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Sachin Tendulkar may want muted celebrations of his 40th birthday on Wednesday but Kolkata is all set to throw a huge party for the veteran Indian batsman.
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The Mumbai Indians batsman, who happens to be in Kolkata on the special occasion for his IPL team's clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, will begin the day with a customary cake cutting ceremony at the team hotel.
"We have arranged a special programme in the morning where Tendulkar will cut a cake in front of the media and address the gathering," Mumbai Indians team manager said.
There is no confirmation as of now but it appears that Tendulkar's wife Anjali may join him along with team owner Nita Ambani.
"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 up from special cocoa from Ghana and Madagascar.
The cake will have an image of Tendulkar and it could be that of the World Cup-winning moment.
"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 will be waiting eagerly to present Tendulkar with a life-size sweet-stuffed bat of five feet and six inches -- exactly the height of the senior most pro.
Good wishes have also started pouring in for the Mumbai batsman from all quarters.