the same in India."

He felt mobile phones possessed by most youths today can be used for harnessing sports talent. They could be urged to send SMS or MMS detailing their sports achievement, which experts can examine.

"If the candidate is deemed to have talent, he or she will be called to access the sports facilities created within the academic framework. By making facilities available to them, the talented youngsters, sports, I expect, will get the necessary recognition and become part of India's everyday existence," he said.

Noting that Olympic sports should also dominate India's national imagination, he said the country could well bid for 2024 or 2028 Olympics.

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Johannesburg: Sydney Sixers relied on a superb all-round show from Moises Henriques and a couple of stunning catches as they thumped Chennai Super Kings by 14 runs in their opening Champions League Twenty20 match here on Sunday.

SCORECARD: CHENNAI SUPER KINGS vs SYDNEY SIXERS

Henriques smashed five fours and three sixes towards the close of Sydney Sixers' innings for his 23-ball unbeaten 49 to take his side to 185 for five after being sent into bat in the Group B match. He later took three wickets for 23 in his three overs to play the leading role in his side's victory.

Chasing the big target, Chennai were on course till the 16th over as they needed 50 runs from the last four overs before the Sydney side affected two stunning catches to end their innings at 171 for nine at the New Wanderers Stadium.

Suresh Raina, who top-scored with an impressive 33-ball 57 which included eight fours and two sixes, fell in the 17th over to a stunning catch by Steven Smith who held onto a high ball just inches before the boundary ropes.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was out two balls later as his pull shot was held by Josh Hazlewood who dived forward to take a superb catch.

Chennai had two substantial partnership in their run chase - 61 for the second wicket between Faf du Plessis (43) and Michael Hussey (16) and then the 55-run stand for the fourth wicket between Raina and Subramaniam Badrinath (6).

They began slowly in their run chase and they were dealt with a blow as Murali Vijay was out for just one in the second over as his stump flew cartwheeling while trying to hit a swinging full delivery without moving his feet.

At three for one, Chennai had to settle down for a while but they did not take much time to launch their attack with du Plessis and Hussey finding the boundaries to keep the asking rate under control.

Du Plessis punished Mitchel Starc with a six in the fourth over while Hussey also found a boundary as Chennai took 12 runs from that over.

Du Plessis then smashed three fours off Pat Cummins in the next over which yielded 13 runs before launching Hazlewood for a six and a then a four in the seventh over.

It was an even contest till then, but Chennai lost two quick wickets in successive overs with du Plessis and Hussey departing in quick succession in the eighth and ninth overs respectively.

Du Plessis walked down the wicket to hit a Cummins delivery out of the park only to miscue and land at Mitchell Starc's hands at long-on, thereby ending the second wicket stand of 61 runs from 6.3 overs. Du Plessis hit five fours and two sixes from 25 balls in his 43.

Hussey was out in the last ball of the ninth over as his slog-sweep off Steve O'Keefe landed straight at Michael Lumb's hands.

Chennai were 73 for three at the halfway mark with the asking rate climbing to 11 and a half per over and new man in Raina had to press the accelerator straightaway.

Raina hit a six and four from an over off O'Keefe and Henriques while also smashing two boundaries off Shane Watson.

Raina was so dominant that his partner Badrinath could just contribute six runs in the four-wicket stand of 55 from 5.2 overs before the latter was out.

Chennai needed 61 runs from the last five overs and 50 from the last four but the dismissals of Raina and Dhoni, who scored just eight from as many balls ended their hopes.

Ravindra Jadeja (2) could not do much as he was out in the penultimate over while Ravichandran Ashwin (18) and Yo Mahesh were out in the final over.

Besides Henriques (3/23), Mitchell Starc grabbed three wickets for 31 runs while Watson, Pat Cummins and Steve O'Keefe took a wicket each.

Earlier, Henriques, who came at the 14th over as number six batsman, produced a stunning late onslaught of fours and sixes as Sydney Sixers posted a big total of 185 for five after being sent into bat. His onslaught took the Sixers from 124 for four at the end of 16th over to 185 for five.

He was joined in the exhibition of strokeplay for a brief period by Smith (26 off 17) balls. The duo shared 75 runs for the fifth wicket from just 6.3 overs.

World Twenty20 man-of-the-tournament Watson was instrumental in a solid start for the Sixers with a 30-ball 46 which included five fours and two sixes as he and Michael Lumb (18) were involved in a quick 50-run stand in 6.1 overs for the opening wicket.

