Sachin is Sachin, the real Bharat Ratna, says 'mom' Lata Read more: Sachin is Sachin, the real Bharat Ratna, says 'mom' Lata - The Times of India htt

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar feels blessed to have a 'son' like Sachin Tendulkar and wants the batting sensation to carry on his innings for many more years and win the Bharat Ratna.

Congratulating Sachin on his hitting his 50th Test century, his avid fan says her blessings are always with the 'little master'.

"Sachin treats me like his mother and I always pray for her like a mother. I can never forget the day when he called me 'aai' (mother) for the first time. I had never imagined that. It was pleasant surprise for me and I feel blessed to have a son like him," Lata said.

"Sachin celebrates his birthday on April 24 which is also my father's (Dinanath Mangeshkar) death anniversary. We never get a chance to meet on that day. On one occasion we had met on April 23rd," she says.

She recalls an incident when journalists asked Sachin about his feeling for her to which his reply was "what could one think about his mother".

For the 81-year-old Bharat Ratna winner, Sachin is really an ideal son.

"I always pray for his success and well being. My blessings are always with him."

Lata and Sachin's admiration for each other is not a secret. According to Sachin, Lata songs are a stress buster for him. Lata, on the other hand, always try to catch an innings of Sachin on TV.

Asked if the country's highest civilian honour should be bestowed on the cricketer, she says he definitely deserves the Bharat Ratna.

"For me, he is the real Bharat Ratna for years. Whatever he has done for the country, very few people can do. He deserves this honour. He has made all of us feel proud.

"India has produced many great cricketers but Sachin is Sachin. He is one and only in his generation."

Lata also sees many similarities with Sachin. "He is a perfectionist and very possessive about his work. I am also like that. He is very fond of music and I love cricket. He is a real gentleman and god-fearing person. He never forgets to thank god and his father after any achievement which is simply adorable," she says.

Lata hopes that Sachin will continue to play for many more years and help India win the World Cup next year.

"He is playing exceptionally well and can continue till he wants. I wish that he plays for many more years. India should win the World Cup next year as we have a very good team under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy."

Urging him to continue, Lata dedicated her song "Akash ke uss paar akash aur bhi hai" to the cricketer saying he should not stop here but try to find new horizons.

Heads-up Park puts Man United on top

South Korea international Park Ji-Sung's sixth goal of the season sent Manchester United two points clear at the top of the Premier League table after they beat former leaders Arsenal 1-0 at Old Trafford on Monday.

United, who also have a game in hand over all their title rivals, could even afford the luxury of a missed penalty 17 minutes from time when Wayne Rooney fired wildly over the bar after Gael Clichy was adjudged to have handled inside his own area.

It was hardly a vintage performance but United, who visit reigning champions Chelsea on Sunday, were full value for a fifth successive home win which meant they also retained their unbeaten Premier League record this season.

This was United's first league game in 16 days. Sir Alex Ferguson's team have been eliminated from the League Cup, held by Valencia in the Champions League and knocked off the Premier League summit since they stuck seven past Blackburn last month.

Yet they went into the first of two titanic back-to-back games knowing victory would send them back to the top ahead of the trip to Chelsea.

There was little to choose between the two teams in a predictably tightly-fought first half in which chances were at a premium.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger sprang a major surprise before kick off by handing young Poland keeper Wojciech Szczesny his first league start as Lukasz Fabianski was not fit.

And Szczesny, half the age of United's 40-year-old veteran Edwin van der Sar, had a relatively trouble free first-half.

Rooney did sting Szczesny's finger-tips from 22-yards in the ninth minute, but it was the one of few saves the youngster was called to make in a tense and edgy game.

Arsenal, who started with Cesc Fabregas on the substitutes bench, responded through Marouane Chamakh but the striker's header failed to trouble van der Sar.

As the game wore on, it became apparent that one moment of quality would secure the points.

Nani was presented with an opening after Sebastien Squillaci made a hash of Darren Fletcher's 23rd minute cross but the Portuguese winger could not find the required finish.

Both teams had claims for a penalty turned down, Chamakh's appeal falling on deaf ears after he appeared to be blocked by Rafael da Silva.

Chamakh himself was lucky to escape at the other end after the ball seemed to hit his hand.

But just as Arsenal thought they had done enough to go in at the interval on level terms, United broke the deadlock in the 41st minute through Park.

Despite being one of the smallest players on the pitch, the midfielder was allowed to leap above the visitors' defence and direct the ball past Szczesny after twisting to get on the end of Nani's deflected cross.

Sensing victory, United went for the kill but Szczensy rescued the visitors after dashing off his line to block Anderson's shot following Rooney's intelligent 54th minute pass.

Then Nani fired wastefully over the bar after slack defending by Clichy. With the game slipping away, Wenger sent on Fabregas and Robin van Persie. But the double substitution failed to rescue Arsenal.

Indeed, United would have won by a more handsome margin had Rooney not been so wasteful from the penalty spot, the striker blazing over the bar in the 73rd minute after Clichy was adjudged to have handled.

Rooney was handed an opportunity five minutes from time to atone for his error but was denied by Szczesny, who clawed away a well-struck chip.

PCB unhappy with BCCI over new FTP

The Pakistan Cricket Board and the BCCI are at loggerheads over the ICC's new Future Tours Program as the PCB claims that the Indian board is reluctant to give definite time frames for upcoming series.

Sources in the PCB aware of the discussions at the ICC chief executives meeting held recently in Dubai to discuss the 2012-2020 FTP confirmed that India had agreed to play against Pakistan in this period but has not given specific dates.

"The PCB's biggest issue is that India has said it would play twice against Pakistan at neutral venues but has given no dates. Secondly they are not willing to give enough time to Pakistan to play a full series," one source said.

"The time frame given by India means that Pakistan cannot play a full series against it and secondly the Indian board has made it clear any matches against Pakistan would be dependent on clearance from their government," he said.

The source disclosed that in the new FTP, India had suggested twice touring Pakistan for short series and host Pakistan twice.

"The PCB is not happy with the situation because it wants a longer series meaning more matches against India and confirmed dates. On other hand, India has just said they would play Pakistan in the periods they are free of other commitments in the FTP."

The source said PCB's biggest concern is that less number of matches against India mean loss of valuable finances.

"The cancellation of two series against India means a loss of around $70 million for the PCB which is a lot of money."

Pakistan's next scheduled series against India is also in 2012.

India has not played a bilateral series against Pakistan since 2007. The Indians were due to tour Pakistan in early 2009 for a full series but the plan was cancelled due to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

The source also disclosed that the PCB was unhappy that the ICC after earlier agreeing is now not willing to give Icon status to Indo-Pak series.

"Allowing Icon status would have meant that where Pakistan played two series against a particular team in the FTP against India it would have played three because of its icon status," the source stated.

The source said Pakistan was also not happy with other teams like Australia not giving a full series to Pakistan.

"Basically the Australians and some other teams have scheduled split tours against Pakistan and that is not making the PCB happy as it means additional production costs in broadcasting the series."

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