Mumbai, Haryana players arrive in Rohtak for Sachin Tendulkar`s final Ranji match

Rohtak: Players of both Mumbai and Haryana teams have arrived here for Sunday`s Ranji Trophy match, which is attracting a lot of attention as it will be champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar`s final game for his state side in the country`s premier domestic tournament.

"Both teams have arrived today," a Haryana Cricket Association (HCA) official said. The teams will have their first practice session tomorrow morning. The match will start on Sunday and conclude on October 30, provided the match lasts full four days. The match at the Chaudhury Bansi Lal Stadium will be Tendulkar`s last in Ranji, before he hangs up his boots altogether in international cricket after playing in his landmark 200th Test against the West Indies from November 14-18 in Mumbai. The otherwise sleepy town village has been sent into a state of frenzy ever since it was announced that Tendulkar would be playing here to warm up for the two-Test series against the West Indies. Excited at the prospect of watching Tendulkar bat from close quarters, there has been a mad scramble for tickets among locals here who have rarely witnessed top-flight domestic cricket. Enthusiastic fans carrying Tendulkar`s poster outside the Chaudhary Bansi Lal stadium in Lahli village, around 10 km from Rohtak, jumped and ran in delight after they learnt of the veteran`s participation in the match. Besides Tendulkar, Mumbai will also have left-am pacer Zaheer Khan, Ajinkya Rahane and Dhawal Kulkarni, to name a few, in their ranks while legspinner Amit Mishra will be turning out for Haryana. According to curator Jasmer Singh, the pitch will have something for both batsmen and bowlers.