Sachin deserving candidate for Bharat Ratna: Dhoni

World Cup winning Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday joined the growing calls to award batting ace Sachin Tendulkar the Bharat Ratna, saying no cricketer deserves it more than him.

"I think he's done really great things for the country, taking cricket to the next level. He's known even in places where they don't know about the game, so I think it's a very big achievement taking the country forward. He's done remarkably," the Chennai Super Kings skipper said at a press meet to kickstart the IPL's fourth season, starting on Friday.

The Dhoni-led CSK, which won the double of the IPL and Champions League title last season, open their season with a home game against a Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders.

"Yes, 200 per cent, because he is an ideal candidate, he has served the country for 21 years with a few more to come. As a cricketer, you know, if he doesn't get it, then I don't think there's anyone who'll get the Bharat Ratna ever," Dhoni said.

Highveld Lions Beat Mumbai Indians in First Airtel Champions League T20 2010

JOHANNESBURG — Mumbai Indians captain and batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and elected to field first against Highveld Lions in the opening match of the Champions League Twenty20 tournament at Wanderers Friday.

Mumbai Lions play the first match of Champions League T20. The game is played at Wanderers in Johannesburg to watch Sachin Tendulkar leading the Mumbai side, and Lions captain Alvira Petersen.

Teams

Highveld Lions (RSA)

A.N. Petersen (capt), J.D. Vandiar, V.B. van Jaarsveld, R. Cameron, N.D. McKenzie, Z. de Bruyn, T.L. Tsolekile (wkt), R. Frylinck, S. Burger, A.M. Phangiso, E. O'Reilly

The Lions have too much experience for them, and cause problems. Limiting Neil McKenzie and Zander de Bruyn, none of the others have much to look as captain is a bit inexperienced.

Mumbai Indians (IND)

S. Tendulkar (capt), S. Dhawan, A.T. Rayudu (wkt), R. Sathish, J.P. Duminy, K.A. Pollard, R. McLaren, Harbhajan Singh, Z. Khan, S.L. Malinga, A.G. Murtaza

Mumbai has a strong bar assembly, which will see Sachin Tendulkar opening the innings and batters are Saurabh Tiwary, Drawyne Bravo, Kieron Pollard down the order. Zaheer Khan seems to have regained the form that made him effective bowler with Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga

Opening the batting for South Africa's Lions, the left-handed Vandiar hit 71 off 48 balls, including three soaring sixes, to give the unfancied home team an opportunity to beat the star-studded Mumbai lineup.

Former South Africa test player Neil McKenzie added 56 for the Lions and shared a 64-run partnership with Vandiar.

Jonathan Vandiar smashed his highest Twenty20 score Friday to lead the Highveld Lions to 186 for five against Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the Champions League tournament at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg

Final Score:

Highveld Lions: 186/5 (20 Overs)

Mumbai Indians: 177/6 (20 Overs)

Result:  Highveld Lions Wins By 9 Runs

Lalit Modi Congrats Sachin Tendulkar And His Team

Lalit Modi Congrats the Little  Master for getting back the ORANGE CAP from Royal Challengers Bangalore's Leading Player J Kallis and also for the being the first team into the semis of IPL 2010 as Sachin Tendulkar is leading the Team Mumbai Indians.

"  The master has shown his class... congrats Sachin on winning the orange cap back & also for being the 1st team into the IPL semis 2010  "

Sachin Tendulkar's 200 breaks ODI Record

India's Sachin Tendulkar has scored the first ever double-century in one-day international cricket, reaching the landmark against South Africa.

Mr. Tendulkar's 200 not out on Wednesday beat the previous highest score of 194, made by Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry against Bangladesh in Bulawayo last August and Saeed Anwar of Pakistan against India at Chennai in May 1997.

Sachin - A Legend Through the Years

Take a look at some big events from Sachin's 20-year cricket career

Mr. Tendulkar's previous best was 186 not out against New Zealand at Hyderabad in November 1999.

Highest individual batting scores in one-day international cricket (x-denotes not out):

200-x Sachin Tendulkar, India vs. South Africa, Gwalior, February 2010

194-x Charles Coventry, Zimbabwe vs. Bangladesh, Bulawayo, August 2009

194 Saeed Anwar, Pakistan vs. India, Chennai, May 1997

189-x Viv Richards, West Indies vs. England, Manchester, May 1984

189 Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka vs. India, Sharjah, October 2000

188-x Gary Kirsten, South Africa vs. United Arab Emirates, Rawalpindi, February 1996

186-x Sachin Tendulkar, India vs. New Zealand, Hyderabad, November 1999

183-x Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India vs. Sri Lanka, Jaipur, October 2005

183 Sourav Ganguly, India vs. Sri Lanka, Taunton, May 1999

181-x Matthew Hayden, Australia vs. New Zealand, Hamilton, February 2007

181 Viv Richards, West Indies vs. Sri Lanka, Karachi, October 1987