We did it for the people of Jaipur: Warne
Posted on Jun 02, 2008 at 00:57 | Updated Jun 02, 2008 at 08:54
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Tags: cricket, ipl, jaipur
Mumbai: He may be nicknamed Hollywood, but Shane Warne's Jaipur team's dream run culminating as the champions of the first edition of the IPL here on Sunday was a script straight out of a Bollywood potboiler.
A thrilling final-ball finish brought curtains to the revolution that it was, and both captains echoed their sentiments in unison, even though Warne's counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai outfit tasted a defeat.
"I'm getting too old for close finishes, but the script couldn't have been better. What better way to finish the first IPL tournament on the last ball," Warne said after his team, written off at the outset, overcame all odds to lift the trophy.
However, Warne chose to dedicate the moment to the people of Jaipur, who were left shattered after last month's serial blasts killed several hundred people in the city. "We did this for Jaipur," he said at the presentation ceremony.
The retired Australian great paid tribute to his team which lacked stars, especially domestic Indian cricketers who rose to the challenge and came up trumps.
"I'm proud of the young members of this team. Everyone rose up to the task and made it count. But the memories I will take back from this tourament will be a young Swapnil (Asnodkar) taking on the world's best, and likewise for Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan, who has been a revelation in this tournament," he said.
Warne ranked the tournament victory as his best in his 20-year first-class career.
The Jaipur captain also thanked India's cricket-loving public who tirelessly turned up for the IPL in large numbers and inspired the cricketers to give their best.
"Crowds all over India have been amazing. They made us play some good cricket throughout this tournament," he concluded.
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