CLT20: Mumbai Indians look to salvage pride against Sydney Sixers

Their title defence having ended early with a whimper, Mumbai Indians would look to salvage some of their battered reputation with at least a win when they take on Sydney Sixers in an inconsequential Group B match of the Champions League Twenty20.

Mumbai Indians came into the tournament as one of the favourites with a star-studded squad but they have failed to live up to their reputation, losing two matches and one game being abandoned due to rain.

Group toppers Sydney Sixers, along with Highveld Lions, have cashed in onto the disappointing show by Mumbai and the other IPL team in the group, Chennai Super Kings to qualify for the semifinals with three wins on the trot.

Mumbai Indians lost their opening match to Highveld Lions by eight wickets before their next tie against Yorkshire was washed out. They once again failed to re-group and went down to Chennai Super Kings by a narrow six-run margin last night.

The Harbhajan Singh-led side would look to end the tournament on a high but with the form their tomorrow's opponents are in, it won't be easy for them to do that and they will have to play out of their skins.

Mumbai have performed reasonably well with the bat, having posted almost identical scores (157 and 156) in the first two matches against Lions and Yorkshire respectively before scoring 167 for seven while chasing 174 against Chennai Super Kings.

While West Indian Dwayne Bravo has managed to get some runs up the order, Mumbai have been hugely let down by Sachin Tendulkar's lack of form as the veteran batsman could manage only 16, 7 and 2 from the three matches he had played so far.

Mumbai's batting unit revolves around Tendulkar and he will have to come up with a big score tomorrow to help his team put enough runs on board against a strong Australian unit.

... contd.

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