Tendulkar's plea to supporters

Tendulkar read out a brief statement to reporters, a day after an effigy of captain Sourav Ganguly was burnt in Kolkata. Teammate Mohammad Kaif's house was also pelted with black paint and oil in Allahabad.

Tendulkar said: "This is to all the well-wishers in India.

"I am here on behalf of the Indian cricket team...We ourselves are very disappointed with the kind of performances we have put up and I also understand the disappointment you have gone through.

"I am just here to assure all of you that we will be fighting in all the games until the last ball is bowled...so please continue to support us, as you have done in the past, which will surely help us."

India play Zimbabwe in a Group A match in Harare on Wednesday.

The 1983 champions, supposedly one of the best batting units in the world, beat the Netherlands in an unconvincing opening performance before being crushed by Australia by nine wickets on Saturday.

The team, who fuelled Indian hopes of World Cup success with a fine start to 2002, need to beat Zimbabwe to remain well placed to qualify for the Super Six stage.

In 1996, effigies of former captain Mohammad Azharuddin were burnt in Kolkata after the crowd rioted during the World Cup semi-final against Sri Lanka.

The game was awarded to the Sri Lankans, who had huddled in the centre of the pitch as missiles were thrown on to the pitch and small fires started in the stands.