Mumbai Indians defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 25th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday (April 18). It was a near perfect performance from the five-time champions as they completed a hattrick of victories after starting the season with two consecutive losses. Among many positives, Sachin Tendulkar's son Arjun keeping his composure in the final over while defending 20 runs was the talk of the town. Moreover, he also earned the first wicket of his IPL career in the final over dismissing Bhuvneshwar Kumar off the penultimate delivery.
Interestingly, at the same venue, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 14 years ago in January 2009, had become the first and only bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in the history of Ranji Trophy. Bhuvi played for UP in domestic cricket while Sachin belonged to Mumbai's star studded team. Tendulkar had registered a 15-ball duck then as an 18-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar swung the ball in sharply to take an inside edge of the bat, rapped on the pad and balloon in the air. The fielder at short mid-wicket, Shivkant Shukla, had dived to his left to complete a good catch.
It was the final of the Ranji Trophy played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. At the same venue, after 14 years, 3 months and 6 days, Arjun Tendulkar picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar as his first IPL wicket. It can kind of be said that he avenged for his father's dismissal from the bowler in Ranji Trophy. Arjun was also delighted after putting in a decent performance for MI.
"Obviously it was great getting my first IPL wicket. I just had to focus on what was in hand, the plan and executing it. Our plan was just to bowl wide and get the long boundary into play, make the batsman hit it to the longer side. I love bowling, I am happy to bowl anytime the captain asks me to and just stick to the team plan and give my best. We (Sachin Tendulkar and him) talk about cricket, we discuss tactics before the game and he tells me to back what I practise every game. I just focused on my release, bowling good lengths and lines upfront. If it swings, it's a bonus, if it doesn't, so be it," he said after the match.
