07 May,2011 06:24 AM IST | | Harit N Joshi
That's what the Mumbai vs Delhi match is expected to be, thanks to a battle within the battle Tendulkar vs Sehwag
Virenderu00a0Sehwag has often hailed Sachin Tendulkar as the reason behind his cricketing pursuit. Both have heaped praise on each other as India teammates, but today they will keep their friendship aside and cross swords against each other when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at Wankhede Stadium.
Sachin Tendulkar plays around with Mumbai Indians coach Robin
Singh's son Dhananjay while Harbhajan watches at Wankhede
Stadium yesterday. Pic/Suresh KK
There is a battle within the battle going on between the two cricketers. Tendulkar triumphed in the Mumbai Indians' first match of the season at the Feroz Shah Kotla, getting Sehwag run out for 19 runs. Mumbai Indians won convincingly by eight wickets. But in the last few weeks, Sehwag seems to have regained his lost touch. His blitzkrieg 56-ball 119-run knock against Deccan Chargers on Thursday was proof enough.
Virender Sehwag
Sehwag's pyrotechnics also earned him the Orange Cap, boosting his aggregate to an impressive 422. But Tendulkar (351 runs) would be eager to snatch it back from Sehwag when the game gets underway at the Wankhede.
The battle between the two great batsmen will provideu00a0 a fascinating sub-plot to the big clash today. Mumbai camp is well aware of the importance of dismissing Sehwag early.u00a0 "Everyone knows his (Sehwag) wicket will be very crucial. It will be important to get him out early. We hope to keep him quiet at least," said in-form batsman Ambati Rayudu yesterday.
Sehwag remains central to Delhi's slim hopes of earning one of the four berths for the play-offs.u00a0 Rayudu, however, chose not to reveal much about MI's plan to tackle Sehwag. "It's for the coaching staff to make plans (against him)," he said. Rayudu said they did not focus too much on Sehwag's last knock of 119 runs. "We are focusing on what we want to do.
We are not looking at the opposition too much. We are sticking to the basics and our game plan," he added.u00a0 Delhi and Mumbai are faced with varied tasks going into the match, though. Delhi need a victory to stay in the reckoning while one more win will more or less ensure Mumbai's berth in the play-offs.
IPLu00a0Head-to-Head:u00a0 Mumbai 4, Delhi 3
May 4, 2008: Mumbai won by
29 runs.
May 24, 2008: Delhi won by
five wickets.
May 8, 2009: Delhi won by
seven wickets.
May 21, 2009: Delhi won by
four wickets.
Mar 17, 2010: Mumbai won by
98 runs.
Apr 13, 2010: Mumbai won by
39 runs.
April 10, 2011: Mumbai won by eight wickets.
Their Run of scores...
Here is Sachin Tendulkar's run sequence in IPL IV:
lMatch 1 vs Delhi Daredevilsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 46 not out (in 50 balls )
lMatch 2 vs Royal Challengers Bangaloreu00a0 55 not out (46)
lMatch 3u00a0 vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala 100 not out (66)
lMatch 4 vs Pune Warriorsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 35 (39)
lMatch 5 vs Chennai Super Kings 5 (8)
lMatch 6 vs Deccan Chargersu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 28 (24)
lMatch 7 vs Rajasthan Royalsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 7 (7)
lMatch 8 vs Kings XI Punjabu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 51 (45)
lMatch 9 vs Pune Warriorsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 24 (24)
Total: 351 runs in nine matches. Average: 58.50
Here is Virender Sehwag's run sequence in IPL IV:u00a0
lMatch 1 vs Mumbai Indiansu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 19 (in 16 balls)
lMatch 2 vs Rajasthan Royalsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 4 (2)
lMatch 3 vs Pune Warriorsu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 37(23)
lMatch 4 vs Deccan Chargersu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 12(7)
lMatch 5 vs Kings XI Punjabu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 77(35)
lMatch 6 vs Royal Challengers Bangalore 25(18)
lMatch 7 vs Kolkata Knight Riders 34(23)
lMatch 8 vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala 80(47)
lMatch 9 vs Kochi Tuskers Kerala 15(9)
Match 10 vs Deccan Chargersu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 119(56)
Total: 422 runs in 10 matches. Average: 42.20
