Sachin in Facebook

Fans can interact with Tendulkar on Facebook

 Mumbai, Mar 16: The countdown for the fifth edition ofIndian Premier League has already started and teams have started promoting the teams as they introduce new strategies in order to comes to reaching the die-hard fans. Mumbai Indians franchise has taken an initiative to involve its key players and share official information with their fans using Facebook, one of the leading social networking sites.

The franchise has announced that they will reach the fans, by sharing personalised videos on their fan page of Mumbai Indians on the social networking site Facebook.

This campaign will ensure the fans keep in touch with their favourite players and update themselves with authentic information from the cricketers. It also helps fans to know more about their favourite cricketers while it allows them to chat with the key players as well.

Interstingly, Sachin Tendulkar, Ambati Rayudu, LasithMalinga and others will be a part of this campaign as they are planning to share their experience with fans, playing for Mumbai Indians.

This indeed will be a hit amongst the fans and a memorable too as they get to interact with their favourite cricketers and the franchise needs to be appreciated for taking such an initiative in order to connect with the fans.

Richard Levi to sign Mumbai Indians

Richard Levi wants to master Indian conditions

 

 A

When Richard Levi's name was called out at the IPL auction in February, there was silence. Despite a base price of just $50,000, there were no takers for the 24-year-old South African. But all that changed a little over two weeks later, after Levi bludgeoned his way into the record books for South Africa against New Zealand in Hamilton. He hit 13 sixes - the most ever in a Twenty20 innings - on his way to a hundred from 45 balls, also a record for men's cricket. He would finish with an unbeaten 117 from 51 balls in just his second international innings. It was an assault so brutal that South Africa's run-rate rarely dropped below 10 after the first over.

Levi said he wasn't disappointed at not being picked in the auction because he only had "one or two good seasons of Twenty20". In fact, he was surprised he made it to the final auction list at all. Following his assault on the hapless New Zealand bowlers though, it was no surprise that he became a hot commodity, with Mumbai Indians and Pune Warriors, the two teams with vacant spots in their squad, chasing his signature. In the end, he opted for Mumbai Indiansand the chance to open the batting with Sachin Tendulkar.

"I think it is going to be amazing," Levi told ESPNcricinfo. "They [the crowd] won't be cheering for me, they will be cheering for their 'little master', but I think it's going to be amazing ... I think the first time I do it, it could be a bit of a shock. I might have big eyes and that sort of stuff but it is going to be amazing to walk out and see a crowd that passionate and wanting you to do well."

Mumbai Indians have struggled to find an opening partner for Tendulkar in the IPL, with a number of contenders being rotated in and out of the side over the past four years. The potential impact of a destructive opener was plain to see in 2011, when Chris Gayle almost single-handedly turned Royal Challengers Bangalore's season around and marched them into the finals. It was one of Gayle's specials in the second play-off game that knocked Mumbai out of the tournament as well.

Levi's hundred drew comparisons to Gayle and he is confident he can be the attacking opener his team needs. The key, he said, will be how fast he can adapt to playing in Indian conditions, though he already has an edge in that regard, having played in last year's Champions League Twenty20 with the Cape Cobras. That event taught Levi to be more patient on wickets that are slower than the ones in South Africa and where the ball doesn't bounce as much. Leaning how to train in hot conditions and managing his body for the rigours of the seven-week tournament will also be crucial to his chances of succeeding in the IPL.

"I spoke to a couple of guys [in the South African team] and they said if you can master [Indian] conditions, you can play anywhere in the world."

Levi has always had the ability to hit the ball a long way and said none of his coaches through the years have ever tried to change the way he played. "In the longer format of the game you are told 'don't be stupid' and that sort of stuff," he said. "In Twenty20 and the one-day game, you can get away with it. But in general, it has just been you have got to where you are playing the way you have. You need to refine it, but don't lose it."

He credits his Cobras coach Richard Pybus in particular with helping him develop a clearer understanding of his strengths and weakness, while his Cobras team-mate Owais Shah has been another positive influence on his development as batsman. As a result, Levi went from averaging below 30 in the 2009-10 season in first-class cricket to over 50 in 2010-11. His List A average in 2011-12 was 49.44.

"You are not going to score a 100 over 40 balls very time in T20 cricket," Levi said. "The trick is to keep everything as simple as possible and play to your strengths and just watch the ball."

Anybody who watched Levi that day in Hamilton would have left with indelible memories of an astonishing innings. Yet the man himself remembers little from the innings that put him on the international map and led to high-profile IPL contract. There are memories of his captain, AB de Villiers, standing at the other end and clapping and he remembers getting to personal milestones, but not much else.

"I watched the highlights once or twice and I still don't believe some of the shots I played," Levi said. "They were a bit messy and a bit freakish at times. Luckily, they came off on that day and I kept going and the ball kept landing over the ropes."

If he can keep sending the ball over the ropes in the IPL, Mumbai Indians aren't going to mind if he can't remember doing so.