But, run rate slowed down once Watson was out in the ninth over and the Sixers were 82 for six at halfway mark. The Sixers were then jolted by a double dismissal - of captain Brad Haddin (20) and Nic Maddinson (12) - in the 14th over before Henriques' stunning show saved them.

The onslaught began in the 17th over with Henriques and Smith hitting a four each off du Plessis as Sixers took 13 runs from that over.

The next over also yielded 13 runs with Henriques clobbering a four and a six off Ravichandran Ashwin. But, the highlight of the innings was in the penultimate over when Doug Bollinger was plundered for 22 runs.

Henriques hit Bollinger for two sixes and a four while Smith also joined in with a boundary.

Smith was out in the last ball of the innings off Hilfenhaus who conceded 13 runs for the wicket in that over.

Off-spinner Aswin was the pick of Chennai Super Kings bowlers with figures of two for 32 while Ravindra Jadeja and Hilfenhaus chipped in with a wicket each.

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c), R Ashwin, Michael Hussey, Doug Bollinger, M Vijay, Faf du Plessis, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nuwan Kulasekara, Albie Morkel, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, S Anirudha, Yo Mahesh, S Badrinath.

Sydney Sixers: Brad Haddin (c), Patrick Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Michael Lumb, Nic Maddinson, Nathan McCullum, Ian Moran, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Ben Rohrer, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Dom Thornely, Shane Watson.

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Hyderabad: Yuvraj Singh made a brilliant comeback into first-class arena as he smashed an unbeaten century for North Zone against Central on the first day of a semifinal match in the Duleep Trophy.

At stumps, North were in commanding position having scored 346 for 4, riding on Yuvraj's superb unbeaten 133 while skipper Shikhar Dhawan also made his presence felt with an innings of 121.

The innings on Sunday will certainly end any doubts whatsoever about Yuvraj's fitness and his ability to withstand the rigours of longer version of the game after recovering from rare germ cell cancer.

He played only 152 deliveries during his knock and hit 20 boundaries and two huge sixes off discarded India veteran Murali Kartik.

Both sixes were sent soaring over deep mid-wicket and the second one saw the talented left-hander reach three-figure mark. This is Yuvraj's 19th first-class century but certainly one he would remember for a long time to come.

There were no demons in the 22-yard strip at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal and Yuvraj didn't for once looked like in any sort of trouble as he kept on punishing the Central bowlers.

Credit should also be given to Dhawan who scored his second Duleep Trophy century of the season. His 200-ball innings contained 14 hits to the fence and, more importantly, added 160 runs with his senior partner for the third wicket in just over 20 overs.

Such was Yuvraj's dominance that he came to bat only in the 53rd over of the innings which was well after lunch but took on the bowlers from the very beginning.

The trio of Praveen Kumar (2-72), Bhuvenshwar Kumar (0-63) and Rituraj Singh (0-67) were treated with equal disdain while Kartik was singled out for special treatment.

36-year-old Railways left-arm spinner Kartik, who is not known to perform well on good batting tracks, was hammered for 92 runs in 19 overs as Yuvraj sent him on a leatherhunt.

The two towering sixes he hit off Kartik were majestic as the veteran bowler looked clueless during Yuvraj-Dhawan partnership.

Yuvraj's innings can give Sandeep Patil and Co another option in the Indian Test team's middle-order. With his handy left-arm spin to complement his elegant batting, the day might not be far when Yuvraj might be seen playing Test matches where he badly wants to make a mark.

At least today's innings was an indicator of what can be expected from this enormously gifted cricketer.

Brief Score: North Zone 346/4 (Yuvraj Singh batting 133, Shikhar Dhawan 121, Praveen Kumar 2-72) vs Central Zone.

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Johannesburg: Defending champions Mumbai Indians started their campaign on a disappointing note, losing to Lions by eight wickets, in their opening match of the Champions League Twenty20 here on Sunday.

SCORECARD: MUMBAI INDIANS VS LIONS

The catalysts for Lions' victory were Neil McKenzie (68 not out off 41 balls) and 19-year-old Quinton de Kock (51 not out off 33) as the duo helped the side chase the target of 158 with seven balls to spare at the New Wanderers Stadium. 

Mumbai posted 157 for six after being invited to bat and then failed to find an answer for McKenzie and de Kock's joint assault that left them bruised and battered.

For the record, Mumbai had lost to Lions in the second edition of the event two years ago.

