Tendulkar's maiden T20 century puts Mumbai Indians on top

S S Ramaswamy, Mumbai, Apr 15 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar smashed his maiden
twenty20 century, a brilliant unbeaten 100 in 66 balls, to
pilot Mumbai Indians to an imposing 182 for two against Kochi
Tuskers Kerala in the Indian Premier League here on Friday.
Tendulkar, who carried on his superb form in the World
Cup into the T20 League, slammed three sixes and eight fours,
and put on a stand of 116 runs in just over ten overs with
Ambati Rayudu, who played a blinder of an innings while making
53 in 33 balls with four sixes and three fours.
The duo, who had stitched a match-winning partnership in
the previous game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, were in
absolute command during their rip-roaring second wicket stand
after the home team was asked to bat first on a wicket that
had bounce and seam movement initially.
The second wicket pair joined forces after Tendulkar and
Davy Jacobs (12) put on 61 for the first wicket, and were not
separated till Rayudu was run out in the last over.
Tendulkar went on to complete his first-ever hundred in
the T20 league with a four, a six and a single off Vinay
Kumar's final ball who gave away a whopping 48 runs in his
four overs.
Tendulkar started the Mumbai innings, with a brilliant
straight-driven four when Rudra Pratap Singh over-pitched. The
champion batsman then slashed Vinay Kumar for another four in
the second over, Raiphi Gomez mis-fielding at third man.
Tendulkar struck two consecutive fours off Vinay in the
fourth over to up the run-rate. He was later troubled by Vinay
and escaped two close leg before calls off the Karnataka
bowler.
The aggressive intent of Tendulkar, who was also lucky to
see his edged shot off Tissera Perera eluding the leaping
wicket keeper Parthiv Patel, was in sharp contrast to his
opening partner Davy Jacobs who could not time the ball at
all.
Tendulkar's positive play helped MI amass 44 without loss
at the end of the 6-over Power Play and his contribution was
31 off 32 balls.
Jacobs finally hit a boundary off the first ball of the
ninth over from Gomez, a pull shot on bent knees, before the
Kerala Ranji bowler deceived him with a slower ball and clean
bowled the South African batsman.
Rayudu, who came into the match on the back of a
brilliant unbeaten half century against Royal Challengers
Bangalore, slammed the innocuous looking Gomez for sixes off
consecutive balls, depositing the ball into the stands, over
mid on and extra cover.
Then Tendulkar paddle swept the bowler for another
boundary to raise the scoring rate.
Eighteen runs were taken off the medium pacer in the 11th
over as MI jumped to 89 for one and Gomez's figures were an
unimposing 3-0-29-1. When Perera replaced the expensive Gomez, Rayudu sent him
soaring over the straight field for his third six. Rayudu
carted left arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja for two fours to the
straight field by coming out disdainfully and smacking the
ball before Tendulkar followed suit in similar style. The 14th
over cost 14 runs.
The duo raised the half century stand in 34 balls and
when off spinner Ramesh Powar, who is at home in this Stadium
being a part of the Mumbai Ranji team, came on to bowl his
first over, he was greeted with a lofted boundary to
mid-wicket by Rayudu.
Then the talented Hyderabad youngster hoisted the bowler
over square leg for his fourth six as MI total surged to 125
for one.
Tendulkar struck his first six of the innings with a
swivel to swing Vinay Kumar over long leg when the bowler
injudiciously tried a bouncer.
The bowler was carted over long on by the batting maestro
from wide outside the off stump in the same over for a second
six, before Tendulkar struck him for a four to long on off the
last ball as the 16th over bleded 20 runs.
Tendulkar who batted with absolute freedom later hit
Gomez for a four and a six in the penultimate over to become
the leading scorer in the tournament, overtaking Jacques
Kallis of Kolkata Knight Riders.
All the Kochi bowlers, barring R P Singh who caught the
eye with figures of 4-0-15-0, proved expensive.