Mumbai star blames poor start to tournament

Mumbai: Despite his heroics, Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar could not propel his team into the last four of the IPL. He admitted feeling frustrated but said he thoroughly enjoyed the Twenty20 tournament.

Is it not frustrating that Mumbai Indians could not qualify for the semifinal?

Yes it is. Frustration is more for losing such close matches one after another.

The Indian cricketing circle is giving you credit for winning matches after matches after you came in.

The whole team played well. Seniors in the team really gave their best and they tried to encourage the youngsters. It was great fun in the dressing room. Sanath Jayasuriya and Shaun Pollock tried their heart out.

How will you analyse the new version of the game?

Quite entertaining. We did not do particularly well in the beginning of the tournament but gradually found our rhythm. Bad luck that we are not in the semis.

Have you enjoyed it?

I have enjoyed it thoroughly. This game demands a lot from the cricketers. If anyone has class he will succeed.

You lost to your friend Shane Warne also?

I thought he would do me a favour. But instead of that he defeated us!

But full credit to Shane who not only coached them well but motivated them very highly.

What is the key factor for winning a Twenty 20 game?

Common sense. It plays a great role in every sphere of life.

You have to be agile in the limited over game but before anything else, you need to have common sense and know how to implement it.