Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar: From Desert Storm to destroying Pakistan, here are Master Blaster’s top 5 knocks

Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar: From Desert Storm to destroying Pakistan, here are Master Blaster’s top 5 knocks

Tendulkar has dished out countless classy knocks and precisely 100 of them were above 100. Here is our pick of the top five knocks by the batting maestro.

G UnnikrishnanUpdated: Monday, April 24, 2023, 12:37 PM IST
article-image
Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar: From Desert Storm to destroying Pakistan, here are the Master Blaster’s top five knocks | AFP

How do we curate the best innings of Sachin Tendulkar? He dished out countless classy knocks and precisely 100 of them were above 100. It is a tough job and can’t be measured by a common yardstick.

We are still are trying to place our finger on the top five knocks by the batting maestro from India

1. 134 vs Australia

Sachin Tendulkar had to lead India from the front if they were to beat Australia in the final of the Coca-Cola Cup, 1998. Against his favourite opponents, Tendulkar did just that, leading India to the title in Sharjah. He made 134 off 131 balls with 12 fours and 3 sixes. In what we know now as the Desert Storm knocks, the other one was 143 in the league phase of the tournament two days earlier, Tendulkar hammered the Aussies.

2. 98 vs Pakistan

Once Pakistan posted 273 for 7 in the ICC World Cup 2003, India needed a Tendulkar special to overhaul the target. Tendulkar gave an early indication of his intentions with an uppercut six of Shoaib Akhtar that is now a part of cricketing folklore. He did not spare any of the bowlers including Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram en route to a 98 off 75 balls with 12 fours and a six. It helped India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets with more than 4 overs to spare. Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh completed the job Tendulkar had begun.

3. 241 vs Australia

More than the volume of runs, the innings at Sydney was noteworthy for its circumstances and manner of playing. In that 2003-04 series, Tendulkar had got out a few times playing loose shots outside the off stump, but at the SCG the Mumbaikar eschewed all the shots outside the off-stump in a show of self-denial. The Test ended in a draw and India returned home with a satisfactory 1-1 series result.

4. 169 vs South Africa

South Africa made a massive 529 for 7 declared in their first innings at Cape Town in 1997 and India were facing a collapse at 58 for 5. But Tendulkar (169 off 254 balls, 26 fours) in the company of Mohammed Azharuddin (115 off 110 balls, 19x4, 1x6) created magic in front of the Table Mountain. They smoked 222 runs in just 40 overs against a classy SA bowling unit, something unheard in those era.

5. 200 vs South Africa

In 2010, Tendulkar became the first batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score a double hundred against South Africa in a bilateral match at Gwalior. It came off 147 balls with 25 fours and 3 sixes. Riding on Tendulkar’s 200, India also crossed the 400-barrier in ODIs and then limited SA to 248 to celebrate a 153-run win.

RECENT STORIES

'We Are The Toughest Team In IPL 2024': Hardik Pandya Tries To Cheer Up MI Players After Crushing...

'We Are The Toughest Team In IPL 2024': Hardik Pandya Tries To Cheer Up MI Players After Crushing...

Andhra Cricket Association Serves Show-Cause Notice To Hanuma Vihari

Andhra Cricket Association Serves Show-Cause Notice To Hanuma Vihari

'London Is Absolute Disgrace Of A Place': Kevin Pietersen SLAMS Mayor Sadiq Khan Over Train Stabbing...

'London Is Absolute Disgrace Of A Place': Kevin Pietersen SLAMS Mayor Sadiq Khan Over Train Stabbing...

‘What Is So Funny?’: Sports Tak Panelists Slam ‘Silly’ Hardik Pandya After MI's Record...

‘What Is So Funny?’: Sports Tak Panelists Slam ‘Silly’ Hardik Pandya After MI's Record...

List Of Records Broken During SRH vs MI IPL 2024 Clash In Hyderabad

List Of Records Broken During SRH vs MI IPL 2024 Clash In Hyderabad