A tale of two masters

They focus on perfection has bordered on obsession, even with his teammates a hard time dealing with their hunger. But Sachin Tendulkar and Muttiah Muralitharan have played cricket with the same fervor for over two decades and the two cricketers the greatest success would script a perfect arc "in the last World Cup on Saturday.

Fitness permitting, Muralitharan, 38, will play his last international match on Saturday, while Tendulkar, 37, is in all probability, making its sixth and last in the quadrennial event.

And none of them is likely to blink in pursuit of a fairytale end.

The last frontier
During the World Cup campaign promotion, Tendulkar spoke about his dream of lifting the trophy since he was 10 years.

Five campaigns failed later, he was presented with a golden opportunity to fulfill his childhood dream in his hometown.

Even if Tendulkar misses his 100th century on Saturday, it would be of little consequence if it plays a crucial role in the victory of the team.

Drummer Champion went to his task in itself the shield of the hype surrounding his team and himself, and does not want anyone to lose focus.

Its explosion in the locker room after India squandered a good start against South Africa at the stage of the league (as reported by HT on March 14) gives an insight into his state of mind.

"Coming back to Mumbai for the event will be an opportunity. We must be calm and focused, "said Tendulkar after bagging the Man-of-the-Match award in the semifinals on Wednesday.