On This Day: April 22, 1998 - Sachin Tendulkar's 'desert-storm' masterclass

[robelinda]

The day Aussie bowlers were trashed by Sachin, but Aus won the match anyway.

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[Scrolln]

Breathtaking innings!

I think this was the moment that transformed Sachin from a very good ODI player to an ATG ODI batsman.

If i remember correctly he already had a century against Australia in Kanpur earlier that year and went on to score seven more ODI tons in 1998 itself!

Absolute legend!

 

[Navdeep Srivastava]

Breathtaking innings!

I think this was the moment that transformed Sachin from a very good ODI player to an ATG ODI batsman.

If i remember correctly he already had a century against Australia in Kanpur earlier that year and went on to score seven more ODI tons in 1998 itself!

Absolute legend!

Got total nine centuries odi centuries in one calendar year

 

[Hitman]

1st century - Helped India qualify for the Finals

2nd century - Won India the series


The Aussies were the firm favorites in the series.


Here's what Steve Waugh said after India's win - "There is no shame being beaten by such a great player. We didn't lose to Team India. We Lost to Sachin Tendulkar"


Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A46564923

 

[Sankalp]

My 2nd favourite Sachin innings.

 

[Abhilash]

This and sachin's 175 absolute class!!

 

[Bhaijaan]

Breathtaking hundreds those. I think he hit 15-20 hundreds in just 2 years back then. lol

 

[amit]

there was another 100 which tendulkar hit on his birthday at that time. these 2 100s gave warne lot of nightmares and he couldnt sleep

would have been so much better if the 7 match odi series v aus had happened at this time instead of the meaningless ipl. that time could have been used to play some test matches as a 7 match odi series makes sense just after the tests

 

[starbuck]

One of the best innings

 

[Sankalp]

Here is Sachin's best innings ever according to me. People might have forgotten this knock...but some of the shots he played against the world's best bowler is mindblowing. The best innngs ever played on Lords, specially due to the attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C72dVXdk_E8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDU2k8pkh90

 

[pungi]

Even SRT would be wondering how to remember these years...The team had a line of fixers in those days including Mongia, Azhar, Jadeja...When he got out after india qualified for finals, the team needed 32 runs of 18 balls..and guess what we lost by 27 runs...This was the period when Indians developed a unique love for SRT bcoz there was a general feeling that at times he wasn't playing against 11 players, but against 14-15 players...

 

[zubair007]

No wonder he's the greatest of them all!

 

[Scrolln]

Here is Sachin's best innings ever according to me. People might have forgotten this knock...but some of the shots he played against the world's best bowler is mindblowing. The best innngs ever played on Lords, specially due to the attack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C72dVXdk_E8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDU2k8pkh90

WOW!

Playing that way against Mcgrath and Donald...boy...

Thanks for sharing this innings!

 

[spaceshot]

iirc, he was given out incorrectly?

But still remember the break time, he was waiting with full gear on and standing on the stairs.. Ready to come out and get the job done.
Aussies got carted the last 2 matches.

Great Innings.

The best innngs ever played on Lords, specially due to the attack.

I wont go as far so as to call it the Gt Inns on Lord's. The game didnt had Int'l significance. Obv the equation wasnt there to be considered.

 

[KIC]

Apart from the batting, Tony Greig's commentary in this match and the final stands out in my memory. I remember him sounding incredulous as he shouted "he is not trying to qualify, he is trying to win the match" or something to that effect.

 

[Sankalp]

WOW!

Playing that way against Mcgrath and Donald...boy...

Thanks for sharing this innings!

And watching this type of innings makes me even more angry when I see Sachin bat these days. He is even struggling to face local domestc bowlers

 

[Abdullah719]

On This Day: Tendulkar's Desert Storm knock tears into Australia

Spoiler

The stands had filled up much before the start, for two reasons. One was the expectation of a cracker of a contest, and then there was a fear among the supporters that it could well be India's last match in the tournament. For, very few expected India to beat Australia, and fewer felt the team could maintain a better net run rate than New Zealand, even if it lost the contest.

Australia won; India lost, and Sachin Tendulkar won. It was quite a complicated climax to a drama that revolved around just one actor - Tendulkar. It was a performance which deserved an Oscar, for batting was never so ruthless; never so intense.

Australia maintained its unbeaten record to finish with four victories in the league. As for India, it had just one win prior to this match, against New Zealand, and finished with just that in the league.

How was Tendulkar a winner on the losing side then? Because he literally 'carried' the side into the final with an innings which had to be viewed in the context of the situation.

One had to see the match on that day to understand the importance of the masterly innings. Though India lost this match, it ended up with a better net run rate to make the final of the Coca-Cola Cup at the expense of the Kiwis.

It is true that real masters choose the right stage to perform. All the great 'live' performers are known to reserve their best for the big occasions and Tendulkar is no different.

His was an explosive knock which swept Australia off its feet and established Tendulkar as the best batsman in contemporary cricket. It was an innings straight out of fantasy. Very few batsmen in the history of the game would have managed a sustained assault as Tendulkar did that night.

It showed how much he cared for his team. For those watching, it was a lesson in discipline and in commitment. He gasped for breath, as he ran that extra run every time as if his life depended on it. In short, Tendulkar was heroic that night.

Everything else that happened in the match was pushed into the background. The imposing batting performance by Australia, with Michael Bevan, once again tormenting the bowlers and the fielders, almost shutting the door on India's chances.

But then Australia, for that matter most people watching the game, had not reckoned with the power, and the ability of Tendulkar. A dazzling display by Mark Waugh and Bevan's steely resolve meant that the Indians were pushed into the corner. How often does any team make such a charge on a target of 285?

