| Series | Countries | Live Scores | Fixtures | Results | News |
Features
|
Photos | Video & Audio | Blogs | Statistics | Archive | Games | Mobile | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
First came a six, then a four, then divine magic
September 13, 2009
![]()
|
|||
|
Related Links
Players/Officials:
Sachin Tendulkar
Matches:
India v Pakistan at Centurion
Series/Tournaments:
ICC World Cup
Other links:
50 Magic Moments
|
|||
Centurion, 1 March 2003
Sachin Tendulkar has never batted better than in the World Cup of 2003, and during it never better than for three famous deliveries against Shoaib Akhtar in Centurion.
This was a match Tendulkar said he was compelled to live a year in advance. Everywhere he went, people reminded him about the 1st of March, the fixture against Pakistan. Consequently he did not sleep properly for 12 nights leading up.
Facing a handsome target, Tendulkar shed his pent-up anxiety with three strokes in Shoaib's opening over to jumpstart a classic innings. The first of them - reaching out (were he not so pumped up, he would have surely let it pass for a wide), at once cutting and tipping, very high over the square third-man boundary - would become an icon, for cricketing merit; its sheer thrill, and nationalist symbolism, a sort of belated rebuff to the Miandad six.
The second stroke was his lovely trademark - back in the crease and with swirling wrists diverting a reasonable delivery to square leg. But the third shot - the third shot.
A little trot across to off stump, block, down the ground to the on, four. No back-lift, no follow-through: none needed. I have never seen such a concisely expressed cricket stroke. He simply met the ball and the entire execution began there and finished there. And by now the crowd, the most vividly alive of the tournament, had gone quite wild. Visually it was like a cinematic special effect: everything moved in a blur - flags, roars, horns, waves, the ball, Shoaib - and amid it Sachin and his pure stroke appeared magically frozen.
Rahul Bhattacharya is the author of Pundits from Pakistan: On Tour with India, 2003-04. This article was first published in the print version of Cricinfo Magazine
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
Author of Pundits from Pakistan: On Tour with India, 2003-04

'We've got a good bowling attack for English conditions'
Mohammad Hafeez's resurgence, after three years in the international wilderness, symbolises that of his team
Anderson's magic not to be missed
Mark Nicholas: None of England's other 300-wickets bowlers could have bowled better than Anderson at Lord's
Anti-corruption efforts need to be proactive
Ian Chappell: Rather than relying on the police or media to uncover rot in the game, cricket has to get tough with its own
Even at the height of his success with the national side, Sreesanth was a lonely cricketer who felt hard done by. By Ajay Shankar
'A spinner must have the ability to take punishment'
The Cricket Couch: R Ashwin's coach, former Tamil Nadu spinner Sunil Subramaniam, talks about the qualities he looks for in young slow bowlers
As we go into the last week of the league games of IPL 2013, seven teams have a mathematical chance of making the last four. Here's what each of those teams needs to do
Pollard sledges Watson, Dravid is angry
Plays of the day from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai
A talent that didn't know its own worth
Sreesanth wasn't the most likeable team-mate or opponent, but he had skill beyond doubt, which we might have seen the last of
Unfortunate Sunrisers let match slip away
For 36 overs, Sunrisers painstakingly built a position of strength only for one terrible over to spoil it for them
Even at the height of his success with the national side, Sreesanth was a lonely cricketer who felt hard done by
Unfortunate Sunrisers let match slip away (73)
For 36 overs, Sunrisers painstakingly built a position of strength only for one terrible over to spoil it for them
As we go into the last week of the league games of IPL 2013, seven teams have a mathematical chance of making the last four. Here's what each of those teams needs to do
Dravid and the art of T20 captaincy (56)
Despite a small squad bereft of big names, Rajasthan Royals' captain has churned out win after win
Even at the height of his success with the national side, Sreesanth was a lonely cricketer who felt hard done by
Pollard sledges Watson, Dravid is angry (43)
Plays of the day from the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai
ICICI Bank M2I. Register Now and Get A Gift Offer.
Safe & simple online money transfer. Apply Now!
Buy Wisden 2013 & get a FREE Playfair
Available now at Cricshop