Mumbai Indians Match Schedule for IPL 5

Wed Apr 4         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local	1st match - Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai
Fri Apr 6         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local	3rd match - Mumbai Indians vs Pune Warriors Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Mon Apr 9         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local	9th match - Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
Wed Apr 11         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local	12th match - Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Mon Apr 16         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local

20th match - Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Sun Apr 22         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local

29th match - Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Wed Apr 25         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local

34th match - Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh

Sun Apr 29         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local

41st match - Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Thu May 3         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local

46th match - Pune Warriors vs Mumbai Indians Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune

Sun May 6         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local

50th match - Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Wed May 9         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local

55th match - Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Mon May 14         10:30 GMT | 16:00 local

62nd match - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Wed May 16         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local

65th match - Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Sun May 20         14:30 GMT | 20:00 local

72nd match - Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur

IPL 5 match Schedules

Previous Winners:::

1st  IPL ( 2008 ) – Rajasthan Royals ( RR vs CSK )

2nd IPL ( 2009 ) – Deccan Chargers ( DC vs RC )

3rd IPL ( 2010 ) – Chennai Super Kings ( CSK vs MI )

4th IPL ( 2011 ) – Chennai Super Kings ( CSK vs RCB )

5th IPL ( 2012 ) –  ???

Revised IPL 2012 Schedule

Match	Date	Time (IST)	Teams	Venue
1	April 4	8 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians	M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
2	April 5	8 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
3	April 6	4 PM	Mumbai Indians v Pune Warriors	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
4	April 6	8 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
5	April 7	4 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
6	April 7	8 PM	Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings	Y.S.R Cricket stadium, Visakhapatnam
7	April 8	4 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders	Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jaipur
8	April 8	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Kings XI Punjab	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
9	April 9	8 PM	Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians	Y.S.R Cricket stadium, Visakhapatnam
10	April 10	4 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
11	April 10	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
12	April 11	8 PM	Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
13	April 12	4 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore	M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
14	April 12	8 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Pune Warriors	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
15	April 13	8 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
16	April 14	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Chennai Super Kings	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
17	April 15	4 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
18	April 15	8 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
19	April 16	8 PM	Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
20	April 17	4 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Deccan Chargers	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
21	April 17	8 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune Warriors	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
22	April 18	8 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
23	April 19	4 PM	Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
24	April 19	8 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Pune Warriors	M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
25	April 20	8 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
26	April 21	4 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals	M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
27	April 21	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Pune Warriors	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
28	April 22	4 PM	Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
29	April 22	8 PM	Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders	Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
30	April 23	8 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
31	April 24	4 PM	Pune Warriors v Delhi Daredevils	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
32	April 24	8 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
33	April 25	4 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
34	April 25	8 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
35	April 26	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Deccan Chargers	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
36	April 27	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
37	April 28	4 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
38	April 28	8 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
39	April 29	4 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
40	April 29	8 PM	Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
41	April 30	8 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
42	May 1	4 PM	Deccan Chargers v Pune Warriors	Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
43	May 1	8 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
44	May 2	8 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kings XI Punjab	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
45	May 3	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Mumbai Indians	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
46	May 4	8 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
47	May 5	4 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Pune Warriors	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
48	May 5	8 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
49	May 6	4 PM	Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
50	May 6	8 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Deccan Chargers	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
51	May 7	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
52	May 8	4 PM	Pune Warriors v Rajasthan Royals	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
53	May 8	8 PM	Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab	Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
54	May 9	8 PM	Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
55	May 10	4 PM	Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils	Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,Uppal,Hyderabad
56	May 10	8 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
57	May 11	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
58	May 12	4 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
59	May 12	8 PM	Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils	MA Chidambaram Stadium,  Chennai
60	May 13	4 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Pune Warriors	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
61	May 13	8 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Deccan Chargers	Punjab Cricket stadium,Chandigarh
62	May 14	4 PM	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
63	May 14	8 PM	Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
64	May 15	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
65	May 16	8 PM	Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
66	May 17	4 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings	Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium, Dharamsala
67	May 17	8 PM	Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
68	May 18	8 PM	Deccan Chargers v Rajasthan Royals	Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,Uppal,Hyderabad
69	May 19	4 PM	Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils	Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium, Dharamsala
70	May 19	8 PM	Pune Warriors v Kolkata Knight Riders	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
71	May 20	4 PM	Deccan Chargers v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Rajiv Gandhi Stadium,Uppal,Hyderabad
72	May 20	8 PM	Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
73	May 22	8 PM	Qualifier 1 – TBC v TBC (1st v 2nd)	Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium, Pune
74	May 23	8 PM	Eliminator – TBC v TBC (3rd v 4th)	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
75	May 25	8 PM	Qualifier 2 – TBC v TBC (Winner Eliminator v Loser Qualifier 1)	MA Chidambaram Stadium,  Chennai
76	May 27	8 PM	Final – TBC v TBC	MA Chidambaram Stadium,  Chennai