The Indians were very low on morale and it was left to Tendulkar to pull the side out of the rut. A dust storm came as a further deterrent after India had lost four key batsmen, Sourav Ganguly, Nayan Mongia, Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja. Four overs were reduced, and the target now was 237 to qualify for the final and 276 to win. This was not what India had bargained for. What followed was something Australia had not bargained for either.

Tendulkar returned to the crease like a man possessed. His assault on the opposition was absolutely stunning since it was a one-man demolition squad. Even as V. V. S. Laxman gave him spirited support in his own little way.

Tendulkar decided he was going to finish the contest on his own. It was the most daring attack one had seen in this grade of cricket. After all, Tendulkar was belting an international attack and not some club side. Though at the end of it, the Australian bowlers resembled a club attack, with Tendulkar playing some amazingly innovative shots apart from the brutal ones.

An entire nation watched him with expectations and the prayers of his fans must have played a role in Tendulkar getting away with some edges, and a couple of mishits. One shot landed in no man's land and the other was spilt by a man on the boundary.

Fortune was favouring the brave and Tendulkar capitalised on every little opening he saw to squeeze his way to the road which showed the team the path to qualify for the final.

Tendulkar had nothing to lose as he played one of the most scintillating innings of all times. It was an epic knock for the simple reason that it was being crafted against all odds when the opposition was trying its best not to concede any quarter.

Tendulkar, the 'Man of the Match' got out to a dubious decision but then he had done his job wonderfully. India had qualified for the final and his only regret was "I wish we had won the match."

Heroes are rarely satisfied with their deeds and Tendulkar was only confirming that belief while carving out his 14th century in one-day cricket.

https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cric...-sharjah-kasprowicz-warne/article26904745.ece

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Masterclass in the Mecca of ODI venues.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Tendulkar changed crickets economy forever with those two knocks.

I have never even seen a bowler of such high stature being butchered and humiliated like that by a batsman the way Tendulkar treated Shane Warne during the desert storms. He was in another zone altogether during that week.

 

[sweep_shot]

It was an entertaining series. Tendulkar was on fire. He played some delightful shots.

 

[tyron_woodley]

lmao the only reason he even scored was cause mcgrath dint play. He is mcgrath's bunny.

look at the bowling lineup he faced. kasprowicz, moody rofl and Steve Waugh as the fifth option. Flem Was ok but he is a nobody compared to mcgrath.

Anyone can look good vs mediocre bowlers.

We all know what happened when mcgrath played these tournaments later. tenda boy got wrecked as per always.

I will give tenda credit for tests though. He did perform well vs australia in the longer format.

 

[Walawalkar]

One of the Greatest knock in the history of ODI Cricket...

 

[SensiblePakFan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">All I remember is the Aussies were blown away by the desert storm &#55356;&#57130;named <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sachin_rt</a> <a href="https://t.co/hd18oYciNH">pic.twitter.com/hd18oYciNH</a></p>— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) <a href="https://twitter.com/VVSLaxman281/status/1300138396812111872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

These 2 innings are pure gold. Those straight sixes ...

 

[Bhaijaan]

The desert storms still remain a spectacle of no equal. Damn, Tendulkar's hype was through the roof back then. The look of sheer disbelief on Shane Warne's face..Can never forget those sights.

 

[Indiafan]

lmao the only reason he even scored was cause mcgrath dint play. He is mcgrath's bunny.

look at the bowling lineup he faced. kasprowicz, moody rofl and Steve Waugh as the fifth option. Flem Was ok but he is a nobody compared to mcgrath.

Anyone can look good vs mediocre bowlers.

We all know what happened when mcgrath played these tournaments later. tenda boy got wrecked as per always.

I will give tenda credit for tests though. He did perform well vs australia in the longer format.

He has hit McGrath around many times though. Wven with that bowling line up asussies were from favorites

No one who calls players names can have any o objective view point, go rant somewhere else

 

[Bhaijaan]

lmao the only reason he even scored was cause mcgrath dint play. He is mcgrath's bunny.

look at the bowling lineup he faced. kasprowicz, moody rofl and Steve Waugh as the fifth option. Flem Was ok but he is a nobody compared to mcgrath.

Anyone can look good vs mediocre bowlers.

We all know what happened when mcgrath played these tournaments later. tenda boy got wrecked as per always.

I will give tenda credit for tests though. He did perform well vs australia in the longer format.

At the top of his game McGrath did what he did against everyone and we respect that but you're making it sound like Tendulkar did not have any victories in the rivalry. 1994-1998 Sachin dominated him, then 2-3 years of neck to neck battle followed by a dominant few years for McGrath.

McGrath was a passing shower for Sachin who had faced Hughes, McDermot before him and Starc, Pattinson after him.

Thing is Sachin went out to bat with the same game plan against McGrath in 2000 ICC knock out that he did in 2003 world cup final. In one of those matches he crushed McGrath and in the other he didn't survive the opening over even. Tje final obviously gets remembered more but i wonder if Sachin safely negotiating McGrath while chasing 360 runs would have been any better?

 

[MenInG]

Awesome innings by SRT - must have put the fear of the Lord in the bowlers!

 

[ChTab]

I've watched highlights of that innings sometimes & the S/R of 100+ during that era was just amazing.

 

[Ahmad-GERMANFC]

Why is it called desert storm. Wasn’t that Gulf war name?

 

[TheNightWatchman]

This innings would not be have been the same if it was anyone else besides Tony Greig commentating
"The little man has hit the big fella for six. He's half his size!!and he's smashed him down the ground"