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Mumbai Heroes meet Chennai

Mumbai Heroes go into tonight’s crunch game against the Chennai Rhinos — first ball 7pm — at the Dubai International Stadium (Dubai Sports City complex), in Celebrity Cricket League-3 (CCL-3) T20 powerplay.

Amma Kerala Strikers take on Bengal Tigers in the earlier match at 3pm. The two-month long extravaganza ends on March 10 in Benguluru. Skipper Suniel Shetty who sat out of the previous game against the hosts Telugu Warriors at the Lal Bahadur Shastri stadium in Hyderabad, was cautious yet quite confident of the elusive initial points in the eight-team league format where the top four sides proceed to the semis.

Shetty told Khaleej Times on Friday on the sidelines of the team’s visit to the Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs that he would be trying his best to play despite a strapped left hand. “I can manage most things except maybe bat up the order. We got the rest in fighting fit condition. Let’s see how things go at the nets tonight (Friday).

“Like I said at the beginning of the tournament, Mumbai Heroes are full time movie and television industry hands who happen to play good cricket. We go out there, play seriously 100 per cent and have fun all along. Without enjoying doing what you do makes it dreary. There are enough movie veterans and youngsters who play good cricket throughout India.”

Mumbai vice-captain Aftab Shivdasani who led the side in Hyderabad said: “No injuries and major physical fitness problems. We have to get those points to remain alive in the tough pool phase. Many expect us to progress further after our good show in CCL-2.”

Venkatesh led Telugu Warriors have set the pace in the qualifying pool phase with two wins (4pts) from their opening rounds for a netRR of 2.343 followed by surprise package debutants Bhojpuri Dabanggs’ 4pts/0.563netRR.

Karnataka Bulldozers have 2/1.229; Veer Marathi, the second debutants sit on 2/0.227; Amma Kerala Strikers 2/–0.133; champions Chennai Rhinos 2/–0.311; while Mumbai Heroes and Bengal Tigers are yet to open their account with 0/–0.626 and 0/–2.855 records. Mumbai Heroes, supported by Salman Khan, were a trifle unlucky when they lost the inaugural CCL-3 thriller at the Kochi home venue of the Mohanlal led Kerala where over 70,000 fans witnessed the game that was decided in the last over.

Some years back Vishnu Induri, the man who floated the concept of franchises for a cricketers’ league must have found many who were sceptical but today the event is an institution by itself where tinsel town glamour blends so well with the national passion called cricket.

It’s mandatory that CCL players are non-professionals from India, and where the teams present their regional film industry. The popularity of the league is mainly due to the large screen presence of the celebrities and the kind of influence they have on the millions of hero worshipping and adoring fans. Another factor is the TV viewership of CCL matches. For CCL-3 the Star Network and a host of other Indian TV channels and radio stations broadcast the matches live, Asianet being one of the prominent entities here.

Chennai Rhinos, the champions for the past two seasons are still the favourites. Telugu Warriors and Karnataka Bulldozers, two-times runners-up are also the strong contestants and Mumbai Heroes can still cause a flutter or two, at least in their remaining quota of matches.

However, one must watch out for the superbly fit Bhojpuri Dabanggs of central and east India fame.

Led by the dashing allrounder and evergreen hero Manoj Tiwari, they are riding with a type of confidence and skills that will be a threat to the more established ‘biggies’ of Indian cine world cricket.

moni@khaleejtimes.com