JOIN USSachin Tendulkar may want muted celebrations of his 40th birthday on Wednesday but the City of Joy is all set to throw a huge party for the veteran Indian batsman.
The Mumbai Indians’ batsman, who happens to be here on the special occasion for his IPL team’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, will begin the day with a customary cake-cutting ceremony at the team hotel.
“We have arranged a special programme way ahead of the match (in the morning) where Tendulkar will cut a cake in front of the media and address the gathering,” Mumbai Indians team manager told PTI.
Tendulkar’s wife Anjali was expected to join him on Tuesday night along with team owner Nita Ambani for more celebrations.
“He always prefers to celebrate his birthday quietly. He does not like partying and a big bash. It won’t be any different this time,” a person close to Tendulkar said.
Later ahead of their 8pm match, Tendulkar will cut a giant 40-pound cake specially ordered by the Cricket Association of Bengal in the lawn outside the dressing room.
“The CAB will want to celebrate even when he is 100, and we wish him a healthy and beautiful life,” CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya said.
The chocolate cake will be made from special cocoa from Ghana and Madagascar.
“Forty kg is no big deal as we have made bigger cakes than this but what is really big is it’s being made for the country’s icon. We are really proud of this,” chef Bikash Kumar, who is a huge cricket fan and has earlier made cakes for city’s favourite son Sourav Ganguly, said.
The cake will have an image of Tendulkar and it could be that of the World Cup-winning moment of April 2, 2011.
“Besides, there will be 40 different expressions of Tendulkar around the cake,” a CAB official said. The CAB had also felicitated Tendulkar during both the IPL teams’ meeting last year when the Indian batsman was presented with 100 guineas -- one for each of his 100 centuries -- on May 12, 2012. A fan at Eden Gardens is waiting eagerly to present Tendulkar with a life-size sweet-stuffed bat. Good wishes have also started pouring in for the Mumbai batsman from all quarters.
Mumbai Indians are keen to celebrate the occasion by posting a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, which MI team mentor Anil Kumble said would be the perfect birthday for the senior batsman. “The best way to celebrate his (Tendulkar’s) birthday would be by beating Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens tomorrow,” Kumble said.
Paying glowing tribute to Tendulkar, the 42-year-old former India leg-spinner said, “I welcome him to the club. He has had a fantastic career and has come a long way. I wish him more and more success in the remaining days to come.”