Image Credit- ESPN CricInfo.
Venue- SuperSport Park, Centurion [March 1, 2003].
India-Pakistan rivalry is the biggest rivalry in world cricket. However, the temperature soars even more during a World Cup Clash. As a result, the players who perform great in these games become legends and are remembered for long. On March 01, 2003, India faced Pakistan in a 50 over World Cup Game in Centurion. Though it was a Group Stage match, but still there was a lot to play for both sides.
On a batting friendly wicket Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first. Opener Saeed Anwar gave Pakistan a strong start and went on to score an incredible century (101). Apart from Anwar, Younis Khan scored a crucial 32 which helped Pakistan reach a massive 273 in 50 overs. Additionally, the target appeared even more challenging due to the bowling troika of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar.
However, what happened next was something truly incredible. Due to a spectacular knock from the Great Sachin Tendulkar, India triumphed brilliantly over Pakistan. The Little Master's majestic 98 off 75 balls enabled India defeat Pakistan by 6 wickets and chase down the massive 274-runs target.
Tendulkar took the first strike and hit the first boundary of the innings with a flip of Wasim Akram's ball on his third ball. However, when one of Pakistan's best bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar, came onto bowl in the following over, it truly set up the chase. Tendulkar hit a six ten rows back with an upper cut off Akhtar's fourth ball. The next ball was flicked through square leg for a four as the Master Blaster carried on his magnificent batting display. The next ball was even faster, and Tendulkar used his entire bat face to just drive it past mid-on for another incredible boundary.
After hitting three fours and a six, Sachin Tendulkar had now amassed 20 off just 9 balls. Tendulkar and Sehwag put 53 runs on the board when Waqar Younis removed Sehwag for 21. Tendulkar was then joined by Captain Sourav Ganguly, who was dismissed the very next ball for a duck. The Indian Scorecard now read 53/2 when Mohammad Kaif joined Tendulkar in the middle. The situation was indeed a precarious one. One more wicket and Pakistanis would have steamrolled Indians in no time. However, Kaif along with Tendulkar batted sensibly and thwarted the Pakistani pace attack.
Furthermore, Tendulkar resumed his masterclass in the meantime, hitting his 50 off 37 balls. Tendulkar was on the verge of reaching a glorious hundred when Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar removed him in the 28th over, at 98. However, Tendulkar's incredible effort did not go in vain as Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh had a match winning partnership of 94 runs as Indians chased down this massive total in 45 overs.
It is interesting to note that prior to this World Cup, India had never chased more than 222 in a World Cup Game. However, Sachin Tendulkar's unbelievable innings against Pakistan allowed India to win by six wickets with 26 balls left to spare. The Player of the Match award went to Little Master as he led India to an incredible victory over Pakistan for the fourth time in as many World Cup matches by dominating the pace trio of Pakistan, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis.
It's now nearly 21 years since that game was played. However, Sachin Tendulkar's World Cup innings of 98 off 75 balls will live on in history as one of the finest ever.
To watch that Incredible Knock, Click Here.
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