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Digital photo mosaic of Tendulkar unveiled
Japanese electronics major Toshiba on Wednesday paid tribute to batting icon Sachin Tendulkar by creating the world's largest digital photo mosaic of the retired player, considered to be the largest of any cricketer.
The company had started the campaign on social media earlier this year and the mosaic includes the photographs of over 17,000 fans.
"From January they have had this contest. We are Sachin and here I see we love Sachin, which makes it even better. It is really touching. It is moving to see such a terrific response and over 17,000 photographs are put together to make my face. And in the background you see tri-colour and it can't be better than that," Tendulkar said at the unveiling function, in Mumbai.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Toshiba for this campaign and above all, thank all the well wishers who have stood behind me for 24 years. Whatever I have been able to achieve, the way I have been able to play has been because of their good wishes and their support. It has given me strength to achieve various things in life, whatever I have been able to achieve on field is thanks to all my well wishers. This mosaic picture of mine, makes it even more special because it is filled with love," the 40-year-old added.
The photo mosaic is adapted from a painting by Vivek Sharma and the painting -- titled eye of the tiger -- draws a parallel between the tiger and the legendary cricketer for his strength, bravery and precision.
It is also a metaphorical reference depicting Tendulkar's fiery attitude when it comes to cricket, according to Toshiba.
Sports shorts: Bayern wrap up fastest Bundesliga title triumph
Bayern Munich clinched the Bundesliga title in record time by beating Hertha Berlin 3-1 on Tuesday thanks to goals from Toni Kroos, Mario Goetze and Franck Ribery with seven games left in the campaign.
Last season's treble winners claimed their 23rd Bundesliga crown with a 10th straight away victory, stretching their winning streak to a staggering 19 consecutive league games and their unbeaten run to 52 league matches - all Bundesliga records.
"I am satisfied that we did it," Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, in his first season in charge, told reporters. "A game earlier or later does not matter. Congratulations to everyone at the club."
"Now we will go out to dinner and celebrate," added Guardiola, who managed to avoid the traditional on-pitch beer shower from his players. "We will enjoy the free time we have here."
The Spaniard, who won 14 out of 19 titles in four years at Barcelona, has added the Bundesliga crown to the European Super Cup and Club World Cup titles Bayern won earlier this season.
They have an unassailable 25-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who were runners-up last term, with 21 points to play for in Guardiola's first season in charge.
"First of all the praise belongs to the coach and the team," Bayern sports director Matthias Sammer told reporters as Guardiola celebrated with his players on the pitch.
"After the success of last season we continued to be very focused and we managed to win the league even earlier than last year. We have a concentration and a momentum right now which is unusual."
Germany coach Joachim Loew was in the stands and heaped praise on the team that provides the national side's backbone.
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Roma sink Torino with Florenzi's added time winner
A stoppage-time goal from substitute Alessandro Florenzi gave AS Roma a 2-1 win over Torino in Serie A on Tuesday after Ciro Immobile had scored with a stunning effort for the visitors.
Ivory Coast winger Gervinho set up both goals for second-placed Roma as they took another step towards making sure of direct qualification for next year's Champions League.
Roma, who have 67 points, moved nine clear of third-placed Napoli who visit Catania on Wednesday. Runaway leaders Juventus (78 points) host Parma, also on Wednesday.
Roma went ahead four minutes before halftime when Gervinho slipped the ball through the Torino backline and Mattia Destro stretched to prod home his ninth goal of the season.
Immobile, emerging as a late candidate for a place in Italy's World Cup squad, replied with a superb effort in the 52nd minute, meeting a long ball forward with a first-time volley into the far corner.
Immobile took his tally for the season to 17, making him the league's top scorer.
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Prosecution wraps up case against Pistorius in murder trial
State prosecutors wrapped up their case on Tuesday against South African track star Oscar Pistorius, who is accused of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.
Prosecutors are seeking to prove that the Olympic and Paralympic athlete tried to kill Steenkamp deliberately by firing four rounds from a 9 mm pistol through a locked toilet door after a heated argument.
Pistorius, nicknamed the "Blade Runner" due to his carbon-fibre prosthetic limbs, has pleaded not guilty, saying he was deeply in love with 29-year-old Steenkamp and that he mistook her for an intruder hiding in a toilet at his luxury Pretoria home.
Defence lawyers spent much of Tuesday going through some of the thousands of text messages the pair sent each other in the weeks before Steenkamp's death to focus on their "loving relationship".
A day earlier, police expert Francois Moller read out a series of retrieved messages that painted a picture of a volatile, stormy relationship, with Steenkamp accusing Pistorius of continual jealousy and outbursts of anger.
"I'm scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and of how you will react to me," one message sent by Steenkamp on January 27, 2013 said.
Moller said despite the arguments, 90 percent of the messages were normal, often loving, interactions.
Defence lawyer Barry Roux pointed to an exchange on January 19 in which Steenkamp sent Pistorius a photo of herself blowing a kiss into the camera, followed by the question: "You like it?"
"I love it," Pistorius replied.
Roux also showed CCTV footage from nine days before Steenkamp's death that showed the couple kissing in a convenience store, followed by another text exchange between them.
The court adjourned until Friday, when the defence will start revealing its own argument and evidence in support of Pistorius' innocence.
The 27-year-old is expected to take the stand in his own defence - a high stakes gamble that could backfire if holes start to emerge in the version of events he submitted in sworn testimony at his bail hearing a year ago.
If found guilty of murder, he faces at least 25 years in prison.
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Murray to lead Britain in Italian job
Andy Murray will spearhead Britain's challenge in their Davis Cup quarter-final against Italy in Naples next month after being confirmed in the squad on Tuesday.
The Wimbledon champion led Britain to victory in the United States in the first round and will be key to their hopes in a first quarter-final appearance since 1986.
"It will be a good challenge playing on the clay in Italy," Murray said of the April 4-6 tie against a home side featuring claycourt specialist Fabio Fognini.
"They have some very good clay court players with a passionate crowd behind them. It will be a tough weekend and the games will be tight, but it's great playing in big matches like this in the World Group."
Murray, currently trying to defend his Miami title, will be joined in the team by world No. 127 Dan Evans and James Ward (155) with Colin Fleming likely to play the doubles.
The winners will face Switzerland or Kazakhstan in the semi-finals.