Palanpur wants Sachin to play at local ground

PALANPUR: It was at the age of 17 that Sachin Tendulkar had wielded his willow at the legendary King George V sports complex of Palanpur in 1991. It was Milind Rege benefit match when a galaxy of national payers, including Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin had descended. Tendulkar's electrifying presence had helped soar the club's popularity.
Today when Tendulkar has announced his retirement, the city wants him back."We wish Sachin will play a match here before retiring after playing his 200th Test next month," vice-president of the club Shailesh Mehta said.
"It was a sensation to watch a typical Marathi boy play in the company of towering players. The audience roared with joy and applauded the new comer to the town of Nawabs. Today when he wants to retire at his home ground in Mumbai, we wish he would come here to the ground where he had played as a young boy," he said pointing that the club begins its centenary celebrations this year on December 31.