AP 
 
New Delhi, Mar 25: Life as a lookalike of a cricket star can have its perks, but lately its had a nasty downside, with some hiding from irate fans after India's loss to Sri Lanka, a news report said on Sunday.

India's defeat to Sri Lanka on Friday disappointed millions of Indians with the team facing ouster from the World Cup in the Caribbean.

They gave vent to their anger by burning effigies and posters of the players in several Indian cities and towns.

The lookalikes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Mohinder Dhoni have been watching their backs in recent days. In the past, they made frequent appearances on television and were cheered by spectators during cricket matches.

"When Sehwag plays well, I am treated well by people. But when he scores badly, even the lives of my wife and child are in jeopardy as people threaten to beat me up for Sehwag's bad performance," The Times Of India quoted Yogendra Shah as saying.

He has temporarily moved out of Mehsana, his hometown in Gujarat, to escape the wrath of cricket fans, the newspaper said.

Police have been drafted to protect the homes of some players and prevent a recurrence of the vandalism that followed five-wicket upset loss to Bangladesh on March 17, 2007.