It could have been anybody's game till Dhawal Kulkarni and Mumbai skipper Harbhajan Singh were taken to the cleaners in the 16th and 17th over.

While Kulkarni conceded 17 runs, Harbhajan was smashed for 16 as Lions inched towords the target.

Kulkarni's three overs went for 37 while Harbhajan gave away 36 in his four. Pragyan Ojha was knocked for 19 in his two.

Lions lost their first wicket when Ambati Rayudu pulled off a blinder at cover, holding on to Alviro Petersen's full-blooded shot off Lasith Malinga.

Bringing himself on in the seventh over, Harbhajan was on the money straightaway as he got Ghulam Bodi to edge one to first slip where Rohit Sharma completed a good catch.

At 37 for two in the seventh over, the prospect looked gloomy for Lions. However, an unbeaten 121-run partnership for the third wicket between de Kock and McKenzie sealed the match in Lions' favour.

While de Kock was the more dominant of the two initially, the experienced Mckenzie, who got off the mark with a reverse- paddle four off Harbhajan, too played his part before launching into a flurry of boundaries.

The 50-partnership between the two was up in six overs and they continued to torment the Mumbai bowlers till the task was achieved.

Earlier, Mumbai relied on useful contributions from their batsmen to reach a total, which did not prove to be enough.

Mitchell Johnson scored 30 while Rohit Sharma and Dwayne Smith fell in the 20s after getting starts. Dinesh Karthik scored a breezy nine-ball 19 towards the end.

Helping the visiting side to a great extent was the 24 extras conceded by Lions.

Mumbai were off to a brisk start as Smith smashed half a dozen fours to put the South Africans under pressure first up.

Chris Morris erred in line and the easy pickings were treated with disdain by Smith. The bowler, however, had the last laugh when he had the West Indian trapped in front of wicket.

After missing out on the strike initially, Tendulkar steered Sohail Tanvir in front of backward point for his first boundary.

Tendulkar found the fence one more time before left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso disturbed his stumps after the batsman tried to make room and launch into a heave.

This was the fourth time in recent months that Tendulkar has been bowled. He got out in similar fashions thrice in the Test series against New Zealand in August-September. The bowlers, though, were pacers on those occasions.

Till the time he was there in the middle, Sharma gave Mumbai solidity, playing some opportunistic shots before Dirk Nannes cleaned him up.

Sharma was severe on Zander de Bruyn who was smashed for a six and two fours, the maximum sailing over point region.

The promotion of Johnson, who is returning from a toe injury, ahead of specialists Ambati Rayudu and Karthik, and the powerful Kieron Pollard, seemed to have boomeranged on Mumbai as they lost momentum halfway into the innings.

Though he top-scored for the visitors, Johnson gobbled up a lot of balls, and it was largely due to Karthik's enterprise towards the end that Mumbai reached a respectable total.

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Johannesburg: After their not so memorable outing in the just-concluded ICC World T20 in Sri Lanka, it will be a test of character for the Indian boys in the Champions League Twenty20 which enters the business stage on Saturday.

There are four Indian Premier League teams in the fray in the cash-rich tournament, including defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) and this season's IPL winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The other two IPL sides are Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Daredvils (DD).

But the interesting to watch in the tournament will be the desperation of the Indian cricketers, who will be eager to erase the scars of their Super Eight elimination in the Twenty20 World Cup.

While KKR and DD have been placed in Group A, the other two IPL teams -- MI and Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led CSK -- are in group B, raising the hopes of an all India clash in the semis, as the top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage.

However, in no sense it would be an easy task for the Indian outfits as they will be up against some of the best T20 outfits of the world.

And with Titans and Highveld Lions, both from South Africa, enjoying home advantage, the task for the Indian units will be even more cut out.

Apart from the two African teams the championship also hosts Australia's Perth Scorchers, which boasts of players like Shaun Marsh and Herschelle Gibbs in their ranks.

The other Aussie side in fray is Sydney Sixers and with the presence of Shane Watson along with young pace sensation Mitchell Starc and skipper Brad Haddin in their line-up, they the Sixers definitely look a side to be watched out for.

The tournament will also witness Auckland Aces and Yorkshire, both of whom made it to the main draw after topping their respective pools in the just concluded qualifiers. The Indian challenge in the tournament will start with a battle between two IPL biggies -- KKR and Daredevils.

While the Gautam Gambhir-led KKR would be out there to prove that their victory in the IPL V was no fluke, Daredevils under new skipper, Mahela Jayawardene, would like to stamp their authority on the tournament in which they have so far remained the underachievers.

The Daredevils boasts of some big names like David Warner and Kevin Pietersen in their ranks, and with Virender Sehwag being declared fit for the tournament, the Delhi side definitely has what it takes to be the champions.

The tournament will also be an opportunity for Sri Lanka's Jayawardene to redeem himself after his side lost in the final of the World T20 Championship to the West Indies earlier this month.

The 35-year-old was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the side after Sehwag opted out of the job to concentrate on his batting.

Jayawardene, however, stepped down as the captain of Sri Lanka's T20 side after losing to the West Indies and it remains to be seen how he handles the new responsibility.

KKR, on the other side, possesses a healthy mix of Indian and foreign players.

Jacques Kallis and Brendon McCullum have been phenomenal for KKR and the team has really done well under Gambhir.

The other Indian franchisees to look out for in the championship are Dhoni-led CSK and Harbhajan Singh-led MI.

Both the teams have tasted success in this championship earlier, with CSK winning the 2010 edition and MI lifting the trophy a year later.

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Having made an indelible mark in the world of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar could now be associated with promotion of sports in schools and higher education by tapping and nurturing the potential for bigger gains in global events like Olympics.

Tendulkar has written to the HRD Ministry, pressing for "systemic changes" and "overhaul" so that "12 medals in Rio (Olympic Games venue in 2016) and or 20 in 2020 isn't a pipedream".

Outlining his objectives in a three-page letter, the 39-year-old batting maestro has said he wants to leave behind "lasting legacies and help convert our cherished land into a hub of sporting excellence".

HRD Ministry has welcomed his offer to associate with enhancing the sports curriculum.

"We welcome Sachin Tendulkar's proposal and I have already written to him inviting him for a presentation," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.

In his letter, Tendulkar said, "For the first time in India's sporting history, the opportunity is ripe for a fundamental overhaul... We now need to give the final push Indian sport has been waiting for."

Referring to India's performance in the London Olympics held three months ago, he said the games "created heroes" who have become household names.

"It is time we stop being cynical and stop parading the cliched line that six medals for a billion people is just not good enough. It is time to celebrate the initiation of sports culture in the country and celebrate the groundwork created at London for a fundamental overhaul of India's sporting structure.

"This is our opportunity to chase our dream of becoming a successful sporting nation. It can well be that the dream turns real in Rio in 2016 and India can yet again double its medal count at the Olympics," he wrote. 

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Retired Australian cricket umpire Darrell Hair has said he's not surprised at some current umpires allegedly being caught taking bribes.

The International Cricket Council has launched an "urgent investigation" into claims by an Indian television station that several umpires were willing to fix matches for money.

In a major sting operation carried out in July, August and September ahead of the recently concluded ICC World Cup T20 tournament, India TV undercover reporters exposed six ICC umpires, belonging to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh, willing to fix matches for money during T20 matches.

The six umpires who were exposed in the sting named "Operation World Cup" are: Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Nadir Shah of Bangaldesh, and Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage of Sri Lanka. The seventh umpire Sharfudoullah Shahid Saikat of Bangladesh refused to give any favour in lieu of money.

"I was wondering how long it would take before some umpire did some stupid things. There have been rumours going around for ages, since the IPL started, that umpires were involved," Hair told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It all comes down to two things: opportunity and greed. If you're the type of person and you're given the opportunity, the greedy part of you will say, 'Yeah, I'm in'."

The ICC said none of the six umpires - three from Sri Lanka, two from Pakistan and one from Bangladesh - officiated in the T20 World Cup.

Hair, an international umpire for 16 years until he resigned in 2008, wasn't shocked by the allegations.

He said: "In my whole career, there had always been word that certain umpires were on the take here or there. But to be fair, all the guys I umpired with at international level I think were pretty much above board.

"But I don't doubt that there have been others around, probably in a lesser environment, trying to make a quick buck. ...People like that have just got no bloody morals or values about the game."

After retiring, Hair was executive officer at the NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association until last year. 

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Sachin Tendulkar is taking his role as MP seriously enough to dash off a letter to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on reviving India's sporting culture. 

Four months into his tenure as MP, Tendulkar has suggested a blueprint to integrate sports into the national educational curriculum rather than being a mere extra-curricular activity.

Sibal said that he has written back to Sachin asking him to visit the Ministry and make a personal presentation.

The Minister also said that he will ask CBSE and NCERT to look into the matter after his meeting with Tendulkar. 

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