Sachin Tendulkar Turns A Year Older: Flashback To His Epic Win Against Australia On 25th Anniversary

Today marks the 51st birthday of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar . Known as the 'God' of cricket, Tendulkar retired from the sport 11 years ago, yet his impact and legacy remain undiminished. With a plethora of batting records to his name and adorned with prestigious accolades such as the Khel Ratna and Bharat Ratna, Tendulkar, affectionately called the Master Blaster , continues to inspire generations.

As we commemorate Sachin's birthday, let's take a trip down memory lane to one of his most extraordinary innings, played exactly 26 years ago on his 25th birthday.

Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar!

During the 1998 Coca-Cola Cup Trophy, Sachin Tendulkar showcased his exceptional form. One of his most remarkable innings came against Australia, where he smashed 143 runs off 131 balls. Despite Tendulkar's outstanding performance, his team couldn't secure victory in the match, which was interrupted by the desert storm. Nevertheless, Tendulkar's century in that game is still celebrated as one of his finest, despite the defeat. Just a few days later, in the final match of the series, Tendulkar concluded the tale with a perfect ending.

In the iconic match known as 'the desert storm', Sachin Tendulkar's remarkable century propelled India to victory in the final against Australia. Opting to field first after winning the toss, India's captain Mohammad Azharuddin saw Australia set a challenging target of 272/9 in 50 overs, fueled by a dynamic middle-order stand between Australian skipper Steve Waugh (scoring 70 off 71 balls) and Darren Lehmann (contributing 70 off 59 balls).

On his birthday, Tendulkar strode out to open the innings alongside Sourav Ganguly. He began with finesse, anchoring one end securely. In the fourth over, a delivery from Aussie seamer Michael Kasprowicz grazed Tendulkar's bat, narrowly avoiding the stumps and racing to fine leg for a single. Kasprowicz uttered a few words, prompting Tendulkar, known for his on-field reserve, to shoot him a sharp glance. However, as the innings progressed, Tendulkar found his groove, dazzling the crowd with a masterclass. He went on to notch up a brilliant 134 runs off 131 balls, including 12 fours and 3 sixes, steering his team to victory by four wickets and clinching the trophy.

Tendulkar remembered feeling incredibly worn out before the match and was completely drained by the scorching heat of Sharjah when he stepped onto the field to bat. "I went out to bat in the evening. Mentally, I was not quite there. I was trying to find my focus. I knew I needed to spend some time on the field and the rhythm will come back to me, and it took about 5-6 overs to get that. Until then, I was not happy about the way I was moving."

"The confidence is all about which part of the bat you are hitting the ball and I was not able to middle the ball. Then I waited for my turn - then I hammered Kasprowicz for two sixes, and from then on things started rolling. We ended up winning that tournament."

In November 2013, Tendulkar concluded his remarkable career with an incredible achievement of scoring 100 international centuries. Yes, a hundred. Among the numerous memorable innings he played, such as his iconic 98 against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup, his unforgettable 214 not out in Sydney, and his groundbreaking first-ever double century in ODIs in 2010, the Sharjah innings holds a unique significance in the hearts of cricket fans.