India v West Indies - or Tendulkar v Lara? (31 October 1998)

31 October 1998

India v West Indies - or Tendulkar v Lara?

by Zahid Newaz in Dhaka

All eyes will be on little master Sachin Tendulkar and cricketing prince Brian Lara as India and West Indies meet in the semis of Wills International Cup at the floodlit Bangbandhu National Stadium Saturday.

Tendulkar, already having a superb 141 in the series, will no doubt be the main weapon for Indian skipper Azharuddin in the second semi-final to ensure a place in the Sunday's final clash for the trophy.

West Indies' captain Lara failed to show his form in their first match of the tournament, but he obviously expects to excel against India to guide the Caribbeans to the final.

Tendulkar's all-time performance and his recent form showed that on Saturday the Dhaka crowd would surely see another big score from the swashbuckling batsman, proved on many a occasion as the first and last alternative for India.

Even West Indies' skipper Brian Lara thinks of Tendulkar as the key threat to eliminate them from the first ever knock out world cup cricket. "Everything will depend on how fast Tendulkar could be stopped," Lara said about the Calypso's possibility to play the final.

Amidst massive support from the local crowd, as if he was playing on home ground, Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday hit a huge 141 runs in the third quarterfinal of the Wills Cup against a strong side like Australia. He made the century after early setback for the Indians.

It was also the seventh ton this year for ODI century record holder Sachin and his career fifth against the Aussies. The highest 19 one-day century maker, however, has only one ton against West Indies, made in Jaipur way back in 1994.

Master batsman Tendulkar, recognised as the successor of all-time great Sir Don Bradman, has scored 1,611 runs from 28 matches this year.

With a dozen one-day century, Brian Lara, considered the most potent batting rival of Tendulkar, had a much less number of one-dayer in 1998. He played only six matches and collected 312 runs, including a century. Like thousands of his fans across the world, including in Dhaka, Lara will also want to click in the Saturday's semi-final that means so much for his side.

Lara too knows that, like Tendulkar for India, he is the key man for West Indies to confirm the berth in the Wills Cup final on Sunday.

Both teams had practice at Dhanmondi cricket ground Friday afternoon amidst rainy weather at a time to warm up before the sudden death semi-final.

West Indies and India played 56 one-day matches so far, with the West Indies leading 36 matches to 19, with one no-result.

Source :: CricInfo365