Regarded as destiny's own child, Sachin's tryst with World Cup glory on April 2, 2011, was, in all probability, pre-ordained. It was inconceivable that the man, whose run-scoring feats are unlikely to be matched, would bow out without laying his hands on the World Cup even once.
For someone who has played a staggering 463 ODIs and scored 18,426 runs with 49 centuries to boot, Sachin has always enjoyed the challenges presented by limited-overs cricket. The World Cup is big a stage as any, and over six editions, Sachin showcased his dazzling talent in bid to land the Cup that cheers.
Sachin, who described India's WC triumph in 2011 as "the proudest moment my life", turned out to be sixth-time lucky. Twice he had come close. It was his dismissal in the semifinal against Sri Lanka in 1996 that had triggered India's downfall, while in 2003, Australia had dashed a billion hopes in the final.
In spite of the heartbreak, Sachin's 98 against Pakistan remains one the finest knocks in World Cup history. His calculated assault on a Pakistan attack that included Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar had the finesse Brian Lara, the raw power of Vivian Richards, the doggedness of Steve Waugh and the flamboyance of Kapil Dev.
It prompted Shaharyar Khan, the erstwhile chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board, to observe: "India overshadowed us mainly through the genius of Tendulkar but there was no disgrace in losing the match."
That is only one of the many highs that Sachin fans can reflect on. No one has scored more runs in World Cup than Sachin (2278 in 44 innings @ 56.95). Of his six WC centuries, the one against Kenya in 1999 was perhaps the most emotional knock of his career. Sachin, who missed the match against Zimbabwe in order to attend his father's funeral, returned to smash an unbeaten 140 off 101 balls and secure India a place in the Super Six.
Incidentally, his last two tons came in the 2011 edition --- against England and South Africa in the group league stage. A sparkling 53 against Australia in the quarterfinal and a sedate 85 against old foes Pakistan had paved the way for India's third entry into the WC final, and even though he failed against Sri Lanka, Sachin was not to be denied WC glory.
A teary-eyed Sachin, riding on the shoulders of his teammates during a lap of honour around the Wankhede Stadium, sums up the story of a man widely regarded as God's gift to cricket.
0 comments:
Post a Comment