Children's graduation forces Ambanis to skip IPL final

Mumbai Indians owners Mukesh and Nita Ambani had to put their children's priority first as the duo, busy with son and daughter's graduation ceremony in New York, missed the team's memorable IPL 6 triumph at Eden Gardens here last night.

However, they will be making up for their absence as they would fly in by this evening to throw a gala party for the entire team at their Altamount Road residence.

It was especially Nita, a permanent fixture with the team, whose absence was largely felt when Sachin Tendulkar bade an emotional farewell from IPL as he along with his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and other teammates took a victory lap of the jam-packed 67,000 capacity Eden.

Miles away in New York, Nita along with Mukesh, however, played a part in the team's victory celebration when the duo spoke to each member of the squad in the dressing room.

"They were in a catch-22 situation with the Akash and Isha's graduation day in New York clashing with the IPL final. Since, it was an once in a life-time thing, they had to fly to New York," a player said.

The players later partied since morning after reaching the team hotel in the wee hours as there were many Mumbai Indians supporters seen waiting outside in the unearthly hour.

The players left for their respective home cities in batches around afternoon, waving a final goodbye to a city which had given them the elusive IPL Trophy.