57 sportsfriday, may 9, 2014, mumbai, web www.mid-day.com, twitter @mid_day

Maxwell is more destructive than me and Gayle: Sehwag

RCB need a blast! One of our top six batsmen needs to score big if we have to beat KXIP, says Albie Morkel

CUTTACK: Arguablythe most dangerousopening batsman everto play for India,Virender Sehwag hasno qualms in statingthat his Kings XIPunjab teammateGlenn Maxwell, whohas been tormentingbowlers in the ongoingIPL-7, is more destructive thanhim and even Chris Gayle.

Maxwell, who scored 38-ball 90 in Kings XI Punjab’swin over Chennai Super Kingson Wednesday has proved tobe the most feared batsman inthis edition of the IndianPremier League and has

already notched upthree 90-plus scoresin the tournament.Asked if theAustralian’s top-notchbatting reminds himof his heydays, Sehwagresponded in negative.“No, no. I was not thatdestructive. I was abit, but not that

much,” Sehwag was quoted assaying by iplt20.com.

Talking about what he likesthe most about Maxwell’s bat-ting, Sehwag said, “I don’tthink he is worried about hisgame; he’s more worried aboutgolf and practises more golfthan cricket. He just goes out

there in the middle, gives his100 percent out there andcomes back happily with what-ever he gets.” When asked whois more destructive when onsong – Maxwell or Gayle, theDelhi-based player replied, “Ithink Maxwell. He and Miller.If the two of them get going, itbecomes very difficult for thebowling side because if onemisses a ball, the other makesup for it with a six.”

‘I will score big’Sehwag, who scored 23-ball 30against CSK said the best is toyet to come from his blade.“Not yet. The best is yet tocome. I am striking the ball

well and would like to continueto contribute to the team. Ihave been scoring 20s and 30s,but now it is time to score likethe way Maxwell has beendoing. Hopefully, in the com-ing games I will score big,” hesaid. “Today, I was a bitunlucky; I got an edge and itwent on to hit the wicket. Inthe coming games, I will try tobe a little more careful and notdo anything rash after getting astart and concentrate a bitmore,” he added.

Virender Sehwag

RIGHT: Glenn Maxwell en routehis 38-ball 90 against CSK onWednesday. PIC/PTI

NEW DELHI: RCA deputypresident Mehmood Abdihas accused the BCCI ofacting in the most unfairmanner to satisfy the“vengeance, hate andprejudicial grudge” carriedby N Srinivasan againstLalit Modi. “The action ofthe BCCI speaks volumesabout its sheer arroganceand utter disregard for thelaw of the land and publicsentiment, as it hasdemonstrated with the banon the RCA in a most unfairand undemocratic manner,”he said in a statement.

Abdi: BCCI actingon Srini’s behest

‘Playing Test afterIPL won’t be easy’

INDIA willembark on aredemptiontour to Englandjust after theongoing IPLand Cheteshwar

Pujara, who is expected tobe the team’s battingmainstay, feels it will be atall ask for the visitors’ toswitch to Test cricket modefrom T20 format. “It won’tbe easy at all,” Pujara toldPTI. “But the good thing isthat we have two practicegames before the five Tests,”he added.

Pujara

■ RCB have six points incontrast to KXIP’s 12after seven games

■ A blessing in disguiseto play three matches athome, says Morkel

■ Thundershowers areexpected in B’lore today

BANGALORE: RoyalChallengers Bangalore all-rounder Albie Morkel has saidthat at least one of their top sixbatsmen would need to score abig one in today’s IPL match ifthey are keen to get the betterof indomitable Kings XIPunjab. “Most of our batsmengot good starts. But we didn’tconvert. The best innings wasof AB (de Villiers) who hit 89.And if you want to win T20games, out of top 5-6 batsmen,one has to go out and score abig one. 30s and 40s can winyou games on occasions. Fromour batting point of view, weare aiming that somebodyshould score a big one,” Morkeltold reporters on the eve of thematch.

‘It’s gonna be tough’At precisely half-way stage oftheir 14-match league cam-paign, RCB have just six pointsfrom three wins in contrast toPunjab’s 12 after seven games.

RCB would try to takeadvantage of the home condi-tions and win threeconsecutive matches inBangalore. “It is a blessing indisguise to play three matches(in Bangalore). If you want to

qualify, you have to win homematches. We will go out and tryto win all three. We are proudof our record here,” saidMorkel. “It’s going to be toughagainst Punjab. They have afew dangerous batsmen. Butwe are taking things game bygame. We haven’t yet peaked,”he added.

Meanwhile, the city hasbeen experiencing intermittentshowers that have providedrelief from the sweltering heatin the past few days and thundershowers are forecastfor today. — Agencies

Last match key moments (28-4-2014)❚ Chris Gayle, who was playing his first game of the seasonafter missing the first four scored 20 off the first over but fellin the next over while attempting to give the same treatmentto Sandeep Sharma. That started a slide Royal Challengersnever recovered from

❚ With a flurry of wickets around him, much was expectedfrom Yuvraj Singh, but he pulled a short ball straight to DavidMiller at deep midwicket. Royal Challengers failed to score aboundary off the last seven overs

❚ Chasing 127, KXIP had their moments of anxiety at 88-5,but the pair of Rishi Dhawan and George Bailey battedsensibly and completed the chase with seven balls to spare

IPL ON TVRoyal ChallengersBangalore vs KXIP, Liveon Sony Max, Sony Six& Sony Six HD, 20:00

BANGALORE VS PUNJAB PLAYED 13

RCB WON 5

KXIP WON 8

IPL head-to-head

Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Chris Gayle looks dejected after his dismissal against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday. PIC/PTI

rcb vs kxip

Albie Morkel

MI-KKR tie to moveout of Kolkata

DEBASISH DATTAsports@mid-day.com

KOLKATA: Kolkata KnightRiders have not yet played agame at their home venueEden Gardens. They werescheduled to take onMumbai Indians here onMay 14, but that game willbe moved to another stadi-um due to the lack ofsecurity cover.

The Kolkata police forceis occupied with the ongoinggeneral elections at themoment. In all probabilitythe match will be held inCuttack. Cricket Associationof Bengal secretary SubirGanguly and treasurerBiswarup Dey along withKKR representativeAbhijeet Singh attended ameeting at the police head-quarters in Lal Bazar andarrived at the decision ofmoving the game out of Eden.

smartstat 3

The number of wickets Kings XI Punjabseamer Sandeep Sharma has taken vsRCB in IPL-7 dismissing Chris Gayle,